Education
- Molecular Evolution Workshop, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole
- Ph.D., Marine Biology, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California
- Monbusho Scholar, Tokyo University, Tokyo
- B.A., magna cum laude, History and Science, Harvard University
- Microbial Ecology Course, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole
Research Interests
Marine microbiology and marine biotechnology:
Marine Invertebrate symbioses: Well known for in-depth studies of marine invertebrate symbioses, particularly the association between the bryozoan Bugula neritina and 21 its symbiont Endobugula sertula, which produces the anticancer bryostatins to protect the bryozoan’s offspring from predation. Due in large part to our work, this is now the best-understood example of a marine chemical defense symbiosis. More recently, demonstrated that shipworm symbionts, in addition to their known nutritional role, also contribute bioactive secondary metabolites to the association, for example:
Elshahawi, S., A. Trinidade-Silva, A. Hanora, A. Han, M. Flores, V. Vizzoni, C. Schrago, C.A. Soares, G.P. Concepcion, D. Distel, E. Schmidt, and M.G. Haygood. 2013. A boronated tartrolon antibiotic produced by symbiotic cellulose-degrading bacteria in shipworm gills. PNAS, January 22, 2013, vol. 110 no. 4 E295- E304. 10.1073/pnas.1213892110 article online
Iron acquisition by marine bacteria: Long term collaboration with Alison Butler of UC Santa Barbara on siderophores, molecules used in iron binding and transport, in marine bacteria. Established the prevalence of a new class of amphiphilic siderophores typical in marine bacteria, for example:
Martinez, J.S., J.N Carter, E.L. Mann, J.D. Martin, M.G. Haygood and A. Butler. 2003 Structure and dynamics of a new suite of amphiphilic siderophores produced by a marine bacterium. PNAS 100:3754-3759. article online