MEGAMER - Key Persons
Brandon is the lab manager of the MEGAMER facility. He divides his time equally between the administrative and technical needs of the facility proper and research associated with the development of molecular biology based pipelines using Fluorescence Assisted Cell Sorting (FACS) to study marine microbes.
Job Titles:
- Professor, Ocean Sciences Department
Job Titles:
- Professor, Ocean Sciences Department
Job Titles:
- Professor of Ocean Sciences
Nicole is an ecosystem modeler with an interest in the mechanisms that drive ecological processes and dynamics. She uses laboratory, field, and modeling approaches to investigate biotic and abiotic controls on phytoplankton functions, interactions, and diversity. A hierarchy of modeling approaches utilized includes conceptual, empirical, diagnostic and complex numerical simulations. Her experience investigating phytoplankton dynamics across a range of marine ecosystem types has given her a global perspective on the various factors that drive microbial communities; environments studied include estuarine, fjord, coastal, and open ocean systems that encompass pristine, oligotrophic, upwelling, and eutrophic conditions. Nicole's strengths lie in the development and novel use of ecosystem models, and data exploration and visualization. Ultimately she uses these methods to improve our understanding of the mechanisms that drive primary ecosystem functions and dynamics.
Job Titles:
- Professor, Ocean Sciences Department
Kendra's research for the MEGAMER facility focuses on the development of new quantitative PCR assays that target ecologically-relevant microorganisms in the marine environment, such as Synechococcus. These assays are designed with the intention of being incorporated into the Environmental Sample Processor (ESP).
Nicole's research investigates phosphate limitation in a model nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium. She studies the molecular response of C.watsonii to phosphate stress by characterizing transcription of genes regulated by increasing stress. Her work also involves developing new genetic markers to indicate phosphate stress in natural populations of C.watsonii.
Phil's research objective applies bioinformatics techniques to the study of diel gene expression in marine cyanobacteria. Phil received his BS degree in Electrical Engineering / Computer Science from U.C. Berkeley in 1977. After a career in Silicon Valley as a consultant, author, and speaker, he developed an interest in bioinformatics and entered a PhD program at U.C. Santa Cruz.