stacy's updates!

I just got back from NIMBioS (www.nimbios.org) working with Sean Hoban.  We were developing a framework for sampling haploid-diploid organisms, like Gracilaria vermiculophylla, to study their population dynamics.  More than just seaweeds have this type of life cycle, including ferns, mosses and fungi, so our methods could be used by scientists working with any of these organisms.  It was a fantastic week and we were able to get most of our work done and are currently writing up our results in a paper we hope to submit before our summer world tour cranks into high gear.

Speaking of which, Erik and I have been working out the whens, whos and wheres of our sampling.  We are going to be traveling to Japan, along both coasts in North America and to Europe this summer to early autumn and it takes A LOT OF PLANNING! Paige and Sarah are also hard at work developing techniques so that we can phenotype all the algae we bring back. Currently, we're all working out the final kinks in our culturing methodology so we'll be ready for all Gracilaria!

The rest of my time has been spent writing several other manuscripts on the invasive history of this seaweed. If I'm not in the lab, then I'm anchored to my computer for the next few months!