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Promoting a mechanistic understanding of the chemical currencies in marine microbial ecosystems in the context of a changing planet and through increased participation in ocean sciences

MEET THE TEAM
UPDATES
C-CoMP Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Nicole Lynn-Bell (University of Florida) gathers water collected from the Atlantic ocean to be used in sulfur isotope experiments. Photo credit: Lisa Coe, University of Florida.
The second cohort of C-CoMP Bridge-to-PhD Fellows stand in front of the R/V Atlantic Explorer on their trip to Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) for their Research Week Experience. Photo credit: Victoria Centurino, WHOI.
Photo credit: Krista Longnecker, WHOI.
C-CoMP group photo (including in-person and remote members) taken during the 2023 C-CoMP Annual Meeting. Original photo taken by Jayne Doucette (WHOI) and modified by Laura Gray (WHOI) to include a clearer image of remote attendees.
Natalie Graham, Bridge-to-PhD Fellow in the Kujawinski lab at WHOI, collects filtrate samples for Benzoyl-Chloride Derivitization as part of the C-CoMP Bermuda Insitute of Ocean Science (BIOS) research week in March of 2024. Photo credit: Natalie Graham, WHOI.
The group wraps up the Ocean Genes CURE planning meeting on the University of Georgia campus.
The R/V Atlantic Explorer (AE) typically resides next to BIOS in Ferry Reach, a waterway adjacent to BIOS that leads to the ocean. The AE takes frequent trips out to sea to collect samples for the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series (BATS) program. Image credit: Laura Gray, WHOI.
Click the picture to learn more about the Ruegeria pomeroyi digital microbe.
The biogeochemistry autonomous underwater vehicle Clio is prepared for launch by Mike Jakuba and Eric Chan who work on the R/V Atlantic Explorer. Image credit: Mak Saito, WHOI.
Katie Holloran (MIT/WHOI Joint Program PhD candidate within the Kujawinski lab) samples seawater from Vineyard Sound. Photo credit: Erin McParland, WHOI.
Gretchen Swarr, a Research Associate in the Kujawinski lab at WHOI, prepares metabolite extracts for liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Photo credit: Krista Longnecker, WHOI.
Co-cultures of model marine phytoplankton and bacteria serve as experimental systems for metabolite exchange. Image credit: Frank Ferrer-González.
A chain of the diatom genus Thalassiosira with a green marker of enzyme activity. The Dyhrman Lab, Columbia University.
Extracellular metabolite extracts from surface seawater (contained in vials with blue and white caps) are loaded into the mass spectrometer prior to analysis. Image credit: Laura Gray, WHOI.

Mission

The Center for Chemical Currencies of a Microbial Planet (C-CoMP) leverages recent advances in analytical and data sciences, incorporates new ocean sampling technologies and an open-science framework, and engages scientists, educators, and policy-makers who bring a variety of expertise, experiences, and viewpoints to bear on promoting a deeper understanding and appreciation of the chemicals and microbial processes that underpin ocean ecosystems and other microbiomes that affect our daily life.

Visit our About webpage to learn more!

Connect with C-CoMP

Happy #earthday from C-CoMP! On this day (and every day), we are honored to study the chemicals and marine microbes 🦠 that underpin ocean ecosystems 🌊 on our blue planet 🌎!

#blueplanet #earthday2025

12 0
Open
Happy #earthday from C-CoMP! On this day (and every day), we are honored to study the chemicals and marine microbes 🦠 that underpin ocean ecosystems 🌊 on our blue planet 🌎! #blueplanet #earthday2025

#MTTM

Dr. Iva Veseli is a postdoc working with Dr. A. Murat Eren in the Ecosystem Data Science group at HIFMB Oldenburg. Within C-CoMP, Iva writes software to help answer core and fundamental questions about microbial ecology 🦠 using big sequencing datasets from the ocean 🌊 .

The software that Iva develops is used to analyze microbial sequencing data and generate hypotheses about microbial metabolic capacities for further exploration.

Iva is interested in all things microbial - spanning environments from the human gut to the water column - but is very interested in the coral microbiome; microbes are so important for corals 🪸, yet there is still so much we don`t know about the roles they play within corals!

#microbialecology #marinemicrobes #softwaredevelopment #sequencingdata #omics #metabolism #metaboliccapacity #oceanography #science #scienceandtechnology

8 0
Open
#MTTM Dr. Iva Veseli is a postdoc working with Dr. A. Murat Eren in the Ecosystem Data Science group at HIFMB Oldenburg. Within C-CoMP, Iva writes software to help answer core and fundamental questions about microbial ecology 🦠 using big sequencing datasets from the ocean 🌊 . The software that Iva develops is used to analyze microbial sequencing data and generate hypotheses about microbial metabolic capacities for further exploration. Iva is interested in all things microbial - spanning environments from the human gut to the water column - but is very interested in the coral microbiome; microbes are so important for corals 🪸, yet there is still so much we don't know about the roles they play within corals! #microbialecology #marinemicrobes #softwaredevelopment #sequencingdata #omics #metabolism #metaboliccapacity #oceanography #science #scienceandtechnology

#MTTM

Robert Li is a bioinformatic technician working with Dr. Rogier Braakman @mit_eaps. His work within C-CoMP integrates ‘omic data and biogeochemical data to understand how environmental forces have shaped the evolution of marine microbial metabolisms.

Robert’s interests toward understanding complex biological systems led him to C-CoMP, where he is using computational approaches to extract biological insights into marine microbiomes. He plans to bring the research skills he develops at C-CoMP to wherever he ends up next!

#bioinformatics #omics #marinemicrobes #biogeochemistry #evolution #metabolism #phylogeny #nichepartitioning #ocean #science #oceanography #scienceandtechnology

14 0
Open
#MTTM Robert Li is a bioinformatic technician working with Dr. Rogier Braakman @mit_eaps. His work within C-CoMP integrates ‘omic data and biogeochemical data to understand how environmental forces have shaped the evolution of marine microbial metabolisms. Robert’s interests toward understanding complex biological systems led him to C-CoMP, where he is using computational approaches to extract biological insights into marine microbiomes. He plans to bring the research skills he develops at C-CoMP to wherever he ends up next! #bioinformatics #omics #marinemicrobes #biogeochemistry #evolution #metabolism #phylogeny #nichepartitioning #ocean #science #oceanography #scienceandtechnology

C-CoMP in the news

JANUARY 06, 2025
An abundant phytoplankton feeds a global network of marine microbes
MIT News

FEBRUARY 13, 2024
ASLO honors Elizabeth B. Kujawinski with the 2024 G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award
WHOI News Release

JANUARY 17, 2024
Digital Microbe: A genome-informed data integration framework for collaborative research on emerging model organisms
preLights

C-CoMP Fellowships

Faculty Fellowship

Bridge-to-PhD Fellowship

Science and Education Themes

Education

Education & Career Development

Chemical-Currencies

Chemical currencies

Chemical-Network

Chemical-microbial networks

earth

Feedbacks to climate

C-CoMP Institutions are depicted in the map above.

Award Information and Disclaimer

 

C-CoMP is a National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center (Award # 2019589) that is based at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed on this website are those of C-CoMP and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.