Home page

Add content here.

Fundamentals of Cnidarian Microbe Symbioses

We examine how the host and symbionts recognise one another and maintain a functional cohabitation, how microbial communities vary in space and time, how they are transmitted from one host generation to the next, and the functional roles of host-associated microbes.

Engineering of Coral Photosymbionts

We use experimental evolution and gene technologies to enhance the thermal tolerance of the coral photosymbionts, Symbiodiniaceae, with the aim to increase the climate resilience of corals.

Coral Probiotics

We study the potential to augment the capacity of keystone coral taxa to tolerate stress through the manipulation of their associated prokaryotic communities, akin to probiotics in other animals.

Engineering Corals for Climate Resilience

We explore a range of approaches with the aim of enhancing coral climate resilience, including interspecific hybridisation followed by artificial selection, selective breeding and assisted gene flow, conditioning (epigenetic programming).

Microbial Corrosion

Microbiologically influenced corrosion of metal surfaces in marine environments leads to corrosion rates of up to several millimetres per year. We use metagenomics to determine the corroding microbial community structure and their metabolic properties.

Group Leaders

Madeleine van Oppen

I was originally trained in marine ecology, developed as an ecological geneticist post-BSc and began to study corals in 1997 and coral-associated microorganism in 2000. My microbial studies were initially limited to the dinoflagellate endosymbionts of corals, but more recently I have ventured into the study of other microbial groups that inhabit corals, including prokaryotes, viruses, and fungi.

My group’s current research focuses on the field of coral reef restoration, in particular the development of coral stock better able to cope with disturbed environments and predicted future ocean conditions. This includes the manipulation and genetic engineering of microbial communities associated with corals, laboratory evolution of algal endosymbionts, selective breeding of corals, and the conditioning (i.e., transgenerational acclimation) of corals to predicted future ocean conditions.

I completed my PhD on the molecular biogeography of seaweeds at the University of Groningen (Netherlands) in 1995, and subsequently conducted postdoctoral positions at the University of East Anglia, UK (Speciation in Cichlid fishes), and James Cook University, Australia (Molecular relationships in the coral genus Acropora, and Genetic diversity and specificity of acroporid coral-dinoflagellate symbioses). In 2001, I took up a position at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Townsville. I commenced my position as a professor in the School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, in 2015, while still maintaining a part-time position as Senior Principal Research Scientist at AIMS.

E-mail: madeleine.van@unimelb.edu.au Link to AIMS page

Linda Blackall

Linda is an environmental microbial ecologist, who has studied many different complex microbial communities ranging from host associated through to free living in numerous environments. Her research has covered mammalian microbiomes of marsupials, humans, ruminants and horses; and the microbiota of non-mammals including corals and sponges. Environmental microbiomes explored in Linda’s research span wastewater treatment (aerobic and anaerobic), solid waste digestion (landfill and composting), bioelectric systems and microbiologically influenced corrosion. The numerous methods she develops and employs in her research allow elucidation of microbial complexity and function in these diverse biomes.

E-mail: linda.blackall@unimelb.edu.au

Postdoctoral Researchers

Patrick Buerger

Patrick Buerger is a postdoctoral researcher with CSIRO’s Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform and the University of Melbourne. His research focuses on climate change and anthropogenic impacts on coral reef ecosystems. Using genetic engineering and a range of Omics technologies, he investigates the thermal resilience of algal symbionts in corals. Patrick completed his PhD in Marine Science at James Cook University and the Australian Institute of Marine Science. His work highlighted viruses as potential contributors to and mitigators of the coral black band disease and white syndrome.

Prior to his research in Australia, Patrick obtained an MSc in Tropical Marine Ecology at the University of Bremen and a BSc in General Biology at the Ruhr-University of Bochum.
If Patrick is not in the laboratory, he is passionate about innovative technologies that improve environmental conservation and science communication.

E-mail: patrick.buerger@unimelb.edu.au

Keren Maor-Landaw

My post-doctoral studies focus on membrane transporters that are crucial to the cnidarian-Symbiodiniaceae symbiotic relationship. The symbiotic algae provide energy by transferring their photosynthetic production to the host and in return derive benefits from the host in the form of nutrients and shelter. Successful exchange of compounds through membranes is a fundamental key feature enabling the effective partnership and must be facilitated by proteins in the cellular membranes of each of the partners as well as in the symbiosome interface.

