News – Page 2 – DURHAM LAB

Felipe presents poster at ABRCAMS!
11/5/2023
Felipe Quintana presented a poster at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCAMS) in Phoenix, AZ. His poster was titled: “Shifting the tides: Understanding the behavior of harmful algal blooms by identifying bacterial associates of Karenia brevis.” Not only was this Felipe’s first poster presentation as a new undergraduate researcher, but he won an Outstanding Poster Presentation Award! Bravo, Felipe!

A person stands smiling next to a scientific poster titled “Shifting the Tides.” The setting is an indoor exhibition hall with bright lighting.

Felipe standing in front of his poster.

A man in a light blue shirt stands on a stage holding a certificate, smiling. The backdrop has red and black curtains, creating a formal atmosphere.

Felipe receiving Outstanding Poster Presentation Award.

Trip to Whitney Lab!
11/5/2023
Several lab members (Bryn, Lisa, Felipe, Laurel, Mia, and Nicole) headed over to UF’s Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience for 3 days to do a “trial run” for our upcoming undergraduate immersion course in Spring 2024 “Microbial Life in the Oceans.” We learned a ton, made mistakes, and did a lot of trouble-shooting. Overall, a great training experience that left us feeling much better prepared to go to sea in February 2024 with our immersion students.

Group of five people smiling inside a van. The foreground shows two people with vibrant expressions, while the back seats are filled with luggage, conveying a joyful road trip vibe.

Lab members and supplies loaded in van.

Congrats, Laurel!
11/2/2023
Laurel Meke successfully passed her qualifying exam! Laurel joined the lab in 2021, and it was amazing to see Laurel present all that she has accomplished, from phytoplankton culture wrangling to intensive mass spec data analysis. Multiple co-authored manuscripts in progress and lots of undergraduate teaching and mentorship achievements! Excellent job, Laurel!

A group of five smiling people sitting around a restaurant table with plates and red cups. The atmosphere is casual and joyful, suggesting a friendly gathering.

Lab members celebrating Laurel’s successful qualifying exam.

Funding for new undergraduate immersion course in spring 2024!
8/25/2023
Bryn & Nicole will co-instruct a brand new undergraduate immersion course in Spring 2024 “Microbial Life in the Oceans.” The instructional team was awarded support from NSF to cover course costs and provide ship time off the coast of Florida. Our overarching mission with this experiential learning course is to trainundergraduate students in the fields of oceanography & environmental science and to make oceanographic field & laboratory science accessible. We believe it is fundamental to incorporate hands-on, experiential learning courses in order to reach and retain students with diverse backgrounds, learning styles, and interests and broaden participation in science. We are so thrilled to be able to offer this course with no fees, thanks to NSF-OCE for supporting our vision. We look forward to sailing with students in 2024! We will be posting more information on our course website.

A serene sunset over calm waters viewed from a ship. The horizon glows with soft pink and purple hues, while the deck reflects the sunset's warmth.

Looking out at the sea from a research vessel’s deck.

Rebecca, Nicole, Bryndan, and Lisa at MLD7!
7/18/2023
Four of us attended the Molecular Life of Diatoms meeting in San Diego, CA this summer! Rebecca and Nicole presented posters, Lisa gave an oral presentation, and Bryn chaired one of the sessions. We also made it to the zoo & the beach!

Four people stand smiling together near tall palm trees with the ocean in the background. They wear conference lanyards, conveying a friendly, casual tone.

Rebecca Key, Nicole Lynn-Bell, Bryndan Durham, and Lisa Coe at the conference venue with the ocean in the background.

Nye defends M.S. thesis!
7/16/2023
Nye Lott successfully defended his thesis over the summer, graduating with an M.S. in Botany. Nye is an exceptionally talented botanist with expertise in mass spec and molecular biology. His thesis work focused on examining different data acquisition methods used in untargeted mass spectometry. Nye graduated with three co-authored publications, and he will be moving on to a research tech position with USGS. Congrats, Nye!

A person wearing a green shirt and hat stands at the base of a massive tree in a lush forest. Sunlight filters through the dense green foliage.

Rebecca & Bryndan at ASLO 2023!
6/9/2023
Rebecca and Bryn both presented at the ASLO Aquatic Sciences Meeting in Mallorca, Spain this summer! Rebecca presented a poster on diversity and ecological drivers of marine phytoplankton in the North Pacific. Bryn gave an oral presentation on sulfur metabolites in the chemical-microbial network. We also made time for tapas & sightseeing!

Two people smiling in front of a scientific poster titled “Latitudinal Diversity Gradient and Ecological Drivers of Marine Picophytoplankton.” The background is a conference setting.

Bryndan Durham and Rebecca Key in front of Rebecca’s poster.

Welcome, Felipe!
6/1/2023
Felipe Quintana has joined the lab as an undergraduate researcher. Felipe is a fellow in the Santa Fe to University of Florida (SF2UF) Program, where he will ultimately transfer to UF Microbiology in 2024. Felipe is interested in marine sciences research, and he will be involved in our HABs projects. We look forward to having Felipe in the lab with us!

A young man with dark hair smiles warmly at the camera, wearing an orange plaid shirt. The background is a plain light gray, creating a friendly tone.

New paper on bacterial siderophores in the ocean!
5/22/2023
New article led by Jiwoon Park was published in Limnology & Oceanography! We inventoried siderophores and corresponding bacterial genes and transcripts in the North Pacific. Microbial groups involved in active siderophore production and usage change depending on latitude and local conditions. Rebecca Key and Bryn Durham were co-authors, leading the targeted metatranscriptomics analyses. Check out the paper! A fun collaborative project with the SCOPE-Gradients Program!

Chart showing dissolved iron and siderophore concentrations by latitude. Red and blue dots indicate different gradients, with visible spikes in data.

Figure from Park et al., 2023. Dissolved iron (top) and siderophore concentrations (bottom) in surface waters along the two Gradients cruise transects.

Welcome, Lisa!
5/10/2023
We are so happy to welcome new graduate student Lisa Coe to our group! Lisa has a range of research experience that includes genetics, analytical chemistry, and microbial symbiosis. Here at UF, Lisa will combine her interests in molecular microbiology, biogeochemistry, and microbial ecology to study sulfur-based communication between marine microbes. Welcome, Lisa!

Congrats to our three graduating seniors!
5/5/2023
Three undergraduate researchers in the lab have graduated this Spring 2023! And they are all off to do some really exciting things! Priyanka Chandra is heading over to UF’s Soil, Water, & Ecosystem Sciences to work in a soil chemistry lab. Lourdes Covone is heading to California for a food-wine microbiology internship. And, Ashley Ohall is heading to UGA-Skidaway Institute of Oceanography to pursue an MS in Marine Sciences! Stellar! Congrats, everyone!

A diverse group of nine people stands smiling in front of a brick building labeled "Cancer & Genetics Research." The mood is cheerful and friendly.

The lab group in front of the CGRC building on UF campus.

Congrats, Ashley – recipient of 2022 Guy Harvey Fellowship!
1/3/2023
Ashley has received a 2022 Guy Harvey Fellowship! This award is through a partnership between Florida Sea Grant and the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, a non-profit organization that conducts scientific research and hosts educational programs aimed at conserving the marine environment. The funds may be used to support equipment purchases, travel, and other expenses incurred during research. Well deserved, Ashley!

A smiling scientist in a lab coat and mask works in a lab, using a machine on a cluttered bench with colorful boxes and equipment in the background.

Ashley in the lab using the fluorometer.

A woman smiles while standing on a ship's deck, dressed in casual shorts and a t-shirt. The calm blue ocean stretches out under a clear sky.

Ashley on the back deck of a research vessel at sea.

Welcome, Niraj!
12/1/2022
We are thrilled to welcome new research scientist Niraj Aryal to our group! Niraj comes to us with tons of experience in natural products chemistry and applications of mass spectrometry. During his previous graduate and postdoctoral research, Niraj worked on isolation and characterization of many novel compounds across a variety of bacteria and fungi. Now, Niraj will apply and expand his metabolomics knowledge to address research questions on marine microbial metabolism! Welcome, Niraj!

A person in a black jacket and blue hoodie poses near a misty lake. The overcast sky and greenery in the background convey a calm, introspective mood.

Congrats, Becca!
10/21/2022
Becca Key successfully passed her qualifying exam today! Really awesome to see all that Becca’s accomplished since she joined UF in 2019. Multiple co-authored manuscripts already published/in-press, and two first-authored manuscripts underway! Excellent job, Becca!

A woman with long brown hair smiles warmly, wearing a floral maroon top. She's standing outside, with greenery and a blue display window in the background.

New paper on marine microbial metabolomics!
9/16/2022
New paper published in Frontiers in Marine Science! We inventoried metabolites across major marine microbial groups to identify chemotaxonomic patterns. Interesting patterns in organic sulfur, osmolytes, and signaling compounds. Check out the paper!

Two scatter plots labeled A and B display data points representing different microorganisms and compounds. Plot A shows colored dots for various groups like Archaea and Diatoms. Plot B highlights labels for compounds, with a gradient triangle indicating sulfur and nitrogen. Box plots at the axes indicate data distribution.

Figure from Durham, et al., 2022 showing ordination between microbial groups and their associated metabolites.

Welcome and congrats, Nicole!
6/1/2022
We are excited to welcome postdoctoral researcher Dr. Nicole Lynn-Bell to our group! Nicole’s research background is in microbial-mediated symbioses. During her graduate work at UGA, she focused on insect-bacteria-phage systems. At UF, Nicole will be examining phytoplankton-bacteria metabolic interactions through her recently awarded NSF C-CoMP postdoctoral fellowship. Congrats!!

Smiling woman in a blue patterned blouse and pink pants stands in front of green palm leaves, exuding a joyful and confident vibe.

