(Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystems)

Time：2026. 11. 26  Thu. 10:00

Venue: Auditorium, 1st Floor, Interdisciplinary Research Building

Speaker：Prof.  Mónica Medina
                 Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles

Title：From Jellyfish to Corals: Understanding Symbiotic Interactions and Holobiont Resilience

Host：Dr. Chaolun Allen Chen 

Abstract
     Our laboratory investigates the dynamics of cnidarian holobionts, focusing on how interactions among partners shape development, phenotype, and resilience to environmental change. Using the jellyfish Cassiopea xamachana as a model for co-development, we examine how different algal symbionts and their associated microbiomes influence host metamorphosis. Complementing this experimental approach, we use coral ancient DNA (coraDNA), metagenomics, sclerochronology, and geochemical analyses to reconstruct historical changes in coral-associated microbial communities across contrasting environmental conditions and timescales. By integrating experimental studies of symbiosis with historical reconstructions of coral holobiont dynamics, our research aims to identify the mechanisms underlying host-microbe interactions. Ultimately, this work seeks to advance our understanding of cnidarian symbiosis and inform microbiome-based strategies for coral conservation and restoration in a changing ocean.

~Welcome your participation~