Dr. Irina A. Bryantseva is a Scientist Associate of the Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences. She received her PhD in Microbiology from the Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, RAS, in 2000. She co-authored 18 new species and/or genera of bacteria representing all groups of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria. Her research background is in the area of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria.