From the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and GHORC…

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April 2025 Research Highlights reported by the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center (GHORC).

 

Student Highlight

 

Alexia Hilber presented on part of her thesis research at the international joint meeting of the Waterbird Society and the Pacific Seabirds Group this January in Costa Rica. Her presentation was entitled, “Endoparasites of the invasive Gray-Headed Swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus),” and it won Best Undergraduate or Masters Oral Presentation at the whole meeting.  She’s co-advised by Dr. David Kerstetter and Dr. Chris Blanar (Biological Sciences) on her thesis project, examining the endoparasites of wading birds like herons and ibis in South Florida.  Alexia has been doing bird-related research in Dr. Kerstetter lab since late 2021, and she graduated from NSU with a BS in Marine Biology in May 2022.

 

 

 

From the Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences:

 

 

Tamara Frank, PhD, Interim Chair and Professor, Dr. Tacey Sutton, PhD, Professor, and former student Ryan Bos, PhD, have made significant contributions to the field of marine sciences. Their paper in Limnology and Oceanography, one of the top 10 most-cited papers published by the journal in 2023, highlights their exceptional work. “L&O” is renowned for its rigorous publication standards, making this achievement particularly noteworthy. Dr. Bos, a Halmos alumnus (MS) under the advisement of Dr. Frank, is currently a postdoc at the prestigious Girguis Laboratory for Ecophysiology, Biogeochemistry, and Engineering at Harvard University. His success reflects the high caliber of our alumni.

 

 

Joana Figueiredo, PhD, Executive Director of the National Coral Reef Institute and Associate Professor, is originally from Lisbon, Portugal, where she completed her B.S. and Ph.D. in Marine Sciences at the University of Lisbon. After completing her Ph.D. she earned several postdoctoral fellowships to conduct research at James Cook University, Australia, and the University of the Ryukyus, Japan. She studies the sexual reproduction and larval ecology of corals. Her most recent achievements include the sexual propagation of coral species in the laboratory to produce corals to restore our reefs; the description of the coral larval dispersal patterns in the Florida’s Coral Reef which inform managers of the best sites to protect and restore along our coast; the development of bio-physical models that project how ocean warming will weaken reef connectivity and its ecological and evolutionary implications; and the finding that the impacts of climate change on corals can be reduced if local impacts such as sedimentation are minimized. She has published 42 peer-reviewed research articles in top scientific journals, such as Nature Climate Change, Global Change Biology, PNAS and Ecology (2150 citations, h-index 24, i-10 index of 35), and serves as a Topic Editor for the journal Coral Reefs.

Publications:

  • Laforest, K.V., Petrik, C.G., Hylton, A.A., Ionata, R.L., McDonald, E.M., Short, M.L., Figueiredo J., 2024. Induced sexual reproduction ex situ reveals bidirectional sex change of the coral Montastraea cavernosa. Coral Reefs 43: 1405–1416. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-024-02546-0
  • Limer B.D., Payne O., Brancato A., Mitchell M., Abu-Kubie C., Figueiredo J., Holstein D.M. 2024. Life history and early ontogeny determine vertical swimming behaviors in the larvae of Caribbean corals. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 578: 152035. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2024.152035
  • King S., Saint-Amand A., Walker B.K., Hanert E., Figueiredo J. 2023. Larval dispersal patterns and connectivity of Acropora on Florida’s Coral Reef and its implications for restoration. Frontiers in Marine Science 9:1038463. http://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.1038463
  • Figueiredo J., Thomas C.J., Deleersnijder E., Lambrechts J., Baird A.H., Connolly S.R., Hanert E. 2022. Global warming decreases connectivity among coral populations. Nature Climate Change 12: 83–87. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-021-01248-7

 

 

From the Department of Chemistry and Physics:

 

 

Dimitri Giarikos, PhD, Professor, is looking at the eastern Pacific stock of northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) on the Pribilof Islands, Alaska represents over 50 % of the global breeding population, but it has experienced population declines of unknown cause(s) since 1980. One contributing factor to the decline may be exposure to anthropogenic contaminants such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) which are biologically accumulative in nature, toxic to organisms, and environmentally persistent. This was the first study to determine 21 organochlorine (OC) and 39 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) analyte concentrations utilizing archived vibrissae (whiskers) from individual fur seals sampled in 1993 (n = 30) and 2013 (n = 41) The recently phased out PBDEs had values five times greater than the legacy status OCs, reflecting both the global shift away from chlorinated chemicals over the past 50 years and the widespread use of brominated flame retardants within the past two decades. Recently phased out PBDEs were detected at five times greater concentrations than phased out OCs. The presence of all analytes in vibrissae indicate that there is an adaptive advantage to partitioning contaminants into this inert tissue, suggesting keratinous tissue is a reliable matrix for assessing long-term for POP exposure and introducing the potential for less invasive sampling for future monitoring efforts.

Publication: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405665024001409?via%3Dihub or https://nova.elsevierpure.com/en/publications/northern-fur-seal-whisker-bioaccumulation-and-partitioning-of-pol

 

 

Diego Castano, PhD, Professor, explored the matter of Newton’s Bucket. To simplify and extend the analysis, we replaced the bucket with an infinite cylindrical shell. We showed that Newton’s mechanical conclusions are equally valid electromagnetically.

Publication: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6404/ad9a25

 

 

 

From the Department of Biological Sciences:

 

 

Omar Tonsi Eldakar, PhD, Professor, recent publications:

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications: (*Indicates graduate student authors)

  • Gallup A.C., Eldakar O.T. 2025. Sports, team games, and physical skill competitions as an important source of symbolic material culture with low preservation probability. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 48:e9. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X24001031
  • *Lee, I. P. A., Eldakar, O.T., Gogarten, J. P., and Andam, C. P. 2023 Protocol for an agent-based model of recombining bacteria playing a public goods game. STAR Protocols, 4,102733. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102733

 

 

 

Jose V. Lopez, PhD, Professor, recent publications:

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications: (*Indicates graduate student authors)

  • Krausfeldt, LE, Samuel P*, Smith RP, Urakawa H, Rosen BH, Colwell RR, Lopez JV. 2024 Transcriptional profiles of Microcystis reveal gene expression shifts that promote bloom persistence in in situ Microbiology Spectrum, e01369-24. https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/spectrum.01369-24
  • Li, R., Li, J., Lopez, JV., Oatley, G., Clayton-Lucey, I. A., Sinclair, E., … & Portal, E. A. S. G. D. (2024). The genome sequence of the giant clam, Tridacna gigas (Linnaeus, 1758). Wellcome Open Research, 9(145), 145. https://wellcomeopenresearch.org/articles/9-145/v1

Book Published:

  • Lopez, JV. 2024 Assessments and Conservation of Biological Diversity from Coral Reefs to the Deep Sea. Academic Press. London Paperback ISBN: 9780128241127.  Dec 15, 2023. https://tinyurl.com/mryrh32u

 

 

 

Santanu De, PhD, Associate Professor,

De collaborated on interdisciplinary research projects with faculty colleagues and students from NSU’s Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry at HCAS, leading to three peer-reviewed scholarly publications. Besides, his research team won the FDLA Journal Best Paper Award in 2024.  Additionally, Dr. De served as an invited guest speaker for a research podcast from Belgium, among other contributions.

 

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications: (* indicates student authors)

  • Chheda, H.* and De, S. 2024. Evolution of Global Anatomy Research through COVID-19: A Post-Pandemic Evaluation. FDLA Journal, Vol. 8, Article 10.
  • Indorewala, Y.* and De, S. 2024. Global Implications of COVID-19 on Education and Research in Healthcare and STEM: Analysis of Case Studies. FDLA Journal, Vol. 8, Article 2.
  • Vuppala R.*, Saleh, O.*, Kapil, A.*, De, S., and Sikora, A. 2024. Analysis of Learning in a Novel Biochemistry Lab CURE Using Self-Reported Student Mastery Assessments. Journal of Biological Chemistry, Volume 300, Issue 3.

