Dana E. Hunt
Associate Professor of Microbial Ecology
My research focus is on understanding the ecology of microbes through examination of their genes and lifestyles. Bacteria are the most diverse organisms on earth and play a pivotal role in planetary cycling of nutrients and energy. Yet, we have a poor understanding of the factors that drive their diversity and dynamics in the environment. The lab's emphasis is on studying bacterial interactions with the environment at the appropriate temporal and spatial scale including the effect of temperature changes on bacterial populations and bacterial interactions with other organisms. Another area of active research is the response and adaptation of bacteria to emerging pollutants such as antibiotics and nanoparticles.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
- Associate Professor of Microbial Ecology, Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment 2019
- Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering 2015
Contact Information
- 135 Duke Marine Lab Rd, Beaufort, NC 28516
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dana.hunt@duke.edu
(252) 504-7542
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Lab Webpage
- Background
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Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2008
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Previous Appointments & Affiliations
- Assistant Professor of Microbial Ecology, Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment 2010 - 2019
- Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology, Biology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2014 - 2018
- Recognition
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In the News
- Expertise
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Subject Headings
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Global Scholarship
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Research
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- Research
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Selected Grants
- Collaborative Research: BoCP-Design: A multidomain microbial consortium to interrogate organic matter decomposition in a changing ocean. awarded by National Science Foundation 2022 - 2025
- Duke University Program in Environmental Health awarded by National Institutes of Health 2019 - 2024
- REU Site: Undergraduate Research in Estuarine and Coastal Marine Systems awarded by National Science Foundation 2021 - 2024
- NSF2026: EAGER Identifying microbes' population-level environmental responses using Bayesian modeling awarded by National Science Foundation 2020 - 2023
- CoPe: RCN: Building a Collaboratory for Coastal Adaptation over Space and Time (C-CoAST) awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill 2020 - 2023
- Collaborative Research: Ocean Acidification: microbes as sentinels of adaptive responses to multiple stressors awarded by National Science Foundation 2015 - 2019
- Ecology at the microbial scale: the importance of microscale interactions between heterotrophic bacteria and phytoplankton in marine environments awarded by Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation 2013 - 2019
- Multi-functional Plasmonics Nanoprobes for Cellular Sensing and Imaging awarded by Department of Energy 2015 - 2019
- OCE-RIG: Biological activity on particulate organic material in the coastal ocean awarded by National Science Foundation 2013 - 2016
- MRI-R-2: Acquisition of High-Speed Sorting Flow Cytometer for Multi-User Environmental Microbiology Research awarded by National Science Foundation 2010 - 2012
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External Relationships
- China National Science Foundation
- Good Night MidStream
- Publications & Artistic Works
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Selected Publications
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Academic Articles
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Gronniger, Jessica L., Zhao Wang, Genevieve R. Brandt, Christopher S. Ward, Despina Tsementzi, Han Mu, Junyao Gu, Zackary I. Johnson, Konstantinos T. Konstantinidis, and Dana E. Hunt. “Rapid changes in coastal ocean microbiomes uncoupled with shifts in environmental variables.” Environmental Microbiology 24, no. 9 (September 2022): 4167–77. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.16086.Full Text Open Access Copy
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Fremin, Brayon J., Ami S. Bhatt, Nikos C. Kyrpides, and Nikos C. Global Phage Small Open Reading Frame (GP-SmORF) Consortium. “Thousands of small, novel genes predicted in global phage genomes.” Cell Reports 39, no. 12 (June 2022): 110984. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110984.Full Text
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Xie, Ningdong, Mohan Bai, Lu Liu, Jiaqian Li, Yaodong He, Jackie L. Collier, Dana E. Hunt, Zackary I. Johnson, Nianzhi Jiao, and Guangyi Wang. “Patchy Blooms and Multifarious Ecotypes of Labyrinthulomycetes Protists and Their Implication in Vertical Carbon Export in the Pelagic Eastern Indian Ocean.” Microbiology Spectrum 10, no. 3 (June 2022): e0014422. https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.00144-22.Full Text
