Luciana Santoferrara

Global Change Microbiology part of CUREnet:CURE Collection
The dramatic impacts of human activities on Earth have catapulted the development of new disciplines across the sciences, humanities, and more. Studying the basis, challenges and responses to the global changes our planet and the human society face has become urgent. In the Global Change Microbiology CURE, students develop semester-long research projects focused on microbial communities and their relationship with a local environmental problem. Students: 1) develop research questions and conduct both field and wet lab work to estimate environmental, cell count and DNA-based diversity metrics; 2) receive training in bioinformatics, data analysis and result presentation; and 3) discuss literature on the interplay between microbes and environmental issues (e.g., global warming, ocean acidification, deoxygenation of coastal waters), the impacts of global changes on microbe-host interactions (e.g., coral bleaching, spreading of infectious diseases) and microbial applications (e.g., bioremediation, waste management). We examine key players in the whole spectrum of microorganisms (from viruses to microscopic animals), with emphasis on often overlooked protists that influence biogeochemical cycles, ecological functioning and host wellbeing.