Others:

  • Recipient, FDLA Journal 2023 Best Paper Award, Florida Distance Learning Association, 2024.
  • Invited Guest Speaker, Podcast Series: The Researcher’s Chronicle, Paperprimer Publication Consulting Group, Brussels, Belgium, December 2023

 

 

 

Eben Gering, PhD, Associate Professor, recent publications:

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications:

  • Phillips, J. G., Hagey, T. J., Hagemann, M. & Gering, E., 2024. Analysis of Morphological Change during a Co-invading Assemblage of Lizards in the Hawaiian Islands. Evolutionary Biology 51:257–268. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11692-024-09631-w
  • Gering, E., Johnsson, M., Theunissen, D., Martin Cerezo, M. L., Steep, A., Getty, T., Henriksen, R. & Wright, D. 2024. Signals of selection and ancestry in independently feral Gallus gallus Molecular Ecology 33(20). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mec.17336

 

 

 

Julie Garcia Torruellas, PhD, Professor, and Katie Crump, PhD, Associate Professor, are members of the Howard Hughs Medical Institute’s Science Education Alliance (SEA), which was established in 2008 to support a community of STEM faculty from 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities to adopt, collaborate, and implement course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs), a form of science pedagogy that enhances student learning and persistence in science. Through this program, they have published genomes in GenBank with undergraduate students and have collaborated on educational research projects culminating in peer-reviewed publications with other SEA faculty. Since 2021, under the mentorship of Drs. Garcia and Crump, NSU students have discovered and named 28 bacteriophages (viruses), sequenced the DNA of 12 of them, and published 7 of the genomes in NCBI Genbank.

GenBank Submissions: (* indicated undergraduate student)

  • Bachman Rodriguez,J.*, Butler,T.R.*, Faruqui,S.*, Guntur,M.S.*, Huang,C.*, Khrakovsky,B.R.*, Mederos,K.*, Montanez,M.V.*, Nazarov,G.M.*, Nedjar,I.*, Rodriguez,A.*, Siguenza,C.R.*, Zayas,D.L.*, Patel,N.K.*, Torruellas Garcia,J., Crump,K.E., Butela,K.A., Viland,M.D., Lewis,C.M., Garlena,R.A., Russell,D.A., Jacobs-Sera,D. And Hatfull,G.F. (2024). Gordonia phage MakoManhole, complete genome. GenBank Accession Number: PQ184807.1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/2866465260
  • Bachman Rodriguez,J.*, Butler,T.R.*, Faruqui,S.*, Guntur,M.S.*, Huang,C.*, Khrakovsky,B.R.*, Mederos,K.*, Montanez,M.V.*, Nazarov,G.M.*, Nedjar,I.*, Rodriguez,A.*, Siguenza,C.R.*, Zayas,D.L.*, Patel,N.K.*, Torruellas Garcia,J., Crump,K.E., Butela,K.A., Viland,M.D., Lewis,C.M., Garlena,R.A., Russell,D.A., Jacobs-Sera,D. And Hatfull,G.F. (2024). Gordonia phage DaviePasture, complete genome. GenBank Accession Number: PQ114740.1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/2802855907
  • *Janke,A.M., Crump,K.E., Torruellas,G.J., Butela,K.A., Viland,M.D., Lewis,C.M., Garlena,R.A., Russell,D.A., Jacobs-Sera,D. and Hatfull,G.F. 2024. Gordonia phage MunkgeeRoachy, complete genome. GenBank [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US), National Center for Biotechnology Information. GenBank: PQ114748.1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/PQ114748.1
  • *Barreto-Massad,C., Torruellas,G.J., Butela,K.A., Viland,M.D., Lewis,C.M., Garlena,R.A., Russell,D.A., Jacobs-Sera,D. and Hatfull,G.F. 2024. Gordonia phage KayGee, complete genome. GenBank [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US), National Center for Biotechnology Information. GenBank: PQ114738.1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/PQ114738.1
  • *Gonzalez, B.A., *Taylor, A.M., *Ortiz, A., *Gandhi, M.N., *Kappen, A., *Lopez, S., *Nedjar, O.G., *Patel, N.K., *Patel, V.J., *Ramnath-Manohar, N., *Sanchez, J.A., *Uppalapati, S., *Patel, S.K., *Soni, B., *Ballarin, S.Y., Torruellas Garcia, J., Crump, K.E., Warner, M.H., Ko, C., Russell, D.A., Jacobs-Sera, D. and Hatfull, G.F. 2023. Gordonia phage Alyssamiracle, complete genome. GenBank [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US), National Center for Biotechnology Information. GenBank: OR475254.1.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/2582194677
  • *Gonzalez, B.A., *Taylor, A.M., *Gandhi, M.N., *Kappen, A., *Loranger, E., *Lopez, S., *Nedjar, O.G., *Patel, N.K., *Patel, V.J., *Ramnath-Manohar, N., *Sanchez, J.A., *Uppalapati, S., *Patel, S.K., *Soni, B., *Ballarin, S.Y., Torruellas Garcia, J., Crump,K.E., Washington, J.M., Ko, C., Russell, D.A., Jacobs-Sera, D. and Hatfull, G.F. 2023.  Gordonia phage Fribs8, complete genome. GenBank [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US), National Center for Biotechnology Information. GenBank: OR553910.1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/2583613115

