Michael Morando Email & Phone Number

Santa Cruz, California, United States

During my postdoc in the Zehr lab, under the direction of Kendra Turk-Kubo, my research focused on developing bioinformatic workflows and molecular methods to investigate microbial genetics and ecology.Expanding my skills in programming and software development, I co-developed a customizable bioinformatic workflow that streamlines and standardizes the genetic analysis of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). We designed this workflow to be effectively operated by users of all levels, including those with neither informatics nor genetics backgrounds, via thorough documentation and programming to facilitate its use. The pipeline acquires and aggregates multiple next generation sequencing (NGS) datasets into a unified database. Customizable stages then apply rigorous sequence validation and annotation techniques utilizing multiple reference databases, producing high-quality ASVs. Further, downstream analysis is enhanced through the procurement of environmental and ecological metadata from public repositories. We demonstrated the effectiveness of this pipeline by compiling publicly available data for the nifH gene, a genomic marker widely utilized to identify nitrogen fixers (diazotrophs), and generating a comprehensive globally distributed gene database. Multivariate statistical analysis was then used to analyze diazotrophs from the ASV to population level, shedding light on environmental variables influencing their global biogeography. Carrying forward my work in molecular method development, I then optimized a novel dual-visualization method, utilizing gene- and CARD-FISH techniques to identify potential targets for nanoSIMS single-cell analysis. Using this method, samples were collected in parallel with amendment experiments and depth profiles of N2 and C fixation rates, illuminating the role of diazotrophs in the north Pacific by assessing the contributions of cyanobacteria versus NCDs, and the factors influencing this dynamic.

Irvine, California, United States

As a postdoctoral researcher working with Professor Adam Martiny at the University of California, Irvine, my primary research focus centered around the exploration of global microbial diversity and the factors regulating it. I leveraged a high-performance computing (HPC) cluster to create and optimize molecular data workflows, integrating sequence and metadata from public repositories with field data. Through this process, I constructed a relational database, facilitating the development and testing of hypotheses related to global processes.Furthermore, I concurrently continued my longstanding efforts to link phylogeny with function, optimizing new stable isotope probing (SIP) workflows that utilized isotopically labeled oxygen to investigate microbial growth and carbon utilization in terrestrