We are recruiting!

The Silveira lab in the Department of Biology has an exciting opportunity for a Postdoctoral Associate to work in Coral Gables, FL.

We study bacteriophage-bacteria interactions in marine environments and animal-associated microbiomes. Through predation and gene transfer, bacteriophages (phages) significantly affect the ecological roles and evolutionary trajectories of their bacterial hosts. In coral reefs, the relationships between phages and bacteria affect the health of reef-building corals and help shape the trajectories of whole reef ecosystems in the face of stressors. We have recently identified coral reef bacteriophages encoding genes that have functions on bacteria-animal symbioses. The Postdoctoral Associate will be primarily focused on investigating this tripartite relationship between phages, bacteria, and corals. Candidates should have a background in metagenomics. The Postdoctoral Associate will receive training in microbial multi-omics and bioinformatics and will have the opportunity to develop skills in grant writing, mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, and writing papers as lead and co-author.

Apply here.

Research

Viruses are the most abundant and diverse biological entities on the planet. There are about one million viruses per teaspoon of seawater, and 10 million viruses per gram of soil. Yet, most viral diversity is still unknown. A major standing question in the study on microbial communities is the contribution of bacteriophage (viruses that infect bacteria) infections to microbial diversity, metabolism, and community functions. Our goal is to understand, from molecular mechanisms to ecosystem outcomes, the interactions between phage and bacteria in coral-associated microbiomes.

Molecular drivers of phage-bacteria interactions 

 Phages can establish different ecological relationships with the bacteria they infect, from predators to commensals. Our aim to understand the molecular drivers of these diverse interactions in marine microbial communities

Phage-bacteria-coral symbiosis 

Corals live in symbiotic partnership with a milieu of bacteria and phage. The different phage replication strategies shape the microbiome of the coral host and modulate the interplay between commensal and pathogenic microbes.  

Phage-mediated coral disease

Lysogenic conversion of bacteria drives the emergence of human and animal pathogens. We are demonstrating that this process also happens in marine ecosystems, and is a threat for coral heath.

NEWS

New PhD students!

Alexandra Stiffler and Bailey Wallace
are joining in the fall

Allie and Bailey will be joining the Silveira Lab this coming fall semester as PhD students in the Biology program. Allie graduated with a B.S in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology as well as Genetics from Purdue University, where she studied protein interactions within a unique class of enzymes and their contribution to the virulence of the stomach pathogen H. pylori. Bailey completed her B.S. in Conservation Biology and Environmental Studies at UW-Madison. Since graduating, her work has focused on coral reef ecology and restoration with Mote Marine Laboratory as well as STEM outreach and education. 
​Congratulations, Allie and Bailey, we can’t wait to see you in Miami!

New publication

3C coral multi-omics

This study led by Mark Little, Emma George and Milou Arts mapped 16S and 18S rDNA metabarcoding, metatranscriptomics, and metabolomic data onto three-dimensional reconstructions of coral colonies to examine microbial diversity, microbial gene expression, and biochemistry on two colonies of the ecologically important, reef-building coral, Orbicella faveolata and their competitors. The study, published in Frontiers in Marine Sciences, showed  strong signatures of the macroorganismal hosts and provided insight into the spatial organization of the coral microbiome and their interaction with other reef organisms.

New Publication

Coral Reef Restoration through Manipulation of Coral Holobionts

Climate change and environmental degradation are causing a global deterioration of coral reefs. Large-scale restoration efforts are necessary to counter the environmental pressures relevant to climate change projections. This review, led by Christian Voolstra, aims to extend the natural adaptive capacity of reef-forming coral holobionts to manipulate coral adaptive responses to survive under more extreme or variable conditions. If tailored to address the diverse reef, environmental, and ecological conditions, these strategies hold the promise to be feasible and scalable to the real world.

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