Research

I am fascinated by extremophiles and their ability to survive in some of the harshest conditions on Earth. The goal of my research is to use microscopy and molecular biology techniques to probe these exotic microorganisms in order to understand their activity and involvement in biogeochemical cycling within their environmental context. I hope to derive fundamental rules governing microbial metabolisms and habitability to reveal the potential for life elsewhere in our solar system and utility for industrial applications.

Check out my Google Scholar or ResearchGate pages or feel free to email me for a pdf of my publications!

Geomicrobiology of the Mid-Cayman Rise

The Mid-Cayman Rise in the Caribbean Sea is home to two known vent fields: Beebe and Von Damm. At nearly 5 km beneath the surface, Beebe is the deepest hydrothermal system currently known. Its fluids are extremely hot, acidic and rich in sulfide, metals, and hydrogen gas. In contrast, Von Damm is cooler, more alkaline, and methane- and hydrogen-rich. While the fluids have been well characterized, little is known about the solid chimneys and the microbial communities they host. Currently, I'm using a combination of sequencing and microscopy techniques to understand the microbial community composition and their spatial distribution within and across different vents.

Biogeography of The Cedars

Situated in Sonoma County in northern California, The Cedars formed where part of the subducting oceanic plate had been scraped on to the converging continental plate. This material would have been rich in ultramafic rock that could react with water in a process known as serpentinization, creating environments analogous to ones we may find on Mars or ocean words like Enceladus. Serpentinized fluid percolates back to the surface, creating ultrabasic pools encrusted in carbonates. Currently, only a few of these pools have been well studied, so I'm looking to discover and characterize new springs at The Cedars and use these pools to understand microbial colonization on mineral surfaces.

Dual-BONCAT: Multiplexing Microbial Activity

Demonstrated the utility of using multiple non-canonical amino acids (as opposed to the traditional, "mono"-BONCAT). My experiments revealed that dual-BONCAT could be used to identify microorganisms that were active during distinct times and conditions in an experiment with confocal fluorescence microscopy.

Relevant publications:
1. Mankel, D., Maierhaba, Y., Momjian, C., Calabrese, F., Duhamel, S., Marlow, J. (2026) Dual-BONCAT reveals distinct subpopulations of anabolically active cells. Appl. Environ. Microbio. 92:e02391-25. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.02391-25 .

About

I am currently a Biology Ph.D. student in Jeff Marlow's Geomicrobiology lab ! I recieved my B.S. in Astrophysics and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from Michigan State University in 2019 in pursuit of a career in Astrobiology and the NASA astronaut program.

I've tried on many different "hats" throughout my research career. From my humble beginnings as a telescope operator at the Michigan State campus observatory to now studying microorganisms in the strangest corners of the world at Boston University, these experiences have provided an interdisciplinary perspective that I channel into my research. Currently, I'm trying to understand the metabolic, geochemical, and mineralogical parameters that enable microorganisms to live in extreme environments. These places and the life they host can tell us a lot about the origin of life here on Earth and the potential for life elsewhere.

Outside of academia, I enjoying hiking, scuba diving, and sailing!

Publications

1. Mankel, D., Maierhaba, Y., Momjian, C., Calabrese, F., Duhamel, S., Marlow, J. (2026) Dual-BONCAT reveals distinct subpopulations of anabolically active cells. Appl. Environ. Microbio. 92:e02391-25. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.02391-25 .
2. Werbin, Z., ... , Mankel, D., et al. (2025) Improved detection of fungi and uncultivated microorganisms in soil metagenomes using a comprehensive genome database. BioRxiv [Preprint]. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.03.21.644662 .
3. Hoehler, T., Mankel, D., Girguis, P., McCollom, T., Kiang, N., Jørgensen, B. B. (2023) The metabolic rate of the biosphere and its components. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 120(25): e2303764120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2303764120 .
4. Murphy-Glaysher, F. J., ... , Mankel, D., et al. (2022). V392Persei: A γ-ray bright nova eruption from a known dwarf nova, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 514 (4), 6183–6202. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac1577.*
5. Patterson, J., de Miguel, E., ... , Mankel, D., et al. (2017). OV Bootis: Forty Nights Of World-Wide Photometry. Society for Astronomical Sciences, 1-6.*

*Contributed Data

Recent Presentations

1. Mankel, D., Anderson, R., Marlow, J. (July 2026). Microbial Community Composition, Metabolic Potential, and Diversity within the Active Vents of the Mid-Cayman Rise [Poster presentation]. Microbiome Day, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States.
2. Mankel, D. (May 2026). Life at High pH: Microbial strategies in the Actively Serpentinizing Subsurface of The Cedars [Lightning Talk]. Biogeoscience Symposium, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States.
3. Mankel, D. (Oct 2025). Uncovering the Microbial Community Composition, Metabolic Potential, and Diversity within the Active Vents of the Mid-Cayman Rise [Oral presentation]. EBE-MB Department Chalk Talk Seminar series, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States.
4. Mankel, D., Anderson, R., Marlow, J. (Aug 2025). Microbial Community Composition, Metabolic Potential, and Diversity within the Active Vents of the Mid-Cayman Rise [Poster presentation]. Seventh Workshop on Trait-based Approaches to Ocean Life 2025. Monterey, CA, United States.
5. Mankel, D. (July 2025). Linking Microbial Identity, Activity, and Microgeography within the Hydrothermal Chimneys of the Mid-Cayman Rise [Poster presentation]. Microbiome Day, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States.
6. Mankel, D. (May 2024). Microbial Community Composition, Metabolic Potential, and Diversity Within the Active Vents of the Mid-Cayman Rise [Oral presentation]. Biogeoscience Symposium, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States.
7. Mankel, D. (Nov 2024). Assessing the Limits of Life at pH and Temperature Extremes in Extraterrestrial Analog Environments [Oral presentation]. EBE-MB Department Chalk Talk Seminar series, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States.
8. Mankel, D. (May 2024) Using Microbes from Extreme Environment Analogs to Grow Bioplastics on Mars [Oral presentation]. Hariri FRP Symposium - First Trip to Mars: How to Pack Light, Boston, MA, United States.
9. Mankel, D., Marlow, J. (May 2024) Linking microbial identity, activity, and microgeography within the hydrothermal chimneys of the Mid-Cayman Rise [Poster presentation]. AbSciCon 2024, Providence, RI, United States.
10. Mankel, D. (Nov 2023). Linking Microbial Identity, Activity, and Microgeography within Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Chimneys [Oral presentation]. EBE-MB Department Chalk Talk Seminar series, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States.

Posters

Contact

• LinkedIn
• ResearchGate
• GoogleScholar
• GoogleScholar

New hydrothermal vents in the Eyjafjörður fjord, Iceland

Canyons, Vents, and Seeps of the Chilean Triple Junction

Ultrabasic Springs of The Cedars

The Hypersaline Basque Lakes

The Fagradalsfjall Eruption in Iceland

Elements

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