All Stories

  1. The influence of different storage conditions on Limnospira indica, a promising candidate for air revitalization in space

    Article • iScience, October 2025, Elsevier

    Natalie Leys

  2. ARTHROSPIRA-C space flight experiment: Validation of biomass and oxygen production bioprocesses in a space bioreactor prior to upload to space

    Article • Acta Astronautica, April 2025, Elsevier

    Natalie Leys

  3. Chronic low-dose rate irradiation induces transient hormesis effect on cyanobacterium Limnospira indica

    Article • iScience, March 2025, Elsevier

    Natalie Leys

  4. Development and implementation of a simulated microgravity setup for edible cyanobacteria

    Article • npj Microgravity, October 2024, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  5. The potential role of extremophiles as food supplements in extraterrestrial bioscience engineering 

    Article • October 2024, ScienceOpen

    Natalie Leys

  6. The influence of different storage conditions on Limnospira indica, a promising candidate for air revitalisation in Space

    Article • March 2024, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  7. Microbial supplements for extraterrestrial environments

    Article • March 2024, ScienceOpen

    Natalie Leys

  8. Microbial supplements for extraterrestrial environments

    Article • March 2024, ScienceOpen

    Natalie Leys

  9. Human Intestinal Organoids and Microphysiological Systems for Modeling Radiotoxicity and Assessing Radioprotective Agents

    Article • Cancers, December 2023, MDPI AG

    Natalie Leys

  10. Enhancing European capabilities for application of multi-omics studies in biology and biomedicine space research

    Article • iScience, September 2023, Elsevier

    Natalie Leys

  11. Photosynthetic Microorganisms for Sustainable Space Agriculture

    Article • Journal of Plant Interactions, August 2023, Taylor & Francis

    Natalie Leys

  12. The waterbodies of the halo-volcanic Dallol complex: earth analogs to guide us, where to look for life in the universe

    Article • Frontiers in Microbiology, July 2023, Frontiers

    Natalie Leys

  13. Future space experiment platforms for astrobiology and astrochemistry research

    Article • npj Microgravity, June 2023, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  14. Limnospira indica PCC8005 and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG Mixed Dietary Combination Reduces Pelvic Irradiation-Induced Symptoms in Mice

    Article • Applied Microbiology, May 2023, MDPI AG

    Natalie Leys

  15. Assessment of batch culture conditions for cyanobacterial propagation for a bioreactor in space

    Article • Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, April 2023, Frontiers

    Natalie Leys

  16. Limnospira indica PCC 8005 Supplementation Prevents Pelvic Irradiation-Induced Dysbiosis but Not Acute Inflammation in Mice

    Article • Antioxidants, February 2023, MDPI AG

    Natalie Leys

  17. PrsQ2, a small periplasmic protein involved in increased uranium resistance in the bacterium Cupriavidus metallidurans

    Article • Journal of Hazardous Materials, February 2023, Elsevier

    Natalie Leys

  18. Optimization of RNA extraction for bacterial whole transcriptome studies of low-biomass samples

    Article • iScience, November 2022, Elsevier

    Natalie Leys

  19. pH and microbial community determine the denitrifying activity in the presence of nitrate-containing radioactive waste

    Article • Frontiers in Microbiology, October 2022, Frontiers

    Natalie Leys

  20. Limnospira indica PCC 8005 or Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG Dietary Supplementation Modulate the Gut Microbiome in Mice

    Article • Applied Microbiology, August 2022, MDPI AG

    Natalie Leys

  21. Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Bacterial Uranium Resistance

    Article • Frontiers in Microbiology, March 2022, Frontiers

    Natalie Leys

  22. Metaproteomics, Heterotrophic Growth, and Distribution of Nitrosomonas europaea and Nitrobacter winogradskyi after Long-Term Operation of an Autotrophic Nitrifying Biofilm Reactor

    Article • Applied Microbiology, March 2022, MDPI AG

    Natalie Leys

  23. Accurate prediction of metagenome-assembled genome completeness by MAGISTA, a random forest model built on alignment-free intra-bin statistics

    Article • Environmental Microbiome, March 2022, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  24. Cupriavidus metallidurans NA4 actively forms polyhydroxybutyrate-associated uranium-phosphate precipitates

