Research

Phytoplankton are microscopic algae that host bacterial communities which can sometimes be found attached to algal cell surfaces. In my research, I aim to characterize the physical and chemical interactions that occur between these organisms by studying the model diatom-bacteria system Phaeodactylum tricornutum - Marinobacter sp. I am interested in quantifying chemotaxis and attachment of bacteria to their diatom host and understanding how cell attachment and chemical cues influence bacterial metabolism of volatile organic compounds. I also study algal physiology and am developing field-applicable methods to characterize phytoplankton macromolecular composition.