Profile
My research group focuses on understanding the ecology and evolution of microbiomes in nature and how they evolved with the changing environment. Over the years, I have been associated with the declaration of more than 70 new species of cultivated bacteria and archaea, isolated from extreme environments, and more than 50 new species of yet-to-be-cultivated bacteria. These novel taxa descriptions include more than 47 genera, 29 families, 23 orders, and 6 classes. Additionally, we worked on the phylogenomics of environmental microbiomes to understand the nutrient cycling and functional diversity of the microbial dark matter.
Current Focus Areas
Microbial nutrient cycling and climate change mitigation
Understanding the impact of pesticides on soil and gut microbiome
Cultivation of yet-to-be-cultured microorganisms (microbial dark matter) and their bioprofiling
Selected Publications
Jiao, J.-Y, Ma, S.-C., Salam, N., Zhou, Z., Lian, Z.-H., et al. (2024) Cultivation of novel Atribacterota from oil well provides new insight into their diversity, ecology, and evolution in anoxic, carbon-rich environments. Microbiome, 12, 123. doi: 10.1186/s40168-024-01836-7
Salam, N., Xian, W.-D., Asem, M.D., Xiao, M., Li, W.-J. (2021) From ecophysiology to cultivation methodology: filling the knowledge gap between uncultured and cultured microbes. Marine Life Science & Technology, 3, 132-247.
Li, J.*, Wang, P.*, Salam, N.*, Li, X., Ahmad, M., et al. (2020) Unraveling bacteria-mediated degradation of lignin-derived aromatic compounds in a freshwater environment. Science of the Total Environment, 749, 141236. (*shared first authorship)
Salam, N., Jiao, J.-Y., Zhang, X.-T., Li, W.-J. (2020). Update on the classification of higher ranks in the phylum Actinobacteria. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 70, 1331-1355.
Zhu, Q., Mai, U, Pfeiffer, W., Janssen, S., Asnicar, F., Sanders, J.G., Belda-Ferre, P., Al-Ghalith, G.A., Kopylova, E., McDonald, D., Kosciolek, T., Yin, J.B., Huang, S., Salam, N., et al. (2019). Phylogenomics of 10,575 genomics reveals evolutionary proximity between domains Bacteria and Archaea. Nature Communications, 10, 5477. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-13443-4.