As a PhD student in Bar Ilan University, Israel, supervised by Prof. Oren Levy, I explored how corals respond to climate change and which cellular processes are involved during environmental stress. I compared the gene expression response of corals possessing different morphologies and corals from different ecosystems – sub tropical to temperate corals.

My MSc at Haifa University, Israel, under the supervision of Prof. Dan Tchernov and Prof. Sarit Larisch, was focused on the apoptotic enzyme Caspase 3 in a Mediterranean coral following an ocean acidification scenario, and its correlation to a unique ecophenotye.

E-mail: keren.maor@unimelb.edu.au

Wing Chan

My research focuses on coral reef conservation and restoration. I commenced my postdoc at the University of Melbourne in 2019 and my project examines the feasibility of enhancing coral climate resilience via the introduction of resilient microalgal endosymbionts. I completed my PhD at the Australian Institute of Marine Science and the University of Melbourne, exploring the potential of hybridization as a tool for coral reef conservation.

My Honours Degree at the Australian National University investigated the calcification responses of corals to diurnal variation in seawater carbonate chemistry. Other than coral reefs, I have also involved in research on marine micro-plastics, radioactive dating and isotope analysis. Outside the office, I am passionate about science outreach and aviation, and serve as a helicopter flight instructor.

E-mail: w.chan@unimelb.edu.au

Justin Maire

I am originally from Lyon, France, a city where I completed all my studies. I did both my master’s and my PhD under the supervision of Dr’s Abdelaziz Heddi and Anna Zaidman-Rémy, and worked on the obligate symbiosis between the cereal weevil Sitophilus and its bacterial endosymbiont Sodalis pierantonius. S. pierantonius provides its insect host with vitamins and amino acids, allowing Sitophilus to thrive exclusively on cereals. As such, Sitophilus is considered as a major crop pest around the world. In a first project, I investigated the mechanisms preventing a chronic host immune activation because of the constant association with immunogenic bacteria. Then, I studied how this association is modulated across the insect’s lifecycle, and particulartly during metamorphosis.

I recently joined Pr Madeleine van Oppen’s lab in Melbourne for my first postdoc. My project will be part of the important effort to enhance coral’s climate resilience through assisted evolution. My projects involve the identification and characterization of closely-associated bacterial symbionts of Symbiodiniaceae and cnidarians, and in fine the genetic engineering of those symbionts to improve stress resistance in the coral holobiont.

E-mail: justin.maire@unimelb.edu.au

PhD candidates

Ashley Dungan

Originally from NY, USA, I completed my Bachelors of Science degree in Biology in 2011, conducting a senior research project in the field of environmental microbiology. I completed my Master’s degree at Nova Southeastern University in Florida under Dr. Nicole Fogarty, where I studied the impact of ocean acidification on the calcification of Caribbean adult and juvenile corals. After graduating in 2015, I worked for Mote Marine Laboratory in the Florida Keys as a Staff Chemist in the Ocean Acidification program; there I continued my work with corals and began working with Diadema antillarum, the long-spined sea urchin. Beginning early 2017, I joined Dr.’s Madeleine van Oppen and Linda Blackall at the University of Melbourne as a Ph.D student. My current research focuses on characterising the microbiome of the model organism for corals, Exaiptasia pallida, for future use in assisted evolution research. My research interests are in the field of climate change, coral reef ecosystems, and assisted evolution.

E-mail: adungan@student.unimelb.edu.au

Leon Hartman

Microbial communities hosted by cnidarians show evidence of both dynamism and stability, with change suggestive of adaptation by the holobiont to environmental stress. My research investigates whether Exaiptasia pallida’s thermal tolerance can be enhanced through manipulation of its prokaryotic communities. Comparison of metabolite production by thermally stressed anemones inoculated with native and manipulated communities will be used to measure the effect of this approach.

E-mail: leon.hartman@unimelb.edu.au

Katarina Damjanovic

After completing both Bachelor and Masters degrees in Life Sciences at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (Switzerland), I started my PhD in October 2015 at the University of Melbourne. The major part of my research is conducted at the Australian Institute of Marine Science in Townsville, where I investigate the feasibility of manipulating coral-associated bacteria (with the aim to enhance coral stress tolerance). Focusing on the corals Acropora tenuis and Platygyra daedalea (both broadcast spawners), as well as Pocillopora acuta (also a brooder), my experiments consist in inoculating early life stages of these corals with microbiomes and assessing the efficiency and persistence of the inoculations. Larvae and recruits exposed to various microbes are reared under controlled conditions and their microbiomes are regularly characterised through 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding. I also use fluorescence in situ hybridisation microscopy to gain insights into the transmission modes of bacteria in A. tenuis and P. acuta.

