interactions

Microbial interactions are at the core of species success or failure. These interactions constitute an important component of microbial communities, where synergism, competition or grazing among species can drive the diversity of an ecosystem. The Armbrust lab is interested in understanding how interactions between phytoplankton and prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea) shape the distribution of microorganisms across diverse marine habitats. Of particular interest is the role of interspecies communication in mediating these interactions. We use a combination of techniques in the laboratory and in the field including microbiological and co-culturing techniques, next-gen sequencing (transcriptomics and metagenomics), metabolomics, flow cytometry and computer engineering and development to achieve this goal.