Peer Reviewed Publications:

  • Monti DL, Gill JC, Adair TL, Adams SD, Ahumada-Santos YP, Amaya I, Anders K, Anderson JR, Antunes MS, Ayuk M, Baliraine F, Bates TC, Beyer AR, Bhalla S, Bouklas T, Bullock SK, Butela KA, Byrum C, Caruso SM, Chong R, Chung H-M, Conant SB, Condon B, Crump KE, D’Elia T, Dennis MK, DeVeaux LC, Diacovich L, Diaz A, Duffy I, Edwards D, Fallest-Strobl PC, Findley A, Fisher MR, Fogarty MP, Frost VJ, Gainey MD, Galle CS, Gibb B, Golebiewska U, Gramajo H, Grinath AS, Guerrero J, Guild N, Gunn KE, Gurney S, Hughes LE, Jayachandran P, Johnson K, Johnson A, Kanak AE, Kanther ML, King RA, Kohl K, Lee-Soety J, Lewis LO, Lindberg H, Madden JA, Martin BJ, Mastropaolo MD, McClory S, Merkhofer EC, Merkle JA, Mitchell J, Mussi MA, Nieto F, Nissen J, Nsa IY, O’Donnell MG, Overath RD, Page ST, Panagakis A, Parra Unda JR, Pass MB, Perez Morales T, Peters NT, Plymale R, Pollenz R, Reyna NS, Rinehart CA, Rocheleau J, Rombold JS, Rossier O, Rudner AD, Rueschhoff EE, Shaffer CD, Smith MAV, Sprenkle AB, Sunnen CN, Thomas MA, Tigges MM, Tobiason D, Tolsma SS, Torruellas Garcia J, Uetz P, Vazquez E, Ward CM, Ware VC, Washington JM, Waterman MJ, Westholm DE, Wheaton KA, White SJ, Williams EC, Williams DC, Wisner EM, Biederman WH, Cresawn SG, Heller DM, Jacobs-Sera D, Russell DA, Hatfull GF, Asai DJ, Hanauer DI, Graham MJ and Sivanathan V (2024) An inclusive Research and Education Community (iREC) model to facilitate undergraduate science education reform.  Educ. 9:1442318. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1442318
  • Hanauer, D.I., Zhang, T., Graham, M.J., Adams, S.D., Ahumada-Santos Yesmi, P., Alvey, R.M., Antunes, M.S., Ayuk, M.A., Elena Báez-Flores, M., Bancroft, C.T., Bates, T.C., Bechman, M.J., Behr, E., Beyer, A.R., Bortz, R.L., Bowder, D.M., Briggs, L.A., Brown-Kennerly, V., Buckholt, M.A., Bullock, S.K., Butela, K.A., Byrum, C.A., Caruso, S.M., Chia, C.P., Chong, R.A., Chung, H., Clase, K.L., Coleman, S.T., Parks, C.D., Conant, S.B., Condon, B.M