AOML interns dive into DNA extraction and processing coral samples for ‘Omics analyses

Interns quantify the purity and concentration of extracted coral DNA samples. Credit: NOAA AOML

Only a few weeks into summer, Coral Program Interns Lorelei Ing, Taylor Gill, Zachary Zagon and Kenzie Cooke have been hard at work as they process coral samples and perform DNA extractions in preparation for ‘Omics analyses that will help to better understand how the genetic structure of corals influences their resilience to environmental stressors. The Coral Program falls within the Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division (OCED) at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML).

Ing and Gill are working on samples from the Urban Coral Population Genetics study led by Michael Studivan, PhD. while Zagon and Cooke work on samples from Ana Palacio’s, PhD. experiment looking at nutrient effects and other environmental stressors on disease transmission among coral species. Both Studivan and Palacio are scientists at NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) located at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, working jointly with the Coral Program at AOML.