Student Blogs & Vignettes
Lydia Riggles
Lydia Riggles, USF CMS Student
ABOUT MY RESEARCH
At CMS I am interested in understanding the endosymbiotic relationship of bacteria and the saxitoxin-producing species Pyrodinium bahamense. In Dr. Brisbin's lab, I intend to explore how this relationship affects the physiology and genetics of Pyrodinium bahamense.
WHY USF CMS?
Being from Indiana, I always wanted to attend college in south Florida for marine science. I looked for schools that had a strong biology department and marine science graduate school. This led me to USF in 2018. During my sophomore year, I began interning at the FWRI in the Harmful Algal Bloom group. This opportunity sparked my interest in Pyrodinium bahamense physiology and genetics. I loved understanding how the basis of the food web impacts entire ecosystems. I graduated in 2022 with an undergraduate degree in biology (concentration in marine biology), and now I am ready to further my marine science education and research.