., Connerly, P.L., Connors, B.J., Cook-Easterwood, J.E., Crump, K.E., D’Elia, T., Dennis, M. K., DeVeaux, L.C., Diacovich, L., Duffy, I., Edgington, N.P., Edwards, D.C., Egwuatu, T.O.G., Eivazova, E.R., Fallest-Strobl, P.C., Fillman, C.L., Findley, A.M., Fisher, E., Fisher, M.R., Fogarty, M.P., Freise, A. C., Frost, V.J., Gainey, M.D., Garcia Costas, A.M., Garza, A.A., Gavin, H.E., Ghittoni, R., Gibb, B., Golebiewska, U.P., Grinath, A.S., Gurney, S.M.R., Hare, R.F., Heninger, S.G., Hinz, J.M., Hughes, L.E., Jayachandran, P., Johnson, K.C., Johnson, A.A., Kanther, M., Kenna, M., Kirkpatrick, B.L., Klyczek, KK., Kohl, K.P., Kuchka, M., LaPeruta, A.J., Lee-Soety, J.Y., Lewis, L.O., Lindberg, H.M., Madden, J.A., Markov, S.A., Mastropaolo, M.D., Mathur, V., McClory, S.P., Merkhofer, E.C., Merkle, J.A., Michael, S.F., Mitchell, J.C., Molloy, S.D., Monti, Denise L., Mussi María Alejandra, Nance Holly, Nieto-Fernandez Fernando E., Nissen J.C., Nsa, I.Y., O’Donnell, M.G., Page, S.T., Panagakis, A., Parra-Unda, J.R., Pelletier, T.A., Perez Morales, T.G., Peters, N.T., Phuntumart, V., Pollenz, R.S., Preuss, M.L., Puthoff, D.P., Raifu, M.K., Reyna, N.S., Rinehart, C.A., Rocheleau, J.M., Rossier, O., Rudner, A.D., Rueschhoff, E.E., Ryan, A., Saha, S., Shaffer, C.D., Smith, M.A.V., Sprenkle, A.B., Strong, C.L., Sunnen, C.N., Tarbox, B.P., Temple, L., Thoemke, K.R., Thomas, M.A., Tobiason, D.M., Tolsma, S.S., Torruellas Garcia, J., Valentine, M.S., Vazquez, E., Ward, R.E., Ward, Catherine, M., Ware, V.C., Warner, M.H., Washington, J.M., Westholm, D.E., Wheaton, K.A., Wilkes, B.M., Williams, E.C., Biederman, W.H., Cresawn, S.G., Heller, D.M., Jacobs-Sera, D., Hatfull, G.F., Asai, D.J., Sivanathan, V. .2023. Models of classroom assessment for course-based research experiences. Educ. 8:1279921. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1279921

 

 

 

Matthew Johnston, PhD, Associate Professor, recent publications:

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications:

