Interactions between the major primary producer in the oceans, phytoplankton, and bacteria constitute one of the most important associations in aquatic ecosystems. These relations influence productivity and fisheries of coastal ecosystems, control carbon fluxes to the deep ocean, play an important role in harmful algal blooms and toxin production by phytoplankton, and contribute to production of cloud seeding gases, such as dimethyl sulfide. We aim to use multi-omics techniques coupled with novel microfluidics and metabolomics approaches to understand the molecular mechanisms that promote these symbiotic relations, how they influence the oceanic ecosystem and their fate in response to climate change.

Karenia brevis is a common species of toxigenic dinoflagellates that blooms annually in the Gulf of Mexico and in other coastal areas around the world. It produces brevetoxin, a potent neurotoxin that negatively affects marine life and human populations in bloom regions. Significant efforts have been invested in predicting the occurrence of these blooms and mitigating their effects; however, we are still unable to accurately predict these events nor prevent them. Our lab aims to understand the influence microbes play in the life cycle of K. brevis and whether biological agents, e.g., algicidal bacteria, can be used to mitigate such blooms. 

Corals depend on multi-partite symbioses with diverse microbiota that influences their fitness and resilience to climate change. We are using an integrated ‘omics approach, including shotgun metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and metabolomics to better understand the functional responses of the coral holobiont (host and its associated microbiomes) during normal symbiosis and the climate change-induced dysbiosis. Unraveling the molecular mechanisms of coral symbiosis will enable us to target effective strategies to save the collapsing diversity of corals in today’s oceans.

The Arabian Gulf provides a uniquely powerful natural laboratory for studying marine biogeochemistry. Characterized by extreme hypersalinity, large seasonal and spatial temperature fluctuations, and intense anthropogenic stress, the Gulf challenges many conventional assumptions about marine ecosystem function. Despite its generally
oligotrophic conditions, the region supports persistent and often high levels of primary production, making it an ideal system for investigating how microbial communities adapt, interact, and sustain productivity under environmental extremes.

This research explores how tiny molecules inside living systems reveal the hidden story of how organisms function, adapt, and respond to change. Using cutting-edge metabolomics tools, it studies everything from coral ecosystems to human health, uncovering key metabolic processes. By refining advanced analysis methods, the lab is pushing the boundaries of understanding environmental resilience, disease, and life at a molecular level.