We study how ecological and evolutionary processes play out in response to human induced changes in the environment. Our research aims to establish links between genotype and phenotype that will aid in predicting ecological and evolutionary trajectories of marine invertebrate taxa. We approach our research in an integrative and collaborative fashion, combining natural history, physiological and behavioral experiments, and molecular biology with large-scale genomics data. We aim to uncover mechanistic understanding of how marine invertebrates persist in rapidly changing habitats. Research in the lab fits within the following broad framework:

1) Ecological and evolutionary epigenetics

Epigenetics are a suite of biochemical modifications to DNA and associated proteins that can have a complex, context-dependent, effect on transcription. Our lab is interested in how epigenetic modifications link to gene regulation associated with organismal responses to the environment.

2) The genetic and molecular basis of organismal responses to multiple stressors

Genetic background plays a substantial role in molecular responses to environmental change. Many broadcast spawning marine invertebrates harbor high genetic variation across wide geographic ranges, which will contribute to the role adaptive processes will play out in response to global change. Our lab is interested in how genotypic and phenotypic variation amongst individuals contributes to organismal responses to the environment.

3) The influence of phenotypic plasticity on organismal responses to rapid environmental change

Phenotypic plasticity contributes to short-term responses to environmental change, however, many outstanding questions remain as to how phenotypic plasticity evolves and interacts with adaptive processes across short-time scales. Our lab is interested in how phenotypic plasticity contributes to the maintenance of populations in response to global change, especially in widely distributed, highly clonal marine invertebrates. We work with ecologically relevant marine invertebrate models, including corals, sea urchins and jellyfish to answer fundamental questions related to this broad framework.

Google Scholar Profile

1. Strader ME, Aichelman HE, Benson , Howe-­‐Kerr LI, Hickerson E, Davies SW (2021) Expanding coral reproductive knowledge using Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV): broadcast spawning observations of mesophotic corals at the Flower Garden Banks. Marine Biodiversity 51:4 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-­‐020-­‐01159-­‐4
2. Strader ME, Wong JM, Hofmann GE (2020). Ocean acidification promotes broad transcriptomic responses in marine metazoans: a literature Frontiers in Zoology. 17:7 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-­‐020-­‐0350-­‐9
3. Strader ME, Leach TS, Kozal LC, Chamorro JD, Wong JM, Hofmann GE (2020). Examining the role of DNA methylation in transcriptomic plasticity of early stage sea urchins: Developmental and maternal effects in a kelp forest Frontiers in Marine Science 7:205 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00205
4. Ganz J, Melancon E, Wilson C, Amores A, Batzel P, Strader ME, Braasch I, Diba P, Kuhlman JA, Postlethwait JH, Eisen JS (2019) Epigenetic factors coordinate intestinal Developmental Biology. 455(2) 473-­‐484 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2019.08.002
5. Strader ME, Wong JM, Kozal LC, Leach TS, Hofmann GE (2019) Parental environments alter DNA methylation in offspring of the purple sea urchin, Stronglycentrotus purpuratus. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 517 54-­‐64 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2019.03.002
6. Wright RM, Strader ME, Genuise H, Matz MV (2019) Characterizing shifts in coral mucus composition after bleaching PeerJ 7:e6849 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6849
7. Quigley KM*, Strader ME*, Matz MV (2018) Relationship between Acropora millepora juvenile fluorescence and composition of newly established Symbiodinium PeerJ 6:e5022 *Co-­‐first author https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.5022
8. Cleves PA*, Strader ME*, Bay LK, Pringle, JR, Matz MV (2018) CRISPR/Cas9–mediated genome editing in a reef-­‐building coral**. PNAS 115(20) 5235-­‐5240 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1722151115 *Co-­‐first author **Featured on the cover
9. Strader ME, Aglyamova GV & Matz MV (2018) Molecular characterization of larval development from fertilization to metamorphosis in a reef-­‐building BMC Genomics 19:1 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-­‐017-­‐4392-­‐0
10. Davies SW,* Strader ME*, Kool JT, Kenkel CD, Matz MV (2017) Coral life history differences determine the refugium potential of a remote Caribbean reef. Coral Reefs 36(3) 913-­‐925 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-­‐017-­‐1583-­‐8 *Co-­‐first author