Bryn Durham awarded 2022 Simons Early Career Investigator Award in Marine Microbial Ecology and Evolution
5/1/2022
The purpose of these awards is to help launch the careers of outstanding investigators in the field of marine microbial ecology and evolution who will advance our understanding through experiments, modeling or theory. Check out the program.

A person wearing sunglasses and casual clothes stands on a ship deck, smiling against a clear blue sky. City skyline and calm sea in the background.

New paper with collaborators on organic nitrogen metabolism!
4/25/2022
Paper led by collaborator Angie Boysen has been published in Environmental Microbiology. Using a combination of stable isotopes, mass spectrometry, and metatranscriptomics, we traced metabolism of nitrogen-containing metabolite glycine betaine through a variety of pathways in North Pacific microbial communities. Rebecca Key and Bryn Durham were co-authors on this work, leading the metatranscriptomics analyses. A great collaborative project supported by the the Simons Foundation SCOPE-Gradients Program.

Diagram of glycine betaine metabolism in a cell, showing chemical structures and pathways. Arrows indicate processes like biosynthesis and methanogenesis.

Schematic of formation and degradation pathways for glycine betaine, figure from Boysen et al., 2022.

Ashley’s poster presentation at the Undergraduate Research Symposium!
4/7/2022
Ashley Ohall presented her latest research at the Undergraduate Research Symposium. Ashley received a 2021 University Scholars Award to support her research over the last year, where she studied preferential use of nitrogen sources in coastal diatoms. She presented her culture work as well as some preliminary data from our recent cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. Great job, Ashley!

Two individuals stand in front of a scientific poster titled "Determining Preferential Nitrogen Conditions." They are in a large indoor venue, wearing business attire and masks, conveying a professional and academic setting.

Ashley and Bryn next to Ashley’s research poster at the Symposium.

New paper with collaborators on cyanobacteria-viral dynamics!
4/4/2022
Paper led by collaborator Michael Carlson is now published in Nature Microbiology. Carlson measured viral abundances and active viral infection of cyanobacterial populations in the North Pacific over several years. Carlson identified a hotspot of cyanophage and virus-infected picocyanobacteria in the transition zone between the North Pacific Subtropical and Subpolar gyres, highlighting the impact of viruses on large-scale phytoplankton biogeography and biogeochemistry in distinct regions of the oceans. Another nice collaboration out of the SCOPE-Gradients Program!

Graphs and maps visualize cyanophage abundance across latitudes. Top graphs show predicted vs. observed data. Bottom maps display distribution in color gradients.

Figure from Carlson et al., showing model-based predictions of cyanophage abundances corresponding to the empirically measured total.

First cruise in the Gulf of Mexico!
3/1/2022
We went on our first research cruise aboard the Florida Institute of Oceanography’s R/V Hogarth. This was the first time to sea for seven of our science party of nine! Hoorah! We collected samples using the CTD rosette (pictured) as well as plankton nets. We returned to the lab will lots of samples to measure microbial diversity and metabolism that will keep us busy for the coming months! GoMicrobes!

A group of eight people smiling on a ship's deck at sea, next to scientific equipment. The sky is partly cloudy, creating a cheerful and collaborative atmosphere.

On the back deck of the R/V Hogarth.

New paper with collaborators on marine protist trophic status
2/15/2022
Paper led by collaborator Ben Lambert was just published in PNAS. Lambert uses machine-learning techniques to predict trophic status in marine protist lineages using their transcriptional profiles. Lambert then examines metatranscriptome data from the field to predict changing trophic status in protist groups in the ocean, with mixotrophs implicated to play important functional roles along physicochemical gradients in the ocean. Check out the paper.

Image showing two panels of scientific data. Panel A features a t-SNE plot with clusters of heterotrophs, mixotrophs, and phototrophs, marked by colors red, orange, and green respectively. Panel B displays a heatmap with hierarchical clustering of functions related to signaling, photosynthesis, and metabolism. Tone is analytical.

Figure from Lambert et al., showing selection of features used in separating phototrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic transcriptomes.

Welcome, Alina!
2/1/2022
Welcome to Alina, who is a new undergraduate student in our lab! Alina is studying Biology at UF, and she plans to attend medical school and become a physician after graduation. Alina will use genetic tools to uncover metabolic pathways in marine bacteria and learn mass-spectrometry applications in the lab.

A woman with long dark hair and a friendly smile stands outdoors. She wears a black blazer over a blue shirt. Lush green trees and grass are in the background.

Welcome, Priyanka!
2/1/2022
Welcome to Priyanka, who is a new undergraduate student in our lab! Priyanka is studying Chemistry and Environmental Science at UF. Her interests include applications of analytical chemistry towards environmental issues, and she plans to pursue a Ph.D. towards that end after graduation. Priyanka will use genetic tools to uncover metabolic pathways in marine bacteria and learn mass-spectrometry applications in the lab.

A young person with long dark hair and glasses smiles warmly. They are outdoors, with a lush green background and a serene lake visible at sunset.