E-mail: kdamjanovic@student.unimelb.edu.au

Giada Tortorelli

I received my BSc in Marine Biology and my MSc in Biodiversity and Evolution from the Alma Mater Studiorium University of Bologna, Italy. As a master and then postgraduate student, I investigated the impacts of global warming on the reproduction of a scleractinian temperate coral along a natural temperature and solar radiation gradient; it is here that I developed a deep interest and passion in coral biology. As a PhD candidate in the Marine Microbial Symbioses Group at the University of Melbourne, I work under the supervision of Prof McFadden, Prof van Oppen and Prof Davy. My focus is the symbiosis between Cnidarian and Symbiodiniaceae dinoflagellates that power coral reefs, using the anemone Exaiptasia pallida as model organism to study corals. I am interested in the very initial steps during the establishment of this mutualistic association: based on the hypothesis that Symbiodiniaceae endosymbionts and Apicomplexa parasites arose from a common ancestor that invented a powerful recognition system and mechanisms for invading and surviving in the host, my main aim is to investigate the inter-partner signalling and molecular events that allow recognition between host and photosymbionts in the setup of symbiosis.

E-mail: tortorellig@student.unimelb.edu.au

Annika Lamb

I am interested in using genetic and molecular approaches to better understand and inform the conservation of wildlife. I completed my Bachelor of Biomedical Science and Bachelor of Science (Hons) majoring in Genetics and Ecology and Conservation at Monash University. During my Honours year, I investigated whether the mitochondrial genomes of Australian birds have evolved under climate-driven selection.

I began my PhD in 2018, supervised by Madeleine van Oppen, Peter Harrison, Ary Hoffmann and Craig Humphrey. My research investigates interspecific hybridisation as a novel option for reef management, particularly in the context of producing more resilient coral stock (compared to the native stock) for coral reef restoration initiatives.

E-mail: amlamb@student.unimelb.edu.au

Master students

Sam Girvan

With a keen interest in marine biology and genetics I completed my Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne with a double major in zoology and marine biology. I’m currently undertaking my first year of my Masters of Bioscience degree under the supervision of Dr.’s Patrick Buerger and Madeleine van Oppen at the University of Melbourne. My research project aims to discover whether the algae-associated bacterial communities have evolved alongside the algae, potentially allowing the observed increase in algal thermal tolerance determined from previous studies.

E-mail: sgirvan@student.unimelb.edu.au

Ruby Vanstone

Description to come

E-mail: rvanstone@student.unimelb.edu.au

Sarah Jane Tsang Min Ching

Originally from the tropical island Mauritius, I completed my Bachelor of Science at Northeastern University in Boston, USA with a double major in marine biology and environmental science with a concentration in wildlife studies. I am currently in the first year of my Master of Science (BioSciences) degree under the supervision of Dr.’s Patrick Buerger, Wing Chan and Madeleine van Oppen. My research project aims at examining the physiological performance of cnidarian animals that associate with different types of lab-evolved Symbiodiniaceae and determining the potential trade-offs that could result from establishing symbiosis with those algal symbionts.

E-mail: stsangminchi@student.unimelb.edu.au

Gabriela Lozano Rodriguez

I am passionate about working to preserve the environment and have worked on a number of projects in this field. Before moving to Australia to study a Master of Biotechnology at the University of Melbourne, I spent five years working in environmental, chemical and pharmaceutical industries in Mexico. My earlier research projects have related to the purification, structural elucidation and mechanism of action of toxins produced by fire coral (Millepora alcicornis) to understand its potential medicinal applications. I am currently working as a Research Assistant at the Marine Microbial Symbioses Group at the University of Melbourne where I am working to develop a spawning protocol for multiple genotypes of coral. I love the outdoors and spend as much time as I can hiking and playing flag football.

E-mail: alozano@student.unimelb.edu.au

Professional staff

Roshan Cheetamun – Lab Manager

Description to come

E-mail: roshanc@unimelb.edu.au

Giulia Holland – Research Assistant

I have recently been assisting with the probiotic experiment and I am about to embark on characterizing the prokaryotic microbiome of the coral Plesiastrea by collecting pure cultures and metabarcoding.

