Current Lab Members

Steve Vollmer, Principle Investigator, Assistant Professor of Biology [cv].
Steve's is broadly interested in the evolutionary ecology of marine organisms. The current focus of his research is to understanding how corals respond to and resist pathogen exposure and disease infection using White Band Disease and staghorn corals are a model system. He also maintains a strong interest in speciation genetics. Steve currently teaches Genetics and Molecular Biology and a hands-on Molecular Ecology and Evolution course.
 
David Combosch, PhD student.
David's research is aimed at understanding the genetic and ecological consequences of intra- and interspecific gene flow, its geographic variation and evolutionary implications. He joined the lab in September 2007 after working with Steve on his Master's thesis at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. His research there has shown that Pocillopora species are exchanging genes through interspecific hybridization in the Eastern Pacific, where they are exceptionally successful and the regions dominant reef-builders.  He is now working across the Indo-Pacific, primarily with the widespread Scleractinian genus Pocillopora.

Elizabeth Hemond, PhD student .
Liz joined the lab in September 2008 after completing her Master's degree in marine biology at UNC Wilmington working on population genetics of bay scallops with Ami Wilbur.  She is interested in using molecular methods to investigate the evolution and distribution of marine species and, in turn, to use this information for conservation. Her work at Northeastern will include an evaluation of Acropora cervicornis diversity in Florida and further studies based on work in our lab elucidating the transcriptome of staghorn coral.

Silvia Libro, PhD student .
Silvia joined the lab in September 2007. Silvia's research is focused on elucidating the genetic of coral innate immunity, pathogen recognition, and host resistance.

Carmel Norman, MSc student
Carmel joined the lab in July 2008 for her NEU Three Seas Program Master's degree. Carmel's research is aimed at identifying and culturing the microbes associated with White Band Disease.