Current Research Projects

Lipids as biomarkers for phytoplankton bloom decline mechanisms

Our lab is currently seeking funding to develop a lipid based index for surveying phytoplankton bloom decline mechanisms in the environment.

Using gene expression to study chemical signaling between marine microbes

Oxylipins are chemical signals produced by phytoplankton that impact the growth rate and respiration of bacteria, decrease copepod reproductive success, and inhibit the growth rate of microzooplankton grazers. We are using meta-transcriptomic analysis to understand how chemical signals produced by phytoplankton alter gene expression in bacteria and other phytoplankton.

Algal Biofuels and Natural Products

By more accurately understanding lipid biosynthesis is phytoplankton, we are exploring the maximization of lipid quality in algal biofuel stocks, as well as, the production of natural products for drug discovery.

Lab Members: Alex Starr and Annie Leal

Past Research Projects

Meta'omic analysis of sinking particles from 4000M at Station ALOHA

As a postdoc in Ed Delong's lab at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, I used meta-genomic and meta-transcriptomic analysis to explore the microbial communities colonizing particles that reach 4000m in North Pacific Subtropical Gyre.

Publications

Biological composition and microbial dynamics of sinking particulate organic matter at abyssal depths in the oligotrophic open ocean

Dominique Boeuf, Bethanie R. Edwards *, John M. Eppley*, Sarah K. Hu, Kirsten E. Poff, Anna E. Romano, David A. Caron, David M. Karl, and Edward F. DeLong

PNAS June 11, 2019 116 (24) 11824-11832

* Co-first authors

biogeochemistry of LipiD Derived chemical Signals in the ocean

My graduate work was partially funded by a collaborative grant awarded to Ben Van Mooy, Kay Bidle, Assaf Vardi, and Matt Johnson to study infochemical signals produced by phytoplankton called oxylipins.

Publications

Infochemical Signaling Linked to Diatom Bloom Decline and Viral Infection.

Bethanie Edwards, Kim Thamatrakoln, Jeff Krause, Heather McNair, Andrew Allen, Mark Brzezinski, Matt Johnson, Kay D. Bidle, Ben Van Mooy.

(in prep)

Oxylipins mediate microzooplankton grazing on diatoms.

Johnson M, Edwards BR, Beaudoin D, Van Mooy BAS, Vardi A.

(in prep)

Silicon limitation facilitates virus infection and mortality of marine diatoms.

Kranzler CF, Krause JW, Brzezinski MA, Edwards BR, Biggs WP, Maniscalco M, McCrow JP, Van Mooy BAS, Bidle KD, Allen AA, and Thamatrakoln K.

Nature Microbiology. doi: 10.1038/s41564-019-0502-x.

LOBSTAHS: an adduct-based lipidomics strategy for discovery and identification of oxidative stress biomarkers

JR Collins, BR Edwards, HF Fredricks, BAS Van Mooy