This research investigates how the alga Epithemia sustains productivity in California's Eel River by fixing atmospheric nitrogen. Using stable isotope analysis, it shows that Epithemia supplies almost all the nitrogen supporting algal growth, revealing a critical ecological process underpinning river food webs and the conservation of salmon ecosystems.

This research examines how social relationships influence the gut microbiome using Rwenzori Angolan colobus monkeys as a model. By combining social network analysis with microbial DNA sequencing, the study explores how beneficial bacteria spread through social groups and caregiving relationships, offering insights into the evolutionary connections between sociality and health.

This research explores endophytes—fungi living symbiotically within plants—that produce bioactive compounds aiding plant defense and growth. These compounds have led to major medical breakthroughs like antibiotics and immunosuppressants. Studying endophytes in crops may uncover new drugs and agricultural benefits, highlighting nature’s vast, largely untapped biochemical potential.