{"id":314,"date":"2023-12-12T11:35:26","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T19:35:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/?page_id=314"},"modified":"2023-12-12T12:18:46","modified_gmt":"2023-12-12T20:18:46","slug":"research-projects","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/research-projects\/","title":{"rendered":"Research Projects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-319 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/282\/2023\/12\/iqutezev.jpg\" alt=\"Comparative Functional Analyses of Mixotrophy among Microbial Eukaryotes\" width=\"208\" height=\"165\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-has-img\">\n<h2 class=\"article-title\">Comparative Functional Analyses of Mixotrophy among Microbial Eukaryotes (current project)<\/h2>\n<div class=\"html-content\">\n<p>The ability of many single-celled, eukaryotes (protists) to combine photosynthetic and heterotrophic nutrition in a single cell is well established, but the phylogenetic breadth and tremendous ecological significance of this behavior is not widely acknowledged. \u2018Mixotrophy\u2019 is pervasive evolutionarily and ecologically. Mixotrophic behavior ranges from heterotrophic supplementation of predominantly phototrophic nutrition, to phototrophic survival of predominantly heterotrophic species under food-limited conditions, but a complex mixture of behaviors exists between these extremes. Specific benefits of heterotrophy in mixotrophic algae include the acquisition via phagotrophy or osmotrophy of carbon, energy, major nutrients (N,P) and various micronutrients (e.g. vitamins, metals, specific lipids) that provide these species with a competitive advantage over purely autotrophic species. Click <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/labs\/microbial-eukaryote-mixotrophy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here <\/a>for more information.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <div class=\"article-has-img\">\n<h2 class=\"article-title\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-318 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/282\/2023\/12\/inucesez.jpg\" alt=\"Studies of Marine Eukaryotic Microbes in waters of Coastal California\" width=\"175\" height=\"168\" \/>Studies of Marine Eukaryotic Microbes in waters of Coastal California (current project)<\/h2>\n<div class=\"html-content\">\n<p>The study of marine Archaea and Bacteria are much further advanced than those studying more recently evolved unicellular eukaryotes. We are working with other USC collaborators, Drs. Dave Caron and John Heidelberg, to evaluate diversity and genetic complement of marine taxa from uncultured (and unstudied) eukaryotes at a time series station in the San Pedro Time Series Station off the coast of Southern California. By sequencing portions of their genomes, we can begin to evaluate gene compliment and potential function on the oceans. These data will significantly increase genomic information on environmental microbial eukaryotes in the public domain and begin to allow detailed studies of relationships between and among prokaryote and eukaryote taxa. Graduate student Amy Koid is working on this project.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <div class=\"article-has-img\">\n<h2 class=\"article-title\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-317 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/282\/2023\/12\/igejucul.jpg\" alt=\"Hypersaline systems - Lake Tyrrell, AUS\" width=\"300\" height=\"214\" \/>Hypersaline systems &#8211; Lake Tyrrell, AUS (past project)<\/h2>\n<div class=\"html-content\">\n<p>The Lake Tyrrell research program was in collaboration with Jill Banfield (UCB) and Eric Allen (UCSD\/Scripps). Our efforts were aimed at determining the influence of extreme salinity on microbial ecosystems. To achieve this, we paired deep geomic sequencing with several other methods. Our data have provided a detailed view of how the microbial community in Lake Tyrrell is constructed and how the ecosystem functions at different salinities. The program augments the scientific foundation for understanding ecosystems response to salinization. Further infromation can be found <a href=\"http:\/\/dornsifelive.usc.edu\/labs\/laketyrrell\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-320 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/282\/2023\/12\/onizaqap.jpg\" alt=\"Deep Sea Hydrothermal Vent Communities\" width=\"175\" height=\"175\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/282\/2023\/12\/onizaqap.jpg 175w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/282\/2023\/12\/onizaqap-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 175px) 100vw, 175px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-has-img\">\n<h2 class=\"article-title\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.expeditions.udel.edu\/\">Deep Sea Hydrothermal Vent Communities (past project)<\/a><\/h2>\n<div class=\"html-content\">\n<p>This project undertaken in collaboration with Dave Caron&#8217;s lab focuses on gene expression of marine microbial eukaryotic microbes from hydrothermal vent communities (9 North, East Pacific Rise, and Guaymas basin). See our NSF sponsored interactive <a href=\"http:\/\/www.expeditions.udel.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">educational outreach website<\/a> that describes some of our activities from the 2008 cruise.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-322 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/282\/2023\/12\/ytibopic.jpg\" alt=\"A groups studying Microbial Eukaryotes in Antarctica\" width=\"175\" height=\"175\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/282\/2023\/12\/ytibopic.jpg 175w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/282\/2023\/12\/ytibopic-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 175px) 100vw, 175px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-has-img\">\n<h2 class=\"article-title\"><a href=\"http:\/\/128.125.202.141\/pmwiki-2.1.27\/pmwiki.php?n=Main.HomePage\">Microbial Eukaryotes in Antarctica (past project)<\/a><\/h2>\n<div class=\"html-content\">\n<p>On a 2 month cruise in 2008 our lab took part in a collaborative cruise with Dave Caron (USC) and Darcy Longsdale (SUNY Stonybrook) in the Ross Sea to evaluate what special adaptations microbial eukaryotes have evolved to tolerate the cold, and how this affects the flow of energy in marine food chains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <div class=\"article-has-img\">\n<h2 class=\"article-title\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-321 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/282\/2023\/12\/ubepidub-192x300.jpg\" alt=\"Diagram of research on Microbial metagenomic approaches to compare agricultural soils \" width=\"192\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/282\/2023\/12\/ubepidub-192x300.jpg 192w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/282\/2023\/12\/ubepidub.