E-mail: giuliah@student.unimelb.edu.au

Kelly – Lab Dog

Kelly is a two-year-old golden retriever. While in the office she specializes in mental health and emotional support, her full time job is as a breeding dog for Seeing Eye Dogs Vision Australia. Elite Seeing Eye Dogs are sourced from SEDs own “in-house” breeding program. Kelly lives and goes to work with her Breeder Carer, Ashley, where she enjoys all the comforts of dog life. See SEDs breeder caring web page for more information.

E-mail: info@seda.org.au

Alumni

Hannah Epstein – Former PhD Student

I am a PhD candidate at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at JCU and the Australian Institute of Marine Science under the supervision of Prof. Madeleine van Oppen, Prof. Philip Munday and Dr. Gergely Torda. My research explores the main drivers of community composition in the coral microbiome to inform the development of microbiome engineering techniques that may enhance climate resilience in corals. My project is part of a larger collaborative study led by Madeleine van Oppen and Ruth Gates (Hawai’i Institute of Marine Science) researching assisted evolution approaches for corals in the face of climate change.

Hannah completed her PhD in October 2018 and is now a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Victoria, Canada.

E-mail: hannah.epstein@my.jcu.edu.au

Leela Chakravarti – Former PhD Student

Leela has completed her PhD in February 2019, working on the thermal tolerance of coral-associated algal photosymbionts.

E-mail: leelajchakravarti@gmail.com

Roy Belderock – Former Masters Student

I am a masters student from the University of Amsterdam pursuing a career in marine biology. My main interests are conservation genetics, adaptation and symbiotic interactions in reef ecosystems. Especially the interest in symbiotic interactions is what brought me to this lab.

In the past I gained experience studying reproductive isolation in Caribbean giant barrel sponges by applying histological techniques in combination with DNA barcoding. And now I want to expand on that skill set with Symbiodiniaceae reinfection experiments on E. pallida. In addition I am also trying to induce sexual reproduction of E. pallida. The larvae could help the team to study the Symbiodiniaceae recognition pathway in early life stages.

E-mail: roy.belderok@unimelb.edu.au

Recent Publications

2019

Robbins SJ, Singleton CM, Chan CX, Messer LF, Geers AU, Ying H, Baker A, Bell SC, Morrow KM, Ragan MA, Miller DJ, Forêt S, Ball E, Beeden R, Berumen M, Aranda M, Ravasi T, Bongaerts P, Hoegh-Guldberg O, Cooke I, Leggat B, Sprungala S, Fitzgerald A, Shang C, Lundgren P, Fyffe T, Rubino F, van Oppen M, Weynberg K, Robbins SJ, Singleton CM, Xin Chan C, Messer LF, Geers AU, Ying H, Baker A, Bell SC, Morrow KM, Ragan MA, Miller DJ, Foret S, Voolstra CR, Tyson GW, Bourne DG, Voolstra CR, Tyson GW, Bourne DG, ReFuGe C (2019) A genomic view of the reef-building coral Porites lutea and its microbial symbionts. Nature Microbiology, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-019-0532-4.

Damjanovic K, Menéndez P, Blackall LL, van Oppen MJH (2019) Early life stages of a common broadcast spawning coral associate with specific bacterial communities despite lack of internalized bacteria. Microbial Ecology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-019-01428-1.

Quigley KM, Bay LK, van Oppen MJH (2019) The active spread of adaptive variation for reef resilience. Ecology & Evolution, DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5616.

Damjanovic K, van Oppen MJH, Menéndez P, Blackall LL (2019) Experimental inoculation of coral recruits with marine bacteria indicates scope for microbiome manipulation in Acropora tenuis and Platygyra daedalea. Frontiers in Microbiology, 10, 1702, doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01702.

Chan WY, Peplow LM, Menéndez P, Hoffmann AA, van Oppen MJH (2019) The roles of age, parentage and environment on bacterial and algal endosymbiont communities in Acropora corals. Molecular Ecology, 28, 3830-3843, https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.15187.

Smith HA, Moya A, Cantin NE, van Oppen MJH, Torda (2019) Observations of simultaneous sperm release and larval planulation suggest reproductive assurance in the coral Pocillopora acuta. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, 362, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00362.

van Oppen MJH, Blackall LL (2019) Coral microbiome dynamics, functions and design in a changing world. Nature Reviews Microbiology, in press.

