TITLE: Research Lab Technician
ACADEMIC INSTITUTION: University of Southern California

I earned my B.S. in biology at the University of Southern California. During my undergraduate career, I gained research experience by working in a molecular biology lab researching the process of DNA replication and the influence of different protein factors.  I am now a research lab technician for the Caron lab in the Marine and Environmental Biology department at USC. Utilizing my molecular biology background and research techniques, I am working to evaluate the changing diversity of marine protists (single-celled eukaryotes) at a particular location in the North Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. This group of organisms represents one of the greatest pools of biological diversity on Earth and is crucial to the function and stability of marine ecosystems.

My role during this research cruise will be to use these same molecular techniques to aid the researchers in characterizing the microbial communities in and around the hydrothermal vents on the seafloor. I will also further assist the cruise participants in any other areas as needed.  Our group aims to gain insight into community composition and structure including phylogenetic affiliations and relative abundances. We will also carry out laboratory manipulations to investigate trophic modes, ecological strategies, and rates of growth for these deep-sea protists.