Assoc. Prof. Case, Rebecca Josephine

A/Prof. Rebecca Case’s research focuses on marine phototroph-bacteria interactions at the cellular and ecosystem levels. Marine ecosystems are sustained by phototrophs that feed diverse communities through photosynthesis. This organic carbon cycles from primary producers to microbes through intimate relationships within the microbial loop. Dr Case’s research focuses on the role of bioactive molecules in altering microbial interactions through changes in growth, health, fecundity and survival, and their subsequent influence on ecosystem health and function. Her field work in Singapore focuses on marine coastal communities including seagrasses, corals and algal beds. This research is complemented by her work on the model microalgal host, Emiliania huxleyi, which provides a laboratory-based system to decipher algal-bacterial interactions at the cell, gene and metabolite level. Dr Case’s team has utilised this system to identify genetic determinants of bacterial pathogenesis and host apoptosis. This system has also been adapted to other microalgae to identify and optimise production of industrially important algal metabolites for food.

Research Areas

Disease ecology, Roseobactereaceae, Phototrophs, Marine host-microbiome interactions, Ecosystem tipping points