Research – Rutgers University Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences

Identification and sorting of subpopulations of phytoplankton which have activated programmed cell death pathways in response to viral infection and nutrient depletion; characterizing in situ marine ectohydrolase activities for specific microbial subpopulations.
Use of fluorescent-based probes to sort microbial populations encased in ancient Antarctic ice over geologic time scales.
Assesing the physiological ecology of phytoplankton subpopulations.
Assessment of the photosynthetic niche specialization among subpopulations of phytoplankton and coral cell cultures.
Determination of trace metal quotas for specific subpopulations of phytoplankton.
Assessing the genetic diversity and population dynamics of marine microbes.
Detection and sorting of phosphorus-limited cells from natural populations in the Sargasso Sea and Bermuda Atlantic Time Series.
Isolation and characerization of subpopulations of the parasite Perkinsus marinus, which selectively infects oysters and razor clams.
Use of chromosomal sorting to assess the effect of polyploidy to disease resistance in the eastern oyster, Crossosstria virginica.

Use in biodegradation studies to determine which community members able to utilize and detoxify selected hazardous substrates.
Targetted separation of abiotic vs. biotic marine particles for assessment of differing chemical bind loads.
Interrogation of microbial populations that differ with respect to their ability to associate with and degrade non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs)
Use in bioremediation of sediments and groundwater and anaerobic digestion of sludges and waste biomass; quantifying specific bacterial or archael groups and the expressionof specific functional genes associated with in situ rates of dechlorination of dioxins and PCBs.
Quantitaion and isolation of microorganisms comprising the atmospheric biosphere; assessing microbial genetic mutation by cosmic radiation in the atmosphere.

Examining the population dynamics and phenotypic plasticity of protist species in response to environmental variation; assessing species diversity and community composition.

Identification and separation of specific bacterial symbionts of marine sponges for elucidation of natural product synthesis.

Targetted quantitation and isolation of specific microbial subpopulations of bacteria and archaea from hydrothermal vents.
Assessing horizontal gene transfer of metal resistance genes and its role in the fitness of microbial communities in metal contaminated environments.

Examination of fungal isolates to elucidate differences in Turfgrass disease; investigating the function of viral genes in disease of cranberries and blueberries.
Investigation of ‘biological control’ microorganisms that are antagonistic to plant pathogens as effective disease control; assessment of gene expression and regulation for extracellular degradative enzymes and antibiotic production.