Current Lab Members
Laís Lima
Postdoctoral Researcher
Lais joined the Wegley Kelly lab/Smith lab in a collaborative project that aims to investigate the carbon sequestration potential of kelp forests. She will be quantifying the amount of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) released by kelp that could resist microbial consumption and be potentially sequestered. Before joining the Wegley Kelly lab, Lais completed a postdoc on seaweed microbiome research for the Networked Blue Economy track of the NSF Convergence Accelerator grant (2021-2023, San Diego State University). She earned her joint PhD degree in Ecology (SDSU/UC Davis) by showing that coral microbiomes can be modeled according to temperature fluctuations and potentially provide beneficial services to the coral host (2016-2021). She enjoys writing, beach time, traveling, exercising, and hosting friends and family.
More information: lais-lima.com
Beverly French
Postdoctoral Researcher
Dr. Beverly French is a postdoctoral fellow working with Dr. Linda Wegley Kelly and Dr. Stuart Sandin on a collaborative project that uses minimally invasive sampling in combination with large-area imaging to assess genetic adaptations of the coral holobiont in its environmental context and through time. Beverly studied the community ecology of coral reef fishes for her doctorate at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, combining molecular sequencing with traditional underwater visual surveys of fish communities in the South and Central Pacific. Beverly has a B.A. in English (Writing) and a B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Pittsburgh, where she first learned that she could explore her curiosity for the world and love of nature through research
Emily Nixon
3rd year PhD Student
My research revolves around coral holobiont symbioses during early coral ontogeny. Specifically, I am interested in utilizing molecular techniques to study the role of microbial community assemblage on recruitment success, growth and survival. Currently, I work alongside restoration practitioners to study symbiont (Symbiodinium spp.) community shifting in juvenile corals and the potential of artificial symbiont inoculation for increasing post-settlement survivorship.
Catherine Mullenmeister
3rd year PhD Student
Catherine graduated from UC San Diego in June 2020 with a double major in Marine Biology (B.S.) and Environmental Chemistry (B.S.) She is now a first year PhD student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography whose research involves characterizing interactions between coral, algae, and microbes on coral reef ecosystems. She is interested in analyzing how different classes of producers and their unique microbial communities change the dissolved organic matter pool through untargeted metabolomics. Through this work, Catherine hopes to connect these biological interactions with physical dynamics on coral reefs such as oxygen concentration, pH, and dissolved organic matter diversity that may influence benthic community structure.
Mitch Smelser
2nd year MS student
Mitch is a Master’s student studying coral reef ecology and coral population genetics on reefs across the Maui Nui region. His research currently focuses on using molecular approaches to better understand species boundaries between Porites lobata and Porites compressa and their respective reproductive strategies. Centering around long term-monitoring sites, Mitch works with the Smith Lab at SIO to map demographic patterns across time onto virtual 3D models made for coral reefs. Pairing his genetic findings with morphometric and photometric color data, he hopes to offer more-concrete evidence for field identification used for in-situ management practices. Mitch completed his B.S. in Zoology at Miami University in 2018 and worked as a professional diver in San Diego prior to joining the lab. In his free time, Mitch enjoys mountain biking, trail running, playing the drums, and his favorite – visiting National Parks!
Bibi Renssen
1st year MS student
Bibi joined the Wegley Lab in 2021 after graduating from the University of San Diego with a B.A. in Environmental and Ocean Sciences with an emphasis on Marine Ecology. Her current MS research focuses on analyzing the contribution of cryptic reef space to coral health on Caribbean reefs, specifically focusing on whether encrusting sponges, large constituents of the cryptic space, allow for microbial offloading for corals during high heat wave stress. Bibi studies this interaction on both a microbial and molecular level in the Wegley Lab, as well as on a larger ecosystem level in collaboration with the Sandin Lab.
Besides her research, Bibi works hand-in-hand with the Explorers Club, Blue Latitudes, and BE WiSE to elevate and promote inclusivity of women in STEM. In her free time you will also find her reading on the beach, traveling, hiking, camping, or playing field hockey.
Julia Hagedorn
1st year MS Student
Julia joined the Wegley Lab at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography in Fall of 2023. Her research consists of testing bio hybrid materials for synthetic and natural coral reefs. She is interested in characterizing the microbial community of crustose coralline red algae, a crucial building block of coral reefs. Through her work, she aims to improve coral restoration techniques on a molecular level. Before coming to SIO, Julia graduated from San Francisco State University with a B.S. in Microbiology and a minor in Chemistry. At SFSU, her work was focused on cultivating and analyzing extremophiles(ammonia-oxidizing archaea) through fluorescence microscopy.
In her free time she enjoys reading, playing soccer, and testing her artistic ability with creative hobbies(crochet, pottery, watercolor). She has also enjoyed volunteering with various organizations at SIO, including the TIDES project and SCOPE.
Alumni
Zach Quinlan
PhD – Summer 2023
Zach is extremely fascinated by coral exometabolomes and the hidden insights they can give us into the functioning of the coral holobiont. During his PhD he leveraged our collaborations with mass spectrometry community to pursue greater insights into how chemical ecology can help with coral reef management and restoration. Zach’s research has developed new open-source tools to enable researchers to utilize untargeted metabolomic tools as well as investigating the dynamics of labile dissolved organic matter in coral reefs, biomarkers of stress exuded by corals, and natural settlement cueing metabolites. In his free time Zach is an obsessive climber, cyclist and baker.
Sabrina Sauri
MS Marine Biology – Winter 2023
Sabrina graduated from UC San Diego with a BS in Molecular biology in Spring 2021. She joined the Wegley Kelly Lab as part of the BS/MS program for Marine Biology where her project focused on the interactions of microbial communities between coral and turf algae during stress events like bleaching.
Our Fearless Leader
Dr. Linda Wegley Kelly
PhD
Always in search of her next dose of sugar.