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Department of Biology Research Team Publishes Study

A research team from the Department of Biology recently published a study in Frontiers in Microbiology. The team includes Associate Professor Adam Silver, Assistant Professor Laura Enzor, and four undergraduate researchers: Omario Ricketts ’23, Rhiannon Lara ’26, Sean Isaac ’25, and Tyler Mendela ’25.

The first study explored the impacts of the bacteria Vibrio parahaemolyticus on eastern oyster’s (Crassostrea virginica) immune response under projected climate conditions of increased temperature and decreased salinity. Vibrio parahaemolyticus is an opportunistic pathogen naturally found in estuarine waters where oyster live; when oysters that are infected with Vibrio are consumed raw, these bacteria can be transferred to humans, causing severe gastrointestinal distress and even death.

The study found that while oyster were able to expel V. parahaemolyticus from tissues over the 28-day exposure, other bacteria within the oyster increased in density, resulting in a negative oyster response. This has down-stream implications as oysters are a significant food source for humans, as well as vital to the estuarine ecosystem. The full-length article can be found here.

The Vibrio paper was the basis for Omario's honors thesis he presented at the Honors Colloquium in 2023.

A second study, led by Enzor with participation from Tyler and Sean, was published in Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemical and Molecular Biology.

The paper details the bioenergetic response of eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, to the interactive stressors of elevated temperature and decreased salinity over a 21-day exposure period. A second exposure explored if these environmental changes influenced the ingestion of microfibers, which are the most prevalent form of marine debris in the world’s oceans.

The study found that while the interaction of temperature, salinity and microfibers did not greatly alter aerobic and anaerobic metabolism use in oyster, levels of oxidative stress and energetic stores were negatively affected.

Tyler presented the research paper at the Long Island Sound Research Conference in May 2024, and both Tyler and Sean presented at the Research and Creativity Colloquium in spring 2024.