The Rodriguez-Lanetty Lab for Integrative Marine Genomics & Symbiosis is a research group directed by Dr. Mauricio Rodriguez-Lanetty within the Institute of Environment at Florida International University.
The lab focuses on the study of the symbiotic interactions between microbial organisms and cnidarian hosts, in particular reef-building corals, from different perspectives, including cell biology, eco-physiology and ecology. The lab is currently exploring the capacity of scleractinian corals and their vital microbial symbionts to acclimatize and/or adapt to the increasing frequency of elevated seawater temperatures occurring on both regional and global scales.
The following are five of the major research themes currently being investigated in the lab:
- Ecological and functional role of Symbiodiniaceae diversity within the context of the response to ocean warming
- Stability and resilience of coral microbiome in the face of ocean warming and bleaching disturbance
- Molecular mechanims of symbiosis regulation using the Exaiptasia pallida host model
- Functional genomics analysis and genome editing of Symbiodiniaceae species to study symbiont/host associations and thermal tolerance
- Unveiling the molecular basis of the immune defense system of cnidarians