Cavicchioli R, Ripple WJ, Timmis KN, Azam F, Bakken LR, Baylis M, Behrenfeld MJ, Boetius A, Boyd PW, Classen AT, Crowther TW, Danovaro R, Foreman CM, Huisman J, Hutchins DA, Jansson JK, Karl DM, Koskella B, Welch DMB, Martiny JBH, Moran MA, Orphan V, Reay D, Remais JV, Rich V, Singh BK, Stein LY, Stewart FJ, Sullivan MB, van Oppen MJH, Weaver SC, Webb EA, Webster N (2019) Scientists’ warning to humanity: microorganisms and climate change. Nature Reviews Microbiology, doi.org/10.1038/s41579-019-0222-5.

Chan WY, Hoffmann AA, van Oppen MJH (2019) Hybridization as a conservation management tool. Conservation Letters, 0, e12652, doi:10.1111/conl.12652.

Epstein HE, Smith HA, Cantin NE, Torda G, van Oppen MJH (2019) Temporal variation in the microbiomes of Acropora species does not reflect seasonality. Frontiers in Microbiology, 10: 1775, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01775.

Riginos C, Hock K, Ambrocio MM, Mumby PJ, van Oppen MJH, Lukoschek V (2019) Asymmetric dispersal is a critical element of concordance between biophysical dispersal models and spatial genetic structure in Great Barrier Reef corals. Diversity & Distributions, DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12969.

Chakravarti LJ, Negri AP, van Oppen MJH (2019) Thermal and herbicide tolerances of chromerid algae and their ability to form a symbiosis with corals. Frontiers in Microbiology, 10:173. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00173.

Epstein H, Torda G, van Oppen MJH (2019) Relative stability of the Pocillopora acuta microbiome throughout a thermal stress event. Coral Reefs, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-019-01783-y.

Chan WY, Peplow LM, Menéndez P, Hoffmann AA, van Oppen MJH (2019) Enhancing larval fitness of reef-building corals via interspecific hybridization: implications for coral reef restoration. Scientific Reports, 9:4757 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-41190-5.

Epstein H, Torda G, van Oppen MJH (2019) Microbiome engineering: Enhancing enhancing climate resilience in corals. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 17(2), 100-108, doi:10.1002/fee.2001.

Price NN, Muko S, Legendre L, Steneck R, van Oppen MJH, Albright R, Carpenter RC, Chui Pui A, Fan T-Y, Gates RD, Harii S, Kitano H, Kurihara H, Mitarai S, Nozawa Y, Padilla-Gamiño J, Put A.O., Sakai K., Suzuki G., Edmunds PJ (2019) Global biogeography of coral recruitment: tropical decline and subtropical increase. Marine Ecology Progress Series,621, 1-17.

Epstein H, Torda G, Munday P, van Oppen MJH (2019) Parental and early life stage environments drive establishment of bacterial and dinoflagellate communities in a common coral. ISME J, 13, 1635–1638, doi.org/10.1038/s41396-019-0358-3.

Buerger P, Weynberg KD, Wood-Charlson EM, Sato Y, Willis BL, van Oppen MJH (2019) Novel T4-bacteriophages associated with black band disease in corals. Environmental Microbiology, 21, 1969-1979.2018

Liu H, Stephens TG, González-Pech RA, Beltran VH, Lapeyre B, Bongaerts P, Cooke I, Aranda M, Bourne DG, Forêt S, Miller DJ, van Oppen MJH, Voolstra CR, Ragan MA and Chan CX (2018) Symbiodinium genomes reveal adaptive evolution of functions related to coral-dinoflagellate symbiosis. Communications Biology, 1, 95, DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0098-3.

Chakravarti LJ, van Oppen MJH (2018) Experimental evolution in coral photosymbionts as a tool to increase thermal tolerance. Frontiers in Marine Science, 5, 227, doi: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00227.

van Oppen MJH, Bongaerts P, Frade P, Peplow LM, Boyd SE, Nim HT, Bay LK (2018). Adaptation to reef habitats through selection on the coral animal and its associated microbiome. Molecular Ecology, 27, 2956-2971

Chan Wing Y, Peplow LM, Menéndez P, Hoffmann AA, van Oppen MJH (2018) Interspecific Hybridization May Provide Novel Opportunities for Coral Reef Restoration. Frontiers in Marine Science, 5, 160. doi:10.3389/fmars.2018.00160

Buerger P, van Oppen MJH (2018) Viruses in corals: hidden drivers of coral bleaching and disease? Microbiology Australia. 39, 1, 9-12.