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 192px) 100vw, 192px\" \/>Microbial metagenomic approaches to compare agricultural soils (past project)<\/h2>\n<div class=\"html-content\">\n<p>Australian soils are the most fragile in the world because they are low in organic matter, erodible and often subjected to drought. We used a metagenomic approach to inventory microbial communities from both agricultural and non-agricultural soils. Multipple sites with different soil tyepes and land use histories in SE Victoria, Australia were studied.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-314","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Research Projects - Karla Heidelberg<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/research-projects\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Research Projects - Karla Heidelberg\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/research-projects\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Karla Heidelberg\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-12-12T20:18:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/research-projects\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/research-projects\/\",\"name\":\"Research Projects - Karla Heidelberg\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2023-12-12T19:35:26+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-12-12T20:18:46+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/research-projects\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/research-projects\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/research-projects\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Research Projects\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/\",\"name\":\"Karla Heidelberg\",\"description\":\"USC Dornsife Karla Heidelberg\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/#\/schema\/person\/70bf6b1790c5a41542a6ca94f7a3ac0a\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"Person\",\"Organization\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/#\/schema\/person\/70bf6b1790c5a41542a6ca94f7a3ac0a\",\"name\":\"Karla Heidelberg\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/live-usc-dornsife.pantheonsite.io\/heidelberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/282\/2023\/10\/2023-Karla-Heidelberg_Headshot-from-Nick-1024x1024.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/live-usc-dornsife.pantheonsite.io\/heidelberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/282\/2023\/10\/2023-Karla-Heidelberg_Headshot-from-Nick-1024x1024.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":1024,\"caption\":\"Karla Heidelberg\"},\"logo\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\"},\"description\":\"I am a biological oceanographer with a diverse research portfolio including marine microbial ecology, zooplankton ecology and the impacts of human activities on coastal ecosystems. 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Now back at USC, I currently serve as the Director of USC Sea Grant and as a Dornsife RTPC Faculty Development Director.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/?midToken=AQEdvKSUJ2dtzA&midSig=1UuztO7WmRUWY1&trk=eml-email_series_follow_newsletter_01-header-0-home_glimmer&trkEmail=eml-email_series_follow_newsletter_01-header-0-home_glimmer-null-7xvkxlo63bkpzjd-null-null&eid=7xvkx-lo63bkpz-jd\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Research Projects - Karla Heidelberg","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/research-projects\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Research Projects - Karla Heidelberg","og_url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/research-projects\/","og_site_name":"Karla Heidelberg","article_modified_time":"2023-12-12T20:18:46+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/research-projects\/","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/research-projects\/","name":"Research Projects - Karla Heidelberg","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/#website"},"datePublished":"2023-12-12T19:35:26+00:00","dateModified":"2023-12-12T20:18:46+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/research-projects\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/research-projects\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/research-projects\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research Projects"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/#website","url":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/","name":"Karla Heidelberg","description":"USC Dornsife Karla Heidelberg","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/#\/schema\/person\/70bf6b1790c5a41542a6ca94f7a3ac0a"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/#\/schema\/person\/70bf6b1790c5a41542a6ca94f7a3ac0a","name":"Karla Heidelberg","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/live-usc-dornsife.pantheonsite.io\/heidelberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/282\/2023\/10\/2023-Karla-Heidelberg_Headshot-from-Nick-1024x1024.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/live-usc-dornsife.pantheonsite.io\/heidelberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/282\/2023\/10\/2023-Karla-Heidelberg_Headshot-from-Nick-1024x1024.jpg","width":1024,"height":1024,"caption":"Karla Heidelberg"},"logo":{"@id":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/heidelberg\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/"},"description":"I am a biological oceanographer with a diverse research portfolio including marine microbial ecology, zooplankton ecology and the impacts of human activities on coastal ecosystems. 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