The uptake of rare earth elements (REE) by Euglena gracilis cells has been investigated in Fudan University. The remarkable ability to transport REEs to these cell’s compartments had been observed. X-ray absorption fine structure experiments (XAFS) of cerium in Euglena gracilis were performed at Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BSRF) to directly determine the cerium valence state and coordination structure in situ. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) derived calculation showed that cerium was surrounded by 8 N atoms with bond length of 0.258 nm. Combining with other measurements, it may indicate that most likely REEs are mainly located in chlorophyll molecules.