    Article • Journal of Hazardous Materials, January 2022, Elsevier

    Natalie Leys

  25. Cyclical Patterns Affect Microbial Dynamics in the Water Basin of a Nuclear Research Reactor

    Article • Frontiers in Microbiology, October 2021, Frontiers

    Natalie Leys

  26. Development of Nitrogen Recycling Strategies for Bioregenerative Life Support Systems in Space

    Article • Frontiers in Microbiology, October 2021, Frontiers

    Natalie Leys

  27. Photobioreactor Limnospira indica Growth Model: Application From the MELiSSA Plant Pilot Scale to ISS Flight Experiment

    Article • Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, August 2021, Frontiers

    Natalie Leys

  28. Genetic Responses of Metabolically Active Limnospira indica Strain PCC 8005 Exposed to γ-Radiation during Its Lifecycle

    Article • Microorganisms, July 2021, MDPI AG

    Natalie Leys

  29. Phenotypic and Genetic Characterization of Temperature-Induced Mutagenesis and Mortality in Cupriavidus metallidurans

    Article • Frontiers in Microbiology, July 2021, Frontiers

    Natalie Leys

  30. Use of Photobioreactors in Regenerative Life Support Systems for Human Space Exploration

    Article • Frontiers in Microbiology, June 2021, Frontiers

    Natalie Leys

  31. Intestinal mucositis precedes dysbiosis in a mouse model for pelvic irradiation

    Article • ISME Communications, June 2021, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  32. Microbially-Enhanced Vanadium Mining and Bioremediation Under Micro- and Mars Gravity on the International Space Station

    Article • Frontiers in Microbiology, April 2021, Frontiers

    Natalie Leys

  33. Adaptation of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 to Toxic Zinc Concentrations Involves an Uncharacterized ABC-Type Transporter

    Article • Microorganisms, February 2021, MDPI AG

    Natalie Leys

  34. Soil microbial community structure and functionality changes in response to long‐term metal and radionuclide pollution

    Article • Environmental Microbiology, January 2021, Wiley

    Natalie Leys

  35. Correction for Props et al., “Gene Expansion and Positive Selection as Bacterial Adaptations to Oligotrophic Conditions”

    Article • mSphere, December 2020, ASM Journals

    Natalie Leys

  36. Space station biomining experiment demonstrates rare earth element extraction in microgravity and Mars gravity

    Article • Nature Communications, November 2020, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  37. No Effect of Microgravity and Simulated Mars Gravity on Final Bacterial Cell Concentrations on the International Space Station: Applications to Space Bioproduction

    Article • Frontiers in Microbiology, October 2020, Frontiers

    Natalie Leys

  38. The Transcriptomic Landscape of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 Acutely Exposed to Copper

    Article • Genes, September 2020, MDPI AG

    Natalie Leys

  39. Copper Resistance Mediates Long-Term Survival of Cupriavidus metallidurans in Wet Contact With Metallic Copper

    Article • Frontiers in Microbiology, June 2020, Frontiers

    Natalie Leys

  40. Limnospira indica PCC8005 growth in photobioreactor: model and simulation of the ISS and ground experiments

    Article • Life Sciences in Space Research, May 2020, Elsevier

    Natalie Leys

  41. Water-soluble bitumen degradation products can fuel nitrate reduction from non-radioactive bituminized waste

    Article • Applied Geochemistry, March 2020, Elsevier

    Natalie Leys

  42. PaSiT: a novel approach based on short-oligonucleotide frequencies for efficient bacterial identification and typing

    Article • Bioinformatics, January 2020, Oxford University Press (OUP)

    Natalie Leys

  43. Growth ofLactobacillus reuteriDSM17938 Under Two Simulated Microgravity Systems: Changes in Reuterin Production, Gastrointestinal Passage Resistance, and Stress Genes Expression Response

    Article • Astrobiology, January 2020, Mary Ann Liebert Inc

    Natalie Leys

  44. Monitoring the Microbial Burden in Manned Space Stations

    Article • November 2019, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  45. Helical and linear morphotypes of Arthrospira sp. PCC 8005 display genomic differences and respond differently to 60Co gamma irradiation

