Congratulations to graduate student Norma Morella, who received the College of Natural Resources M.J. Vlamis Award for high level of academic distinction! It's no surprise given the great new results she has published: (1) Morella, N. M., Gomez, A. L., Wang, G., Leung, M. S., & Koskella, B. (2018). The impact of bacteriophages on phyllosphere bacterial abundance and composition. Molecular … Continue reading More papers, awards, and grants
Papers and awards
It's been a busy year so far! Among the recent exciting news: (1) Fourth year graduate student Norma Morella, AmGen summer scholar Annika Gomez (now heading to MIT for her NSF-funded Phd), undergraduate researchers Grant Wang, Michelle Leung, and I have just published a paper in Molecular Ecology showing the impact that a naturally occurring … Continue reading Papers and awards
A few new papers from the lab
(1) The microbiome beyond the horizon of ecological and evolutionary theory published in Nature Ecology and Evolution. Britt's coauthors, Jess Metcalf from Princeton and Lindsay Hall from the Quadrum Institute set out to ask where current evolutionary and ecological theory might fall short when being applied to microbiome research. It was a very challenging and fun piece to write! (found … Continue reading A few new papers from the lab
Britt awarded the ASM Young Investigator Prize
Britt is one of three recipients of the American Society for Microbiology's Young Investigator Award, which "Recognizes and rewards early career scientists for research excellence and potential in microbiology and infectious disease." She will be accepting the award, and giving a research seminar, at ASM Microbe in Atlanta this coming Summer. https://www.asm.org/index.php/asm-news/item/6810-announcing-the-2018-asm-award-winners
Now out in the New Phytologist: exploring the relationship between tree health and the bark microbiome
Summary: Host susceptibility to pathogens can be shaped by genetic, ecological, and evolutionary factors. The ability to predict the spread of disease therefore requires an integrated understanding of these factors, including effects of pests on pathogen growth and competition between pathogens and commensal microbiota for host resources. We examined interactions between the leaf-mining moth Cameraria … Continue reading Now out in the New Phytologist: exploring the relationship between tree health and the bark microbiome
New paper by Sean Meaden in Environmental Microbiology Reports examining the microbiota of English Oak in Wytham Woods
Summary: Drivers of bacterial community assemblages associated with plants are diverse and include biotic factors, such as competitors and host traits, and abiotic factors, including environmental conditions and dispersal mechanisms. We examine the roles of spatial distribution and host size, as an approximation for age, in shaping the microbiome associated with Quercus robur woody tissue using … Continue reading New paper by Sean Meaden in Environmental Microbiology Reports examining the microbiota of English Oak in Wytham Woods
Tree diseases (old posts)
I have decided to get this section of my lab page going again after a very busy year of moving my lab to UC Berkeley and becoming a parent. As a first pass, I've decided to collapse my tree diseases tab and Blog tab into one. So here are two old posts that need a … Continue reading Tree diseases (old posts)
Congratulations to Cathy Hernandez on her NSF graduate research fellowship!
Cathy's first year in the lab is off to a great start, with plants in the greenhouse ready for her first multigenerational bacteria - phage selection experiment. The funding from her GRFP will be used to take her research out into the field. Watch this space, and well done Cathy!
Congratulations to DR Sean Meaden! What a great few years it’s been, and best of luck with all of your future sciencing. We will miss you!!
Last week I traveled back across the sea and down the coast to the beautiful (but very rainy) Cornwall to celebrate the successful PhD viva (aka defense) of my first PhD student, Sean Meaden. A big thanks to external examiner Prof Martha Clokie for insightful comments and for hanging around to celebrate (despite my bailing early … Continue reading Congratulations to DR Sean Meaden! What a great few years it’s been, and best of luck with all of your future sciencing. We will miss you!!
New paper in AREES exploring microbial adaptation in nature (collaboration with Dr. Michiel Vos at the University of Exeter, ESI)
Abstract: Although their diversity greatly exceeds that of plants and animals, microbial organisms have historically received less attention in ecology and evolutionary biology research. This knowledge gap is rapidly closing, owing to recent technological advances and an increasing appreciation for the role microbes play in shaping ecosystems and human health. In this review, we examine … Continue reading New paper in AREES exploring microbial adaptation in nature (collaboration with Dr. Michiel Vos at the University of Exeter, ESI)
Koskella Lab at UC Berkeley 