News

We are happy to announce that Pari Cribbins successfully defended her thesis entitled, “eDNA Surveys for the Critically Endangered Caribbean Staghorn Coral, Acropora cervicornis (Lamarck, 1816).” This represents our lab’s first full foray into eukaryotic environemental DNA work. Funded by the Brian Keller Foundation Pari has helped develop eDNA methods for rare species, and chose … Continue reading Masters thesis on coral eDNA study completed by Pari Cribbins

The “Understanding Life: Using Largescale Biodiversity Reference Genomes” conference occurred at the Frederick Sanger Center this past week. The Hinxton countryside and autumn weather provided an optimal setting for the attendees. The Sanger Center hosts were very “wellcoming”, and the genomics topics were wide-ranging, similar to a large evolution meeting, with engaging plenary and early … Continue reading Understanding Life: Using Largescale Biodiversity Reference Genomes Conference wraps up in the UK

PI Lopez was interviewed by the Miami Herald , WMNF radio and NBC Miami to discuss the current bleaching along reefs of the Kristin Jacobs Coral Aquatic Preserve (KJCAP). In conjunction with National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) colleagues, Ronen Liberman and Nick Jones, a bleaching watch has been in effect ever since the extreme 2023 … Continue reading Octocoral bleaching on local S. Florida reefs is consistent with current global events

Congratulations to MMG student and lab manager Paisley Samuel who has published the bulk of her MS thesis in Frontiers in Water for her first primary authored paper “Diversity fluctuations of the microbial community during annual Microcystis blooms within Lake Okeechobee, FL”. This is a personal milestone and capstone to our earlier Army Corps of Engineers project … Continue reading Bloom-forming cyanobacteria have complex interactions with the underlying heterotrophic communities on Lake Okeechobee

A high quality whole chromosomal genome of the sponge Diacarnus erythraeanus and the metagenomes of its microbial associates have been published from the Photosymbiosis Hub, a component of the Wellcome Sanger Institute/Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Aquatic Symbiosis Genome (ASG) Project. Dr. Laura Steindler has studied this common sponge and marine microbial associations for a number … Continue reading Chromosomal Genome of the Red Sea sponge, Diacarnus erythraeanus, Kelly-Borges & Vacelet, 1995, and its Associated Microbial Metagenomes Published

Glad to announce that another student in the MMG lab, Athena Capetanakis, successfully defended her NSU Master’s thesis entitled “The Characterization and Detection of Human Associated Pathogens Within Aquatic Sediments in Florida”. She did a great job applying our 16S rRNA microbiome workflow towards characterizing sediments of Ft Lauderdale city canals, which lie upstream of … Continue reading Masters Student, Athena Capetanakis, defends her thesis characterizing urban canal sediments

Another Aquatic Symbiosis Genome (ASG) Project Genome Note has been published. This time on the chromosomal level whole genome sequence of the photosymbiotic ascidian, Trididemnum clinides Kott, 1977 and its microbial associates’ metagenomes. This species lives with microbial symbiont Prochloron, which can also attribute to its production of interesting natural products. Thanks to our collaborator Euichi Hirose … Continue reading Pacific-based ascidian, Trididemnum clinides Kott, 1977, whole genome is now published

Congratulations to Stacy Brown, next MS student in the MMG lab to successfully defend her thesis “Microbial Community and Water Quality Assessment of Crassostrea virginica Habitats in Southeast Florida”. Her project was an interesting convergence of her community organizing and participation (Urban Farming Institute, SFAEP) on local water quality (oyster rehabilitation) and using microbiome profiles … Continue reading Stacy Brown defends her thesis on New River microbiomes