  • Geselbracht L., Johnston M.W., DeAngelis B., Birch A. (2024) Estuary-specific and adaptive habitat suitability index model for the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica in the Pensacola Bay System, Florida, USA. Coastal Management1-2 (2024): 17-34
  • Cook A., Sutton T., Lawson G., Johnston M.W. (2024) Multiple Opening Closing Net Environmental Sensing System [MOCNESS] instrument data for R/V Point Sur PS23-22 (Cruise DP09) in-situ deep seawater and associated fauna, from 2022-05-02 to 2023-05-12, Gulf of Mexico. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. https://doi.org/10.7266/JKEQE8B4
  • Sutton T., Cook A., Johnston M.W. (2024) Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) and underway SCS data collected aboard from R/V Point Sur cruise PS23_22 (DP09) in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2023-05-02 to 2023-05-12. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. https://doi.org/10.7266/m39kxewk
  • Boswell K., Sutton T., and Johnston M.W. (2024) CTD data salinity, temperature, depth for R/V Point Sur cruise PS23-22 (DEEPEND DP09) in-situ deep seawater and associated fauna, in Gulf of Mexico, from 2023-05-02 to 2023-05-11. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. https://doi.org/10.7266/J7BWR482
  • Sutton T., Moore J., Cook A., Frank T., Judkins H., Bracken-Grissom H., Vecchione M., Johnston M.W. (2025) Inventory of Gulf oceanic fauna data including species, weight, and measurements obtained aboard the R/V Point Sur, Cruise DP08, in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2022-07-25 to 2022-08-08. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. https://doi.org/10.7266/JPJGYZPX

Grants Received:

  • DEEPEND|RESTORE II: participant on Trends and Drivers of the Pelagic Gulf of Mexico. From: NOAA; $ $3,712,978. (2024-2029).
  • Deep-Sea Benefits: Outcomes of Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Community Restoration. CIMAS(NOAA); $1,637,833 (2024-2028).

 

 

 

Andrew Ozga, PhD, Associate Professor, recent publications:

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications: (* indicates student authors)

  • Demehri S*, Vardur S, Godoy C, Lopez JV, Samuel P*, Kawai T, Ozga AT. 2024. Supragingival plaque microbiomes in a diverse South Florida population. Microorganisms. 12(9): 1921. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12091921
  • Velsko IM, Fagernas Z, Tromp M, Bedford S, Buckley H, Clark G, Dudgeon J, Flexner J, Leal-Tamarii A, Lewis Jr. CM, Matisoo-Smith L, Nagele K, Ozga AT, Rohrlach AB, Posth C, Shing R, Spriggs M, Willie E, Valentin F, Warinner C. 2024. Exploring archaeogenetic studies of dental calculus to shed light on past human migrations in Oceania. Nature Communications. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53920-z
  • Trumble BC, Schwartz M, Ozga AT, Schwartz GT, Stojanowski CM, Jenkins CL, Kraft TS, Garcia AR, Cummings DK, Hooper P, Rodriguez DE, Copajira J, Quispe R, Buetow K, Beheim B, Irimia A, Thomas GS, Thompson R, Gatz M, Stieglitz J, Finch CE, Team H, Gurven M, Kaplan H. 2024. Poor oral health is associated with inflammation, aortic valve calcification, and brain volume among forager-farmers. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glae013

 

 

 

Eloy Martinez, PhD, Associate Professor, recent publications:

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications: *Graduate student researcher, Undergraduate student researcher underlined

  • Chaparro, R.*, Rivera-Burgos, A. C.*, Eaton, M. J., Terando, A. J., Martinez, E., & Collazo, J. A. (2024). Postrelease Survival of Eleutherodactylus coqui: Advancing Managed Translocations as an Adaptive Tool for Climate-Vulnerable Anurans. Herpetologica, 80(4), 314-320.
  • Wright, N.W., Morrison, R.G. and Martinez, E. (2024). Warm acclimation of the green sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus, results in reduced mitochondrial energy transduction efficiency. BIOS, 95(3), 117-124
  • Powers, S.D.*, Grayson, K.L., Martinez, E. and Salvatore J. Agosta (2024). Ontogenetic variation in metabolic rate–temperature relationships during larval development. Journal of Experimental Biology, 227 (14).
  • Powers, S. D.*, Thompson, L. M., Parry, D., Grayson, K. L., Martinez, E., and Agosta, S. J. (2024). Climate-related variation of metabolic rate across the distribution of a broadly tolerant invasive forest pest. Journal of Biogeography, 51, 1117–132.

