Refining our understanding of marine microbes in the Biological Pump and their impact on ocean biogeochemistry.
By pairing integrated meta-omics with microbial and chemical oceanography, the Edwards lab explores microbial interactions, metabolic processes, and chemical turnover rates in the lab and at sea. We are particularly interested in carbon export, the Biological Carbon Pump, and the impact of marine microbes on particle dynamics as particles form in the surface ocean and are disaggregated at depth. Our lab studies a wide range of marine microbes: viruses, bacteria, phytoplankton, and microzooplankton.
Lipidomic analysis is our lab’s area of expertise, allowing for the quantification of lipid species smaller than fatty acids and as large as triacylglycerides used for energy storage. Lipids are most recognized for their structural role within cellular membranes and utility as fuel. However, our lab uses lipidomics to look at biomarkers of community composition, cellular stress, and environmental conditions in marine systems.
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