“How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is quite clearly Ocean.
ARTHUR C. CLARKE
The Team
I founded the Marine Symbiomes Research Group at the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn – National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology, and Biotechnology in 2017.
We are a curious and collaborative team, passionate about exploring marine symbioses. Our group values creativity, teamwork, and a fun, supportive research environment. We believe that everyone—regardless of age, career stage, or background—can contribute valuable insights to our science.
Science has no borders. We enjoy connecting with colleagues across Europe and beyond to tackle exciting questions about host-microbe interactions, ecosystem functioning, and coastal resilience.
I am always happy to hear from motivated students and postdocs interested in joining the group. While funding is limited, you can find openings here and on the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn website. If you’re considering applying, feel free to reach out first! I also support candidates who want to develop and apply for their own research grants.
Meet The People
Tamara Smith
PhD Student
I study microbial interactions in seagrass ecosystems and their role in biogeochemical cycling and carbon dynamics. I also enjoy the sea, reading, and socializing.
Maira Maselli
Postdoctoral Fellow
I got into symbiosis through mixotrophy in planktonic protists and now study carbon and nitrogen fixation in coastal waters. Research taught me to think big while minding the details.
Magda Tulipiero
Master Student
I’m a Marine Biology and Ecology student exploring deep-sea trophic networks. Curious by nature, I’ve done research in Chilean Patagonia and Belgium. I love dogs, good food, and traveling.
Alumni
Germán Zapata Hernández
Postdoctoral Fellow
German joined our group with an ANID fellowship on wildfire impacts on benthic food webs, later becoming a senior researcher at the Darwin Foundation.
Alice Blanckaert
Postdoctoral Fellow
Alice worked with us as a postdoc on climate-relevant gas fluxes. Last we checked, she was starting a new project at the CSM in Monaco.
Johanna Berlinghof
PhD Student
Johanna did her PhD on the IMPULSE project between us and UniBremen. Last we checked, she was starting as Editor at Inter-Research.
Luigi Gallucci
Master Student
Luigi joined us during his MSc in Marine Biology and Ecology. Last we checked, he was pursuing a PhD at the MMPI, Germany.
Ugo Marzocchi
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ugo worked with us on several projects, mainly INBALANCE. He is now an Assistant Professor at Aarhus University, Denmark.
Laura Dennis
Intern
Laura joined us for an internship, assisting with field and lab work. Last we checked, she was completing the IMBRSea Master Program.
Elisa Guarcini
Bachelor Student
Elisa completed her BSc thesis with us, contributing to the INBREATH project. Last we checked, she was seeking MSc opportunities abroad.
Our recent study in Communications Biology shows that Posidonia oceanica leaves exhibit complete nitrogen cycling, with key transformations accelerating under ocean acidification. These microbial interactions are crucial for seagrass resilience in a changing ocean.
In our New Phytologist commentary, co-authored with Sairah Malkin, we discuss Scholz et al. (2021), who reveal the widespread association between aquatic plant rhizospheres and cable bacteria, highlighting their ecological significance.
In our Frontiers in Microbiology paper, we investigated how zebra mussels influence nitrogen processes, focusing on the role of their microbiome at the ecosystem scale. Our findings highlight their impact on nitrogen cycling and reveal, for the first time, their contribution to dinitrogen fixation.