    Article • European Journal of Phycology, November 2019, Taylor & Francis

    Natalie Leys

  46. Reactivation of Microbial Strains and Synthetic Communities After a Spaceflight to the International Space Station: Corroborating the Feasibility of Essential Conversions in the MELiSSA Loop

    Article • Astrobiology, September 2019, Mary Ann Liebert Inc

    Natalie Leys

  47. An active microbial community in Boom Clay pore water collected from piezometers impedes validating predictive modelling of ongoing geochemical processes

    Article • Applied Geochemistry, July 2019, Elsevier

    Natalie Leys

  48. Fungi and Mycotoxins in Space—A Review

    Article • Astrobiology, July 2019, Mary Ann Liebert Inc

    Natalie Leys

  49. Food Supplements to Mitigate Detrimental Effects of Pelvic Radiotherapy

    Article • Microorganisms, April 2019, MDPI AG

    Natalie Leys

  50. Gene Expansion and Positive Selection as Bacterial Adaptations to Oligotrophic Conditions

    Article • mSphere, February 2019, ASM Journals

    Natalie Leys

  51. Genomic and Transcriptomic Changes that Mediate Increased Platinum Resistance in Cupriavidus metallidurans

    Article • Genes, January 2019, MDPI AG

    Natalie Leys

  52. Spontaneous mutation in the AgrRS two-component regulatory system ofCupriavidus metalliduransresults in enhanced silver resistance

    Article • Metallomics, January 2019, Oxford University Press (OUP)

    Natalie Leys

  53. Cupriavidus metallidurans Strains with Different Mobilomes and from Distinct Environments Have Comparable Phenomes

    Article • Genes, October 2018, MDPI AG

    Natalie Leys

  54. Characterization of the bacterial communities on recent Icelandic volcanic deposits of different ages

    Article • BMC Microbiology, September 2018, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  55. Nitrogen cycle microorganisms can be reactivated after Space exposure

    Article • Scientific Reports, September 2018, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  56. Potential of higher plants, algae, and cyanobacteria for remediation of radioactively contaminated waters

    Article • Chemosphere, September 2018, Elsevier

    Natalie Leys

  57. Production and characterization of bioaerosols for model validation in spacecraft environment

    Article • Journal of Environmental Sciences, July 2018, Elsevier

    Natalie Leys

  58. Effect of microgravity & space radiation on microbes

    Article • Future Microbiology, June 2018, Future Medicine

    Natalie Leys

  59. Requirements for modeling airborne microbial contamination in space stations

    Article • Acta Astronautica, March 2018, Elsevier

    Natalie Leys

  60. The Ability of Basalt to Leach Nutrients and Support Growth of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 Depends on Basalt Composition and Element Release

    Article • Geomicrobiology Journal, February 2018, Taylor & Francis

    Rob Van Houdt, Natalie Leys

  61. BioRock: new experiments and hardware to investigate microbe–mineral interactions in space

    Article • International Journal of Astrobiology, July 2017, Cambridge University Press

    Natalie Leys

  62. The Impact of Space Flight on Survival and Interaction of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 with Basalt, a Volcanic Moon Analog Rock

    Article • Frontiers in Microbiology, April 2017, Frontiers

    Natalie Leys

  63. Reconciliation between operational taxonomic units and species boundaries

    Article • FEMS Microbiology Ecology, March 2017, Oxford University Press (OUP)

    Professor Peter A Vandamme, Natalie Leys, Mr Frederiek-Maarten Kerckhof

  64. Fifteen years of microbiological investigation in Opalinus Clay at the Mont Terri rock laboratory (Switzerland)

    Article • Swiss Journal of Geosciences, February 2017, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  65. Impact of the electron donor on in situ microbial nitrate reduction in Opalinus Clay: results from the Mont Terri rock laboratory (Switzerland)

    Article • Swiss Journal of Geosciences, February 2017, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  66. From reads to operational taxonomic units: an ensemble processing pipeline for MiSeq amplicon sequencing data

    Article • GigaScience, January 2017, Oxford University Press (OUP)

    Natalie Leys

  67. Reevaluating multicolor flow cytometry to assess microbial viability

    Article • Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, September 2016, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  68. Construction and phenotypic characterization of M68, an RruI quorum sensing knockout mutant of the photosynthetic alphaproteobacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum

    Article • Research in Microbiology, June 2016, Elsevier

    Natalie Leys

  69. IPED: a highly efficient denoising tool for Illumina MiSeq Paired-end 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing data

    Article • BMC Bioinformatics, April 2016, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  70. Zinc-Induced Transposition of Insertion Sequence Elements Contributes to Increased Adaptability of Cupriavidus metallidurans

    Article • Frontiers in Microbiology, March 2016, Frontiers

    Natalie Leys

  71. Rock-driven Changes in the Bacterial Proteome

    Article • Environmental Microbiology, December 2015, Wiley

    Natalie Leys

  72. Temporal Gene Expression of the Cyanobacterium Arthrospira in Response to Gamma Rays

    Article • PLOS One, August 2015, PLOS

    Natalie Leys

  73. Trade-Off between Growth and Carbohydrate Accumulation in Nutrient-Limited Arthrospira sp. PCC 8005 Studied by Integrating Transcriptomic and Proteomic Approaches

    Article • PLOS One, July 2015, PLOS

    Natalie Leys

  74. NoDe: a fast error-correction algorithm for pyrosequencing amplicon reads

    Article • BMC Bioinformatics, March 2015, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  75. Harvesting carbohydrate-rich Arthrospira platensis by spontaneous settling

    Article • Bioresource Technology, March 2015, Elsevier

    Natalie Leys

  76. Genome-wide transcriptional analysis suggests hydrogenase- and nitrogenase-mediated hydrogen production in Clostridium butyricum CWBI 1009

    Article • Biotechnology for Biofuels, February 2015, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  77. Molecular investigation of the radiation resistance of edible cyanobacteriumArthrospirasp. PCC 8005

    Article • MicrobiologyOpen, February 2015, Wiley

    Natalie Leys

  78. CATCh, an Ensemble Classifier for Chimera Detection in 16S rRNA Sequencing Studies

    Article • Applied and Environmental Microbiology, December 2014, ASM Journals

    Natalie Leys

  79. Draft Genome Sequences of Ralstonia pickettii Strains SSH4 and CW2, Isolated from Space Equipment

    Article • Genome Announcements, September 2014, ASM Journals

    Natalie Leys

  80. Snow Surface Microbiome on the High Antarctic Plateau (DOME C)

    Article • PLOS One, August 2014, PLOS

    Natalie Leys

  81. Genome Sequences of Cupriavidus metallidurans Strains NA1, NA4, and NE12, Isolated from Space Equipment

    Article • Genome Announcements, July 2014, ASM Journals

    Rob Van Houdt, Natalie Leys

  82. Microbial Monitoring of Crewed Habitats in Space—Current Status and Future Perspectives

    Article • Microbes and Environments, January 2014, Japanese Society of Microbial Ecology

    KOICHI MAKIMURA, Natalie Leys

  83. Genome Sequence of Cupriavidus metallidurans Strain H1130, Isolated from an Invasive Human Infection

    Article • Genome Announcements, December 2013, ASM Journals

    Rob Van Houdt, Natalie Leys

  84. Modelled microgravity cultivation modulates N-acylhomoserine lactone production in Rhodospirillum rubrum S1H independently of cell density

    Article • Microbiology, December 2013, Society for General Microbiology

    Natalie Leys

  85. Quantitative and functional dynamics of Dehalococcoides spp. and its tceA and vcrA genes under TCE exposure

    Article • Biodegradation, November 2013, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  86. Boom Clay Borehole Water, Home of a Diverse Bacterial Community

    Article • September 2013, ASME International

    Natalie Leys

  87. Evidence and characteristics of a diverse and metabolically active microbial community in deep subsurface clay borehole water

    Article • FEMS Microbiology Ecology, July 2013, Oxford University Press (OUP)

    Natalie Leys

  88. Antimicrobial silver: uses, toxicity and potential for resistance

    Article • BioMetals, June 2013, Springer Science + Business Media

    Rob Van Houdt, Natalie Leys

  89. Characterization of culturable Paenibacillus spp. from the snow surface on the high Antarctic Plateau (DOME C) and their dissemination in the Concordia research station