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Bai, Mohan, Ningdong Xie, Yaodong He, Jiaqian Li, Jackie L. Collier, Dana E. Hunt, Zackary I. Johnson, Nianzhi Jiao, and Guangyi Wang. “Vertical community patterns of Labyrinthulomycetes protists reveal their potential importance in the oceanic biological pump.” Environmental Microbiology 24, no. 4 (April 2022): 1703–13. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.15709.Full Text
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Xie, Ningdong, Zhao Wang, Dana E. Hunt, Zackary I. Johnson, Yaodong He, and Guangyi Wang. “Niche Partitioning of Labyrinthulomycete Protists Across Sharp Coastal Gradients and Their Putative Relationships With Bacteria and Fungi.” Frontiers in Microbiology 13 (January 2022): 906864. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.906864.Full Text
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Duan, Yingbo, Ningdong Xie, Zhao Wang, Zackary I. Johnson, Dana E. Hunt, and Guangyi Wang. “Patchy Distributions and Distinct Niche Partitioning of Mycoplankton Populations across a Nearshore to Open Ocean Gradient.” Microbiology Spectrum 9, no. 3 (December 2021): e0147021. https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01470-21.Full Text
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Ahern, Olivia M., Kerry A. Whittaker, Tiffany C. Williams, Dana E. Hunt, and Tatiana A. Rynearson. “Host genotype structures the microbiome of a globally dispersed marine phytoplankton.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 118, no. 48 (November 2021): e2105207118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2105207118.Full Text
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Nayfach, Stephen, Simon Roux, Rekha Seshadri, Daniel Udwary, Neha Varghese, Frederik Schulz, Dongying Wu, et al. “A genomic catalog of Earth's microbiomes.” Nature Biotechnology 39, no. 4 (April 2021): 499–509. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-020-0718-6.Full Text
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Nayfach, Stephen, Simon Roux, Rekha Seshadri, Daniel Udwary, Neha Varghese, Frederik Schulz, Dongying Wu, et al. “Author Correction: A genomic catalog of Earth's microbiomes.” Nature Biotechnology 39, no. 4 (April 2021): 521. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-021-00898-4.Full Text
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Wang, Zhao, Despina Tsementzi, Tiffany C. Williams, Doris L. Juarez, Sara K. Blinebry, Nathan S. Garcia, Brooke K. Sienkiewicz, Konstantinos T. Konstantinidis, Zackary I. Johnson, and Dana E. Hunt. “Environmental stability impacts the differential sensitivity of marine microbiomes to increases in temperature and acidity.” The Isme Journal 15, no. 1 (January 2021): 19–28. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-020-00748-2.Full Text
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Xie, Ningdong, Dana E. Hunt, Zackary I. Johnson, Yaodong He, and Guangyi Wang. “Annual Partitioning Patterns of Labyrinthulomycetes Protists Reveal Their Multifaceted Role in Marine Microbial Food Webs.” Applied and Environmental Microbiology 87, no. 2 (January 2021): e01652–e01620. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.01652-20.Full Text
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Loftus, S. E., D. E. Hunt, and Z. I. Johnson. “Reused cultivation water from a self-inhibiting alga does not inhibit other algae but alters their microbiomes.” Algal Research 51 (October 1, 2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2020.102067.Full Text
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Wang, Zhao, Doris L. Juarez, Jin-Fen Pan, Sara K. Blinebry, Jessica Gronniger, James S. Clark, Zackary I. Johnson, and Dana E. Hunt. “Microbial communities across nearshore to offshore coastal transects are primarily shaped by distance and temperature.” Environmental Microbiology 21, no. 10 (October 2019): 3862–72. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.14734.Full Text
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Ward, Christopher S., Jin-Fen Pan, Benjamin P. Colman, Zhao Wang, Carley A. Gwin, Tiffany C. Williams, Abby Ardis, Claudia K. Gunsch, and Dana E. Hunt. “Conserved Microbial Toxicity Responses for Acute and Chronic Silver Nanoparticle Treatments in Wetland Mesocosms.” Environmental Science & Technology 53, no. 6 (March 2019): 3268–76. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b06654.Full Text
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Duan, Yingbo, Ningdong Xie, Zhiquan Song, Christopher S. Ward, Cheuk-Man Yung, Dana E. Hunt, Zackary I. Johnson, and Guangyi Wang. “A High-Resolution Time Series Reveals Distinct Seasonal Patterns of Planktonic Fungi at a Temperate Coastal Ocean Site (Beaufort, North Carolina, USA).” Applied and Environmental Microbiology 84, no. 21 (November 2018): e00967–e00918. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00967-18.Full Text
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Zhang, Tingwan, Jin-Fen Pan, Dana E. Hunt, Min Chen, and Bo Wang. “Organic matter modifies biochemical but not most behavioral responses of the clam Ruditapes philippinarum to nanosilver exposure.” Marine Environmental Research 133 (February 2018): 105–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2017.10.016.Full Text
