The Extremophiles Research Group was established in 2002 to act as a centre for research, teaching and outreach related to life in extreme environments.  Our research activities focus upon the biodiversity, ecology and adaptation to stress of microorganisms in hot springs and volcanic fumaroles, hypersaline lakes and soils, plus arid and polar deserts. 

Research expeditions have taken us around much of the Asia-Pacific region, including: Tibet and Xinjiang in China, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Thailand, The Philippines and Vietnam.  We have also joined research projects looking at extreme environments in Africa, Chile, The USA, the Canadian Arctic and Antarctica.  To learn more about our research and publications click the ‘Research’ icon on the main menu.  Click on the links below to see photos from our research expeditions:

Hot springs and fumaroles
Hypersaline lakes and soils
Hyperarid deserts
The Arctic and Antarctica
Pavilion Lake microbialites

Contribution to teaching at the university involves running the BSc Major and Minor programmes in Microbiology, which includes courses that enable students to focus their study on extremophiles and gain hands-on experience in research activities.  All teaching is supported by on-line course material available to HKU intranet users, simply click the ‘Teaching’ icon on the main menu.  Our main outreach activity is through running the Astrobiology Society of Hong Kong, which promotes awareness of the science of understanding life and its limits to the general public.  You can find out more by clicking the ‘Astrobiology Society’ icon on the main menu.