PETROU LAB Algal ecophysiology in a changing world	Home | Research | Publications | Lab
Lead scientists.. Dr Katherina Petrou K atherina is the founder and head of the Petrou Lab. Katherina is an Associate Professor in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney. For enquiries about joining or visiting the lab please contact Katherina via email. Contact information can be found on the UTS website. Current projects: Go to Research page Dr Daniel Aagren Nielsen D aniel is a Microbial Ecologist with expertise in microscale processes, microsensor technology and biogeochemistry. He has been a member of the Petrou Lab since its beginning and continues to contribute to a multitude of projects. He is also the proud husband of Katherina. Current projects: Go to Research page - Current members - Alyson Theseira A lyson is a PhD student. Her research investigates diatom silicification rates at a community and species-specific level across various oceanic bioregions of Australia and aims to provide insight into the effects of ocean warming on diatom ecology and biogeochemistry. Current project: How in-situ diatom silica production along a latitudinal gradient can help us understand changes to silicon cycling in a warmer ocean Lily Stirling L ily completed her Honours with the Petrou Lab in 2023. She is currently a PhD student. Her research investigates the influence of a tripartite symbiosis on calcifying macroalgal habitat and large benthic foraminifera, Marginopora vertebralis. Current project: Social networks: Marine symbioses in coral reef systems Holly Ceapa H olly completed her Honours in the Petrou Lab investigating the effect of oceanic CO2 and temperature on diatom silicification. She is now starting her PhD looking into the role and regulation of DMSP in marine phytoplankton cell physiology. Projects: silica production under future ocean conditions, from genes to biomes | DMSP uptake by marine microalgae: its cellular role and ecological implication James McEnery J ames is a Master student. His masters research is linked to the Ocean alkalinity enhancement pelagic impact intercomparison project (OAEPIIP) which assesses how different plankton communities respond to OAE. Current project: Ocean alkalinity enhancement pelagic impact intercomparison project (OAEPIIP) - Alumni - Lily Stirling L ily was an Honours student investigating habitat preferences in the benthic foraminifera Marginopora vertebralis. Project: Social networks: Marine symbioses in coral reef systems Billy Fitzgerald Lowry B illy completed a PhD investigating the effect of oceanic CO2 fluctuations on nearshore diatom photobiology and silicification. Pproject: silica production under future ocean conditions, from genes to biomes Rebecca Duncan B ec completed her PhD within the Petrou Lab and in collaboration with UNIS Svalbard. Her research focused on the biological implications of sea ice decline and climate change in the polar regions. Her PhD project investigated how projected climate change impacts such as reduced sea ice, warming ocean temperatures and ocean acidification affect the nutrient content of dominant sea ice algal species, and how these changes influence nutrient transfer to higher trophic levels in the polar marine system. Project:Climate change induced shifts in sea ice microalgal nutrient content: Species, community and trophic implications Georgia Thompson L eorgia completed her Honours degree in the Petrou Lab. Her research investigated the role of nutrient concentrations on silicification in diatoms under ocean acidification. Project: silica production under future ocean conditions, from genes to biomes Dr James O'Brien J ames completed his PhD within the Petrou Lab. His research investigated sulfur-mediated microbial scale interactions at various temporal and spatial scales. Projects: Chemical signalling and cycling in a changing ocean | Social Networking in a Changing Ocean: Microbial-Scale Ecological Interactions Control Ocean-Scale Chemistry Dr Eva Fernandez E va completed her PhD within the Petrou Lab. Her research was focused on understanding the role of DMSP in the physiology and structuring of marine microbial communities. Projects: Sulphur-mediated phytoplankton ecophysiology:the role of DMSP in cellular function and marine microbial food webs | Characterising microbial interactions that drive organic sulphur cycling in Antarctic waters Dr Cristin Sheehan C ristin completed her PhD within the Petrou Lab. Her PhD research investigated the physiology and biochemistry of Antarctic phytoplankton and the role of DMSP in their adaptive strategies to environmental change. Project: Acidification of the Southern Ocean: Effects on marine microbes Michelle Havlik M ichelle was an Honours student within the Petrou Lab. Her research was focused on understanding the effect of DMSP uptake on phytoplankton productivity. Project: Does osmotrophic uptake of DMSP enhance Antarctic phytoplankton productivity? Dr Stephanie Gardner S teph completed her PhD within the Petrou Lab. Her PhD research investigated the ecophysiological role of DMSP in corals, with a focus on the potential antioxidation function of DMSP. Projects: The role of DMSP in coral stress physiology | Coral explants: A model organism for coral studies