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Ward, Christopher S., Cheuk-Man Yung, Katherine M. Davis, Sara K. Blinebry, Tiffany C. Williams, Zackary I. Johnson, and Dana E. Hunt. “Annual community patterns are driven by seasonal switching between closely related marine bacteria.” The Isme Journal 11, no. 6 (June 2017): 1412–22. https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2017.4.Full Text
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Garcia, Nathan S., Cheuk-Man Yung, Katherine M. Davis, Tatiana Rynearson, and Dana E. Hunt. “Draft Genome Sequences of Three Bacterial Isolates from Cultures of the Marine Diatom Thalassiosira rotula.” Genome Announcements 5, no. 18 (May 2017): e00316–17. https://doi.org/10.1128/genomea.00316-17.Full Text
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McMurray, S. E., Z. I. Johnson, D. E. Hunt, J. R. Pawlik, and C. M. Finelli. “Selective feeding by the giant barrel sponge enhances foraging efficiency.” Limnology and Oceanography 61, no. 4 (July 1, 2016): 1271–86. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.10287.Full Text
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Yung, Cheuk-Man, Christopher S. Ward, Katherine M. Davis, Zackary I. Johnson, and Dana E. Hunt. “Insensitivity of Diverse and Temporally Variable Particle-Associated Microbial Communities to Bulk Seawater Environmental Parameters.” Applied and Environmental Microbiology 82, no. 11 (June 2016): 3431–37. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00395-16.Full Text
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Yung, Cheuk-Man, Marissa K. Vereen, Amy Herbert, Katherine M. Davis, Jiayu Yang, Agata Kantorowska, Christopher S. Ward, Jennifer J. Wernegreen, Zackary I. Johnson, and Dana E. Hunt. “Thermally adaptive tradeoffs in closely related marine bacterial strains.” Environ Microbiol 17, no. 7 (July 2015): 2421–29. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.12714.Full Text Link to Item
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Hunt, Dana E., and Christopher S. Ward. “A network-based approach to disturbance transmission through microbial interactions.” Frontiers in Microbiology 6 (January 2015): 1182. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2015.01182.Full Text
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Chae, So-Ryong, Dana E. Hunt, Kaoru Ikuma, Sungwoo Yang, Jinhyun Cho, Claudia K. Gunsch, Jie Liu, and Mark R. Wiesner. “Aging of fullerene C₆₀ nanoparticle suspensions in the presence of microbes.” Water Research 65 (November 2014): 282–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2014.07.038.Full Text
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Kirchberger, Paul C., Maryann Turnsek, Dana E. Hunt, Bradd J. Haley, Rita R. Colwell, Martin F. Polz, Cheryl L. Tarr, and Yan Boucher. “Vibrio metoecus sp. nov., a close relative of Vibrio cholerae isolated from coastal brackish ponds and clinical specimens.” International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 64, no. Pt 9 (September 2014): 3208–14. https://doi.org/10.1099/ijs.0.060145-0.Full Text
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Colman, Benjamin P., Benjamin Espinasse, Curtis J. Richardson, Cole W. Matson, Gregory V. Lowry, Dana E. Hunt, Mark R. Wiesner, and Emily S. Bernhardt. “Emerging contaminant or an old toxin in disguise? Silver nanoparticle impacts on ecosystems.” Environmental Science & Technology 48, no. 9 (May 2014): 5229–36. https://doi.org/10.1021/es405454v.Full Text Open Access Copy
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Hunt, Dana E., Yajuan Lin, Matthew J. Church, David M. Karl, Susannah G. Tringe, Lisa K. Izzo, and Zackary I. Johnson. “Relationship between abundance and specific activity of bacterioplankton in open ocean surface waters.” Applied and Environmental Microbiology 79, no. 1 (January 2013): 177–84. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.02155-12.Full Text
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Johnson, Zackary I., Benjamin J. Wheeler, Sara K. Blinebry, Christina M. Carlson, Christopher S. Ward, and Dana E. Hunt. “Dramatic variability of the carbonate system at a temperate coastal ocean site (Beaufort, North Carolina, USA) is regulated by physical and biogeochemical processes on multiple timescales.” Plos One 8, no. 12 (January 2013): e85117. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0085117.Full Text Open Access Copy
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Boucher, Yan, Otto X. Cordero, Alison Takemura, Dana E. Hunt, Klaus Schliep, Eric Bapteste, Philippe Lopez, Cheryl L. Tarr, and Martin F. Polz. “Local mobile gene pools rapidly cross species boundaries to create endemicity within global Vibrio cholerae populations.” Mbio 2, no. 2 (January 2011): e00335–e00310. https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.00335-10.Full Text
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Hunt, Dana E., Lawrence A. David, Dirk Gevers, Sarah P. Preheim, Eric J. Alm, and Martin F. Polz. “Resource partitioning and sympatric differentiation among closely related bacterioplankton.” Science 320, no. 5879 (May 23, 2008): 1081–85. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1157890.Full Text Link to Item
