Being trained in Marine Biology and Molecular Biology, I have studied several topics concerning the biology and ecology of marine organisms, including fish (coelacanth, lamprey, salmon, eel, conger, etc), dinoflagellates, copepods and ciliates. Since 2000 I have been co-working with Dr. Senjie Lin in his Phytoplankton Molecular Ecology lab. Our research focuses on dinoflagellates and the isolation of: 1) growth related genes (PCNA and others) and their application to harmful algal bloom studies; 2) mitochondrial and chloroplast genes and their application to spatial and seasonal distribution of dinoflagellate species using species-specific Real-Time quantitative PCR assays; and 3) genes expressed in different growth stages and genes potentially involved in metabolic pathways.

We have identified several growth-related genes. DNA primers or antibodies have been developed to detect the expression level of these genes by RT-PCR or whole cell immunofluorescence. These probes will be applied to field studies. Mitochondrial cytochrome b (cob) and the photosynthesis gene Rubisco have been shown to be useful for developing species-specific primers, which are useful for monitoring harmful algal blooms.

We have developed cob-rRNA dual gene Real-Time quantitative PCR assays for Pfiesteria piscicida and P. shumwayae. We are also working on RNA editing of dinoflagellate mitochondrial genes to investigate its role in ecological adaptation.

Recently we have been working with members of Dr. Hans Dam’s lab to isolate the sodium channel genes from copepod and lobster, and have found that in copepod the mutation of this gene might link with toxin resistance.