Download Potential Mentors for Summer Interns – 2016 Harbor Branch

Potential Mentors for Summer Interns – 2016
Harbor Branch Scientific/Engineering Staff and Areas of Research
Aquaculture and Stock Enhancement:
Laramore, Susan – Assistant Research Professor (Ph.D., Florida Institute of
Technology) Interests: aquatic animal health, crustacean and bivalve diseases, with an
emphasis on viral diseases; the effect of the environment on the progression of these
diseases and immune system function.
Wills, Paul – Research Professor (Ph.D., Southern Illinois University at Carbondale)
Interests: production of finfish for food, and for sportfish enhancement; use of
chromosome set manipulation and sex control for improving production characteristics
of finfish.
Riche, Marty – Research Professor (Ph.D., Michigan State University) Interests: fish
nutrition and physiology including bioenergetics, nutrient requirements and availability,
and development of broodstock and larval finfish diets.
Biomedical and Biotechnology:
Guzmán, Esther – Associate Research Professor (Ph.D., University of Texas, Houston)
Interests: the design of high-throughput assays to test the potential anti-tumor or antiinflammatory activities of marine natural products isolated from sponges and corals, and
the elucidation of the mechanism of action of those compounds that exhibit biological
activity to assess their potential as therapeutics.
McCarthy, Peter – Research Professor (Ph.D., University of Kent) Interests:
heterotrophic microbes associated with sponges and their use in biotechnology; the
discovery of new antibiotics; exploring the microbial biodiversity of local waterways and
the interaction of microbes with human activities.
Wang, Guojun – Assistant Research Professor (Ph.D., The Chinese Academy of
Science, Beijing) Interests: elucidation of biosynthetic pathway of medically potent
marine natural products isolated from microorganisms and invertebrates, studies of
interesting enzymes found in pathways, and development and application of novel
metabolic engineering methods. Current research activities include gene cluster cloning
by genomic and metagenomic approaches, profiling of metabolites in cultured marine
microorganisms, and biochemistry of enzyme functions.
Wright, Amy – Research Professor, Marine Natural Products Chemistry (Ph.D.,
University of California, Riverside) Interests: the bioassay-guided purification and
structure elucidation of novel marine natural products that may have utility in the
treatment of human diseases. Of special interest are marine invertebrates derived from
deep-water habitats accessible through the use of the Johnson-Sea-Link manned
submersibles. Research projects include investigation of deep-water sponges and
gorgonians as sources of novel antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-malarial,
and antitumor agents.
Marine Ecosystem Health:
Ajemian, Matthew – Assistant Research Professor (Ph.D., University of South
Alabama) Interests: ecology and behavior of marine and estuarine fishes, particularly
fisheries species and elasmobranchs (sharks and rays). Research projects include
enhancement potential of artificial reefs, fish feeding ecology, habitat use, and migratory
behavior.
Hanisak, Dennis – Research Professor (Ph.D., University of Rhode Island) Interests:
physiology and ecology of marine plants (primarily macroalgae and sea grasses),
including their primary production, nutrient uptake, and photobiology, as well as their
cultivation and utilization as resources. Research projects include seagrass ecology,
seaweed mariculture, coral reef ecology, and community dynamics of estuarine
macrophytes.
Lapointe, Brian – Research Professor (Ph.D., University of Florida) Interests: bottomup controls on harmful algal blooms in subtropical and tropical coastal ecosystems on a
variety of scales, ranging from organismal to multiple, linked ecosystems. Research
projects include coral reef and seagrass ecology, physiological ecology of invasive
macroalgae, and stable isotope analysis for assessing nutrient sources to coastal
waters.
Mazzoil, Marilyn – Research Associate (B.S., Ohio State University) Interests:
population ecology of dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon, using photo-identification and
GIS-based approaches; abundance and distribution, social structure, reproductive
success, shark interactions, and the occurrence of infectious diseases related to site
fidelity and environmental data.