 

 

 

Christopher A. Blanar, PhD, Associate Professor, recent publications, etc.:

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications: *Graduate student author, ** Undergraduate author

  • Locke, S.A., Calhoun, D.M., Cruz, J.M.V., Ebbs, E.T., Pernett, S.C.D., Tkach, V.V., Kinsella, J.M., Freeman, M.A., Blanar, C.A. and Johnson, P.T. 2024. Expanding on expansus: A new species of Scaphanocephalus from North America and the Caribbean based on molecular and morphological data. Parasitology, pp.1-51. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182024000647
  • Garvey, D.*, C.A. Blanar, E. Warburton, R.L. Grunberg, E.L. Mckean**, and D.W. Kerstetter. 2023. Host ecology and biogeography drive endoparasite community composition in Atlantic killifishes. Oecologia 204: 289-300. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-023-05420-y

Grants Received:

  • AMLC Student Grants-in-Aid of Caribbean Marine Research Program (2024-2025). Awarded to Yanella Colón Marty, S. Locke and C.A. Blanar by the Association of Marine Labs of the Caribbean.

Other Contributions:

  • Invited Speaker, UF-USGS-FWC Joint Seminar Series, hosted by USGS / Jonathan Freeman, Gainesville FL. Title: Taking stock of Fish Parasitology in Florida.

Invited Speaker and Panelist, Special Session on Parasites in Caribbean Coastal Ecosystems, Association of Marine Labs of the Caribbean Annual Meeting, Frigate Bay, St. Kitts and Nevis. Title: Parasite-induced alterations in sociality and behavior in estuarine and coastal fishes. Coauthored with NSU graduate students Bennett Perry, Hannah Bauman, and Delaney Farrell, and NSU undergraduate Laura Nicolas.

 

 

 

Mahmood Shivji, PhD, Professor, recent publications:

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications: (*Indicates student authors)

  • Wiernicki, C.J., T.H. Curtis, B.A. Block, M.S. Shivji, J.J. Vaudo, B.M. Wetherbee, K.N. Holland, J. Pinti, M.J. Oliver and A.B. Carlisle. 2025. Considerations for using sharks as ocean observing platforms. ICES Journal of Marine Science, Vol. 82, Issue 2, fsaf011 https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsaf011
  • Bernard, A., M. Mehlrose*, K. Finnegan, B. Wetherbee and M.S. Shivji. 2025. Connections across open water: a bi-organelle, genomics-scale assessment of Atlantic-wide population dynamics in a pelagic, endangered apex predator shark (Isurus oxyrinchus). Evolutionary Applications, 22 January 2025; https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.70071
  • Byrne, M.E., H. Dewar, J.J. Vaudo, B.M. Wetherbee and M.S. Shivji. 2024. You shall not pass; the Pacific oxygen minimum zone creates a boundary to shortfin mako shark distribution in the Eastern North Pacific Ocean. Biodiversity and Distributions https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13924
  • Goodman, M.C., T.D. White, J. Kazdan, D. Bradley, M.S. Shivji, R. Casagrandi, L. Mari, M. Gatto, J.G. Eurich, D. McCauley, G. De Leo and F. Micheli. 2024. Reef shark population declines on remote Pacific reefs: Inferences from multiple methods in a data-limited fishery. Marine Ecology Progress Series 751:97-114. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14746
  • Womersley, F.C., Sousa, L.L., Humphries, N.E. et al. 2024. Climate-driven global redistribution of an ocean giant predicts increased threat from shipping. Nature Climate Change https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-02129-5
  • Herrera, M.A.*, D. Cardenosa, Y. Papastamatiou, J.J. Vaudo, C. Bermúdez-Rivas and M. Shivji. 2024. High residency of a Critically Endangered hammerhead shark to a small area of the Colombian Pacific coast: Implications for Marine Protected Area design and management. Marine Ecology Progress Series 743: 47–63. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14658.
  • Wagner, I., I. Smolina, T. Bal, A.M. Lizano, L. Choo, M. Hofreiter, E. Gennari; E. de Sabata, M.S. Shivji, L.R. Noble, C.S. Jones and G. Hoarau. 2024. Genome analysis reveals three distinct lineages of the cosmopolitan white shark. Current Biology https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.06.076
  • Daye, D., R. de la Parra Venegas, J. Vaudo, J. Harvey, G. Harvey, M. Shivji and B. Wetherbee. 2024. Tracking four years in the life of a female whale shark reveals consistent migrations in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Marine and Freshwater Research, 75, MF23147. doi:10.1071/MF23147. https://www.publish.csiro.au/MF/MF23147
  • Salinas-de-León, P., J. Vaudo, R. Logan, J. Suarez-Moncada and M. Shivji. 2024. Longest recorded migration of a silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) reveals ample use of international waters of the Tropical Eastern Pacific. Journal of Fish Biology 105:378–381. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15788
  • Vaudo, J.J., H. Dewar, M.E. Byrne, B. Wetherbee and M.S. Shivji. 2024. Integrating vertical and horizontal movements of shortfin mako sharks, Isurus oxyrinchus, in the eastern North Pacific Ocean. Marine Ecology Progress Series 732:85-99. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14542
  • Ruck, C.L.*, M.S. Shivji, R.W. Jabado and A.M. Bernard. 2024. Cross ocean-basin population genetic dynamics in a pelagic top predator of high conservation concern, the oceanic whitetip shark, Carcharhinus longimanus. Conservation Genetics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-023-01596-1

