Research
We cannot cheat on DNA. We cannot get round photosynthesis. We cannot say I am not going to give a damn about phytoplankton. All these tiny mechanisms provide the preconditions of our planetary life. To say we do not care is to say in the most literal sense that ''we choose death.''
Dame Barbara Ward
Key species from the northern Adriatic phytoplankton (CIM Culture Collection) will be subjected to a variety of ecologically relevant culture conditions (e.g. changes in nutrient availability). Subsequently we will analyse accessible physiological reactions (e.g. changes in lipid production, morphology and enzymatic activity) and transcriptomes under the different culture conditions and establish a reference transcriptome database with taxonomic resolution at species/strain neveau under the aforementioned conditions.
This reference transcriptome database will be used to increase the taxonomic and physiological resolution in the analysis of in situ metatranscriptomes, derived from field samples along spatio-temporal ecological gradients.
In situ metatranscriptomes will be analysed in the context of the respective ecological conditions and community compositions, taking into account the results from long terms observations of phytoplankton community compositions and oceanographic conditions along the investigates spatio-temporal gradients.
To further improve our understanding the phytoplankton physiology and transcriptomics we will compare results from the highly productive northern Adriatic and the oligotrophic southern Adriatic, where we can observe connected populations under very different conditions in situ.
The Team
reviewer 2: Maric Pfannkuchen has assembled a strong team, with each member providing obvious strengths, from collecting specimens, to manipulating cultures, to the molecular biology benchwork.
PhD Daniela Maric Pfannkuchen
higher research associate, project leader
DMP will lead the project with extensive expertise in phytoplankton ecology, taxonomy, systematics and physiology
PhD Ana Baričević
research associate
AB will contribute her extensive experience in molecular biology, metabarcoding, high throughput sequencing, transcriptomics and bioinformatics.
PhD Mirta Smodlaka Tankovic
Research associate
MST will contribute her extensive experience in cell physiological experiments on phytoplankton cultures, statistical analyses and bioinformatics.
PhD Nataša Kužat
Post doc
NK will contribute her extensive experience in maintenance of cell culture collections as well as in phytoplankton identification and experimental cell culturing.
Ivan Vlašiček
PhD candidate
Ivan will be in charge of taxonomy, identification and phylogeny of cultures and in situ samples for Adriatic phytoplankton and as well as extensive data analysis.
Mia Knjaz
PhD candidate
Mia will be in charge of molecular taxonomy, identification and phylogeny of cultures and in situ samples for Adriatic phytoplankton and as well as extensive data analysis.
ass. profesor Emina Pustijanac
Assistant Professor
Emina Pustijanac is a researcher at the University of Pula. She will contribute her extensive experience in molecular biology, genetic characterization and phylogenetic/population analysis.
PhD Ana Car
Assistant Professor
Ana Car is a researcher at the University of Dubrovnik. She an expert in diatom morphology and taxonomy, skilled on working on board an oceanographic vessel and experience with basic oceanographic methods. .
Ivna Vrana Špoljarić
post doc
Ivna has a broad experience in the use of chromatographic techniques. She will contribute in lipid chemistry of aquatic systems to the ADRI life project. She will be in charge of lipid analysis and respective data interpretation as well for the publication of the results.
PhD Martin Pfannkuchen
scientific adviser
Dr. rer. nat. Martin Pfannkuchen is the Head of the Centre for marine research of the IRB and will accompany the projects progress. He has a long standing experience in bioinformatics and ecosystem research in combination with molecular cell biology. He will support the project in questions concerning bioinformatics and ecological analyses.
PhD Fabrice Not
scientific adviser
Dr. Fabrice Not is head of the “Station Biologique de Roscoff” in France. He has extensive experience and expertise in the setup and analysis of in situ campaigns using molecular high throughput methods like metabarcoding and metatranscriptomics. He will follow the projects progress and advice on metatranscriptomics and bioinformatics.