Laffy PW, Wood-Charlson EM, Turaev D, Pascelli C, Botté ES, Bell S, Weynberg KD, van Oppen MJH, Rattei T, Webster NS (2018) Coral Reef Viromics: Diversity, host-specificity and functional capacity. Environmental Microbiology, 20, 2125-2141, doi:10.1111/1462-2920.14110.

Cumbo VR, van Oppen MJH, Baird AH (2018) Temperature and Symbiodinium physiology affects the establishment and development of symbiosis in corals. Marine Ecology Progress Series,587, 117-127.

van de Water JAJM, De Mares MC, Dixon GB, Raina J-B, Willis BL, Bourne DG, van Oppen MJH (2018) Antimicrobial and stress responses to increased temperature and bacterial pathogen challenge in the holobiont of a reef-building coral. Molecular Ecology, online early, doi: 10.1111/mec.14489

2017

Weynberg KD, Laffy PW, Wood-Charlson EM, Turaev D, Rattei T, Webster NS, van Oppen MJH (2017) Coral-associated viral communities show high levels of diversity and host auxiliary functions. PeerJ 5:e4054 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4054

Marcelino VR, van Oppen MJH, Verbruggen H (2017) Highly structured prokaryote communities exist within the skeleton of coral colonies. The ISME Journal, Marcelino VR, van Oppen MJ, Verbruggen H (2017) Highly structured prokaryote communities exist within the skeleton of coral colonies. The ISME Journal,doi:10.1038/ismej.2017.164

Marcelino VR, Morrow KM, van Oppen MJH, Bourne DG, Verbruggen H (2017) Diversity and stability of coral endolithic microbial communities at a naturally high pCO2 reef. Molecular Ecololg, DOI: 10.1111/mec.14268

Anthony, K,, Bay, L. K., Costanza, R., Firn, F., Gunn, J., Harrison, P., Heyward, A., Lundgren, P., Mead, D., Moore, T., Mumby, P. J., van Oppen, M. J. H., Robertson, J., Runge, M. J., Suggett, D. J., Schaffelke, B., Wachenfeld, D., Walshe, T. (2017) New interventions are needed to save coral reefs. Nature Ecology & Evolution: DOI: 10.1038/s41559-41017-40313-41555

Torda, G., Donelson, J. M., Aranda, M., Barshis, D. J., Bay, L., Berumen, M. L., … van Oppen, M. J. H., … Munday, P. L. (2017). Rapid adaptive responses to climate change in corals. Nature Climate Change, 7(9), 627–636. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate3374

Damjanovic, K., Blackall, L. L., Webster, N. S., & van Oppen, M. J. H. (2017). The contribution of microbial biotechnology to mitigating coral reef degradation. Microbial Biotechnology, 10(5): 1236-1243. https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.12769

Chakravarti, L. J., Beltran, V. H., & van Oppen, M. J. H. (2017). Rapid thermal adaptation in photosymbionts of reef-building corals. Global Change Biology, 275, 2214–2273. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13702

van Oppen, M. J. H., Gates, R. D., Blackall, L. L., Cantin, N., Chakravarti, L. J., Chan, W. Y., … Putnam, H. M. (2017). Shifting paradigms in restoration of the world’s coral reefs. Global Change Biology, 23(9), 3437–3448. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13647

Levin, R. A., Suggett, D. J., Nitschke, M. R., van Oppen, M. J. H., & Steinberg, P. D. (2017). Expanding the Symbiodinium (Dinophyceae, Suessiales) toolkit through protoplast technology. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/jeu.12393

Montalvo-Proaño, J., Buerger, P., Weynberg, K. D., & van Oppen, M. J. H. (2017). A PCR-based assay targeting the major capsid protein gene of a dinorna-like ssRNA virus that infects coral photosymbionts. Frontiers in Microbiology, 8, 1–8.https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01665

Weynberg, K. D., Neave, M,, Clode, P. L., Voolstra, C. R., Brownlee, C., Laffy, P., Webster, N. S., Levin, R. A., Wood-Charlson, E. M., van Oppen, M. J. H. (2017) Prevalent and persistent viral infection in cultures of the coral algal endosymbiont Symbiodinium. Coral Reefs: doi:10.1007/s00338-00017-01568-00337

Levin, R. A., Voolstra, C. R., Agrawal, S., Steinberg, P. D., Suggett, D. J., & van Oppen, M. J. H. (2017). Engineering strategies to decode and enhance the genomes of coral symbionts. Frontiers in Microbiology, 8, 1220. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01220