    Article • Extremophiles, April 2013, Springer Science + Business Media

    Rob Van Houdt, Natalie Leys

  90. Characterization of the Survival Ability of Cupriavidus metallidurans and Ralstonia pickettii from Space-Related Environments

    Article • Microbial Ecology, December 2012, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  91. Differential proteomics and physiology of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 under filament-inducing conditions

    Article • BMC Microbiology, November 2012, Springer Science + Business Media

    Rob Van Houdt, Natalie Leys

  92. Purification and Characterization of the Acetone Carboxylase of Cupriavidus metallidurans Strain CH34

    Article • Applied and Environmental Microbiology, April 2012, ASM Journals

    Natalie Leys

  93. Microbial contamination monitoring and control during human space missions

    Article • Planetary and Space Science, January 2012, Elsevier

    Rob Van Houdt, Natalie Leys

  94. Variation in genomic islands contribute to genome plasticity in Cupriavidus metallidurans

    Article • BMC Genomics, January 2012, Springer Science + Business Media

    Rob Van Houdt, Natalie Leys

  95. Heavy metal resistance in Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 is governed by an intricate transcriptional network

    Article • BioMetals, June 2011, Springer Science + Business Media

    Rob Van Houdt, Natalie Leys

  96. Insertion sequence elements in Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34: Distribution and role in adaptation

    Article • Plasmid, May 2011, Elsevier

    Rob Van Houdt, Natalie Leys

  97. Areas of Research

    Article • January 2011, Springer Science + Business Media

    Joan Albiol, Natalie Leys

  98. Alveolar epithelium protects macrophages from quorum sensing-induced cytotoxicity in a three-dimensional co-culture model

    Article • Cellular Microbiology, November 2010, Hindawi Publishing Corporation

    Rob Van Houdt, Natalie Leys

  99. Response of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 to low shear modelled microgravity involves AlgU regulation

    Article • Environmental Microbiology, June 2010, Wiley

    Rob Van Houdt, Pierre Cornelis, Natalie Leys

  100. Differential proteomic analysis using isotope‐coded protein‐labeling strategies: Comparison, improvements and application to simulated microgravity effect on Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34

    Article • PROTEOMICS, June 2010, Wiley

    Natalie Leys

  101. The Complete Genome Sequence of Cupriavidus metallidurans Strain CH34, a Master Survivalist in Harsh and Anthropogenic Environments

    Article • PLOS One, May 2010, PLOS

    Rob Van Houdt, Natalie Leys

  102. Toxicogenomic Response of Rhodospirillum rubrum S1H to the Micropollutant Triclosan

    Article • Applied and Environmental Microbiology, April 2010, ASM Journals

    Natalie Leys

  103. Characterization of Triclosan-Resistant Mutants Reveals Multiple Antimicrobial Resistance Mechanisms in Rhodospirillum rubrum S1H

    Article • Applied and Environmental Microbiology, March 2010, ASM Journals

    Natalie Leys

  104. Bacillus thuringiensis Conjugation in Simulated Microgravity

    Article • Astrobiology, October 2009, Mary Ann Liebert Inc

    Rob Van Houdt, Natalie Leys

  105. Experimental design and environmental parameters affect Rhodospirillum rubrum S1H response to space flight

    Article • The ISME Journal, July 2009, Oxford University Press (OUP)

    Rob Van Houdt, Natalie Leys

  106. The response of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 to spaceflight in the international space station

    Article • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, July 2009, Springer Science + Business Media

    Natalie Leys

  107. New mobile genetic elements in Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34, their possible roles and occurrence in other bacteria

    Article • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, April 2009, Springer Science + Business Media

    Rob Van Houdt, Natalie Leys

  108. Media Ion Composition Controls Regulatory and Virulence Response of Salmonella in Spaceflight

    Article • PLOS One, December 2008, PLOS

    Natalie Leys

  109. Evaluation of the Airborne Bacterial Population in the Periodically Confined Antarctic Base Concordia

    Article • Microbial Ecology, October 2008, Springer Science + Business Media

    Rob Van Houdt, Natalie Leys

  110. Physiological changes induced in bacteria following pH stress as a model for space research

    Article • Acta Astronautica, February 2007, Elsevier

    Natalie Leys