Mei Shimizu

Research

Many cnidarians such as reef-building corals rely on mutualistic partnerships with algae. Climate change-driven heat waves can disrupt this symbiosis, causing coral bleaching and reef loss that threatens marine biodiversity. I use sea anemones (Exaiptasia diaphana), which are closely related to corals, to understanding the molecular basis of this symbiosis. My PhD focuses on how different symbiosis pairings influence host physiology and fitness, and what molecular mechanisms underlie those effects.