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Stocker, Roman, Justin R. Seymour, Azadeh Samadani, Dana E. Hunt, and Martin F. Polz. “Rapid chemotactic response enables marine bacteria to exploit ephemeral microscale nutrient patches.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 105, no. 11 (March 2008): 4209–14. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0709765105.Full Text
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Hunt, Dana E., Dirk Gevers, Nisha M. Vahora, and Martin F. Polz. “Conservation of the chitin utilization pathway in the Vibrionaceae.” Applied and Environmental Microbiology 74, no. 1 (January 2008): 44–51. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.01412-07.Full Text
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Polz, Martin F., Dana E. Hunt, Sarah P. Preheim, and Daniel M. Weinreich. “Patterns and mechanisms of genetic and phenotypic differentiation in marine microbes.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences 361, no. 1475 (November 2006): 2009–21. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2006.1928.Full Text
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Hunt, Dana E., Vanja Klepac-Ceraj, Silvia G. Acinas, Clement Gautier, Stefan Bertilsson, and Martin F. Polz. “Evaluation of 23S rRNA PCR primers for use in phylogenetic studies of bacterial diversity.” Applied and Environmental Microbiology 72, no. 3 (March 2006): 2221–25. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.72.3.2221-2225.2006.Full Text
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Thompson, Janelle R., Sarah Pacocha, Chanathip Pharino, Vanja Klepac-Ceraj, Dana E. Hunt, Jennifer Benoit, Ramahi Sarma-Rupavtarm, Daniel L. Distel, and Martin F. Polz. “Genotypic diversity within a natural coastal bacterioplankton population.” Science (New York, N.Y.) 307, no. 5713 (February 2005): 1311–13. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1106028.Full Text
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Acinas, Silvia G., Vanja Klepac-Ceraj, Dana E. Hunt, Chanathip Pharino, Ivica Ceraj, Daniel L. Distel, and Martin F. Polz. “Fine-scale phylogenetic architecture of a complex bacterial community.” Nature 430, no. 6999 (July 2004): 551–54. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature02649.Full Text
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Polz, Martin F., Stefan Bertilsson, Silvia G. Acinas, and Dana Hunt. “A(r)Ray of hope in analysis of the function and diversity of microbial communities.” The Biological Bulletin 204, no. 2 (April 2003): 196–99. https://doi.org/10.2307/1543558.Full Text
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Polz, M. F., S. Bertilson, S. G. Acinas, and D. Hunt. “A(r)ray of hope in diversity analysis of microbial function and communities.” Biological Bulletin 204, no. 2 (2003): 196–99.
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- Teaching & Mentoring
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Recent Courses
- BIOLOGY 319A: Coastal Watershed Management and Restoration 2023
- ENVIRON 321A: Coastal Watershed Management and Restoration 2023
- ENVIRON 822A: Coastal Watershed Management and Restoration 2023
- MARSCI 321A: Coastal Watershed Management and Restoration 2023
- MARSCI 393A: Research Independent Study 2023
- BIOLOGY 309A: Oceans in Human and Environmental Health 2022
- BIOLOGY 319A: Coastal Watershed Management and Restoration 2022
- BIOLOGY 841: Ecological Perspectives: Evolution to Ecosystems 2022
- ENVIRON 309A: Oceans in Human and Environmental Health 2022
- ENVIRON 321A: Coastal Watershed Management and Restoration 2022
- ENVIRON 393A: Research Independent Study 2022
- ENVIRON 593: Independent Studies and Projects 2022
- ENVIRON 729A: Oceans in Human and Environmental Health 2022
- ENVIRON 822A: Coastal Watershed Management and Restoration 2022
- ENVIRON 841: Ecological Perspectives: Evolution to Ecosystems 2022
- EVANTH 741: Ecological Perspectives: Evolution to Ecosystems 2022
- GLHLTH 309A: Oceans in Human and Environmental Health 2022
- MARSCI 309A: Oceans in Human and Environmental Health 2022
- MARSCI 321A: Coastal Watershed Management and Restoration 2022
- MARSCI 393A: Research Independent Study 2022
- UPE 701: Ecological Perspectives: Evolution to Ecosystems 2022
- BIOLOGY 309A: Oceans in Human and Environmental Health 2021
- BIOLOGY 319A: Coastal Watershed Management and Restoration 2021
- ENVIRON 309A: Oceans in Human and Environmental Health 2021
- ENVIRON 321A: Coastal Watershed Management and Restoration 2021
- ENVIRON 393A: Research Independent Study 2021
- ENVIRON 593: Independent Studies and Projects 2021
- ENVIRON 729A: Oceans in Human and Environmental Health 2021
- ENVIRON 822A: Coastal Watershed Management and Restoration 2021
- GLHLTH 309A: Oceans in Human and Environmental Health 2021
- MARSCI 309A: Oceans in Human and Environmental Health 2021
- Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
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Outreach & Engaged Scholarship
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