Microbial interactions
We are studying the chemical dialogue exchange and trade among marine microbes to determine the repercussions of these interactions on the environment.
The ramifications of microbial interactions in the ocean exert profound control over nutrient flux at the foundational tier of marine trophic chains, resulting in a cascading influence on global biogeochemical cycles. These relationships, often too small and transient to observe, are characterized by their remarkable ecological diversity and are primarily driven by intricate nutrient trades taking place in microscopic hotspots such as the phytoplankton's phycosphere.
Our laboratory use cutting-edge microscopic and molecular methods to examines the intricate interplay between microorganisms and to study their ecological role and their implications for the environment. As a case study we investigate the inter kingdom interaction between the marine centric diatom Thalassiosira and the copiotrophic bacterium Alteromonas in the context of different phycobiomes. In doing so, we aim to contribute essential insights to the evolving understanding of these ecologically significant associations.