“How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is quite clearly Ocean.
ARTHUR C. CLARKE
A Bit About The Team
I recently established the Marine Symbiomes Research Group at the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn in Napoli, Italy.
I aim to build a hard working group of dynamic personalities to do exciting science in a relaxed environment. I am persuaded that every person, regardless of age, career title or experience can contribute greatly to our common research goals. I further adhere to the notion that science has no borders, and thus I work to establish collaborations with investigators from institutions in Europe and elsewhere.
I am always looking for motivated students or postdocs to join the group. However, funding is limited. Please stay tuned here and on the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn website for any job posting. Potential candidates are encouraged to contact me prior to submitting their application. Also, I will be happy to work with you if you want to write and apply for your own grant.
Meet The People
Luis Miguel Montilla
PhD Student
I’ve been researching invertebrates for some time. With corals during my Masters in Venezuela and now, as part of the INBREATH project, with invertebrate-bacterial associations and the role of their microbiome in nutrient cycling. I also like science communication and I’m always ready for coffee and movies.
Johanna Berlinghof
PhD Student
My enthusiasm for marine ecosystems made me move from the mountains close to the sea. As part of the eMBraCE project, I’m investigating the role of microbe-host associations in benthic nutrient cycling, and how it is affected by changing environmental conditions. When I’m not at my desk or in the lab, you can find me hiking, cycling or having a tea with friends.
Grazia Marina Quero
Adjunct Scientist
I am interested in understanding how prokaryotic communities are shaped by the environment in marine and lagoon ecosystems, and their ecological and biogeochemical role from the coast to the deep-sea. Also, I am deeply in love with good music, good food and good friends.
Luigi Gallucci
Master Student
Master student in Marine Biology and Ecology at the University of Naples Federico II. Fan of microbiology and symbiosis, I always look for a simple way to disseminate these topics to the general public!
Elisa Guarcini
Bachelor Student
I study Natural Sciences at the Federico II University, and I am passionate about marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. I am participating in the INBREATH project, studying the ecological distribution of the association between the sponge Chondrilla nucula and Posidonia oceanica.
Alumni
In a commentary wrote together with Sairah Malkin from the University of Maryland, we discuss a recent paper by Scholz et al. (2021) investigating the association between the rhizospheres of aquatic vegetation and cable bacteria.
We assessed the impact of zebra mussels on Nitrogen processes in laboratory incubations designed to discern the impact of the microbiome and to quantitatively assess their relevance at the benthic scale.
We demonstrate the importance of diazotrophs in sustaining primary productivity of the invasive marine plant Halophila stipulacea.