 

 

 

Steven O’Brien, PhD, Professor, recent publications, etc.:

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications:

  • O’Brien S.J. Legacy of a magic gene-CCR5-∆32: From discovery to clinical benefit in a generation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2024. 121(12): e2321907121. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2321907121
  • Schmidt-Küntzel, A., Yashphe, S., Hamalwa, H., Ismail, S. H., Tricorache, P., Brewer, B., O’Brien, S. J., & Marker, L. 2024. Genetic support to uplist an African cheetah subspecies, Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii, imperiled by illegal trade.Conservation Science and Practice, 6(1), e13052. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2. 13052
  • Wu, Zhen-Bo, Zheng-Yan Sui, Lan-Hui Peng, Mirna Ghemrawi, George Duncan, Henry Jones, Stephen J O’Brien, Shu-Jin Luo. 2025. Forensic Assessment of Kinship, Genomic Ancestry, and Natural History of an Iconic Tiger of Harlem-New York City, Journal of Heredity, 2025; esaf003, https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esaf003

Other contributions:

  • Dr. S.J. O’Brien featured in Malcolm Gladwell’s new book. In November 2024, Malcolm Gladwell, NY Times best-selling author and writer for the New Yorker published a new book, “Revenge of the Tipping Point”.  Chapter 3 of this book entitled “Poplar Grove” is dedicated to research led by NSU HCAS Department of Biological Science faculty Stephen O’Brien, around the conservation genetics discoveries for the African cheetah and the Florida panther.  With permission, Gladwell deftly retold the stories from O’Brien’s earlier book “Tears of the Cheetah”, increasing the broadcast distribution of these fascinating stories.  The examples were honored in by the presentation of the Lowell Thomas Award Dr. Stephen J. O’Brien in 2023 “as a founding father of the discipline of Conservation Genetics and the very ingredients to preserve endangered and threatened species”
  • Stephen J. O’Brien was elected in 2025 as Chair of the Cheetah Conservation Fund Board of Directors. https://cheetah.org/
  • In January 2025, NSU HCAS Department of Biological Sciences faculty Drs. Stephen O’Brien and Jose Lopez convened the training workshop “Recent Advances in Conservation Genetics (ConGen-2025; https://conservationgenetics.org/congen2025/) hosted by the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Otjiwarongo, Namibia.
    • ConGen -2025 received 48 applications for attendance and accepted 31 students. The students were outstanding and motivated, ranging from keen undergraduates to full professors across the world.  The course lasted 10 intense days with 26 international faculty and 17 countries represented in the student body, offering a rich admixture of scientific and cultural backgrounds in the training sessions. The faculty were also diverse and accomplished with broad scope and expertise.