Student Blogs & Vignettes

Caitlyn Parente

ABOUT MY RESEARCH

Under the direction of Dr. Kristen Buck and Dr. Mya Breitbart, I will be investigating the potential interaction between iron and marine viruses. Iron, a trace metal, is essential to life and plays a vital role in primary production, yet it is found in very small quantities in the open ocean. Several factors, like organic complexation, can decrease the bioavailability of iron. I plan to explore how viruses capture iron, use it as a mechanism to invade host organisms, and effectively decrease iron’s bioavailability in the open ocean.

WHY USF CMS?

I decided to attend College of Marine Science because of the outstanding faculty and their commitment to interdisciplinary research. The faculty and staff at CMS advocate for students and work to provide opportunities that both challenge and prepare us for future careers in marine science. I love having the opportunity to work with established scientists from various disciplines, and I am confident that the dedicated community at CMS will help make my graduate experience a positive and successful one.