O’Corry-Crowe, Gregory - Research Professor (Ph.D., University College Dublin)
Interests: Behavioral ecology and molecular genetics of top predators, including marine
mammals. Research fields include conservation genetics, polar ecology, immune
function, genomics and the evolution of social organization. Research projects include
the application of molecular genetics to Arctic marine mammal conservation including
polar bears, beluga whales and ice seals, and the genetics of health and fitness in
Florida whales and dolphins.
Schaefer, Adam – Epidemiologist/Project Manager (M.P.H., St. Louis University)
Interests: Environmental and infectious disease epidemiology, marine mammal health
and toxicology with the goal of exploring the complex interactions between dolphin,
environmental and public health.
Voss, Joshua – Assistant Research Professor (Ph.D., Florida International University)
Interests: coral reef ecology and community dynamics, environmental drivers and
impacts of coral diseases, development of advance molecular technologies with fieldbased ecological applications, molecular profiling of bacterial communities, marine
conservation and management.
Ocean Dynamics and Modeling:
Cherubin, Laurent – Associate Research Professor (Ph.D Universite Aix-Marseille II,
France) Interests: vortex and current dynamics and interaction with topography;
Lagrangian transport; ocean numerical modeling; physical processes that control larval
transport and connectivity; cross-shelf exchange mechanisms and plankton dynamics;
instrument and field studies.
Jiang, Mingshun – Associate Research Professor (Ph.D., Ocean University of
Qingdao, China) Interests: estuarine and coastal dynamics, ocean iron and carbon
cycles, water quality, ecosystem functioning, and coastal inundation. Research projects
include modeling carbon cycle and pH for understanding ocean acidification in estuarine
and coastal oceans, modeling water quality and harmful algal blooms in estuarine and
coastal oceans, modeling iron (Fe) and carbon cycle in shelf and open oceans.
Ocean Engineering and Ocean Optics:
Dalgleish, Fraser – Associate Research Professor, Optical Engineering (Ph.D.,
Cranfield University, UK) Interests: underwater LASER and optical sensors for ocean
observatories, imaging, and communications networks. Projects may be based in the
Ocean Visibility and Optics Laboratory (a large underwater test facility at HBOI) and/or
involve field deployments of autonomous underwater vehicles, remotely operated
vehicles, profilers, landers, or gliders.
Ouyang, Bing – Assistant Research Professor, Electrical Engineering (Ph.D., Southern
Methodist University) Interests: underwater laser imaging system, image and signal
processing and oceanographic data analysis, visualization and management. Projects
may be based in the Ocean Visibility and Optics Laboratory to develop techniques for
data analysis, visualization and/or management.
Sullivan, James – Research Professor, Biological Oceanography (Ph.D., University of
Rhode Island, 2000) Interests: mechanisms controlling the spatial-temporal dynamics of
phytoplankton populations, bio-physical interactions, ocean optics and remote sensing,
Harmful Algal Bloom (red tide) dynamics, bioluminescence in the ocean, and the
development and use of optical and autonomous instrumentation and analytical
techniques.
Twardowski, Mike – Research Professor, Ocean Optics (Ph.D., University of Rhode
Island) Interests: optical sensor design-development-application for environmental
characterization in oceans and coastal/estuarine areas, oceanic particle field dynamics,
ocean color remote sensing, active laser remote sensing, underwater imaging, longterm monitoring strategies
Vuorenkoski Dalgleish, Anni – Assistant Research Professor, Mechanical
Engineering (Ph.D., Cranfield University, UK) Interests: optical sensor technology for
environmental characterization in oceans and coastal/estuarine areas, underwater laser
imaging and communication, benthic mapping and classification. Projects may include
the use of engineering software (such as CAD, FEM, CFD, Matlab, LabVIEW, or
Raytrace) and/or prototype development, construction, and experimental evaluation.
Ocean Exploration:
Pomponi, Shirley – Research Professor (Ph.D., University of Miami) Interests: cell
biology, physiology, and systematics of marine sponges with an emphasis on tropical
shallow and deep-water species that produce biologically active metabolites.