Cnidarian Physiology Lab at Eckerd College

Welcome to the Krediet Lab!

My research interests lie in host-microbe interactions and specifically how mutualistic or commensal microbiota influence the host’s physiological response to various abiotic and biotic stressors. My research aims to better understand how associated microbiota affect the physiology of the coral holobiont and what mechanisms underpin the overall success of the symbiosis. I regularly involve undergraduate students as assistants in my research.

Overview

Corals and other cnidarians form mutualistic symbiotic relationships with unicellular dinoflagellate algae (in the genus Symbiodinium) and are associated with complex communities of microorgansisms (bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi, and micro-eukaryotes). These microbes can be pathogenic or may potentially provide a benefit to the host. In the Krediet Lab, we are interested in how these microbial communities are structured and how they affect the physiology of their cnidarian host over time by interacting with other microbes, with the host itself, and with the surrounding abiotic environment.

We use the tropical sea anemone model system Aiptasia for our studies but also bridge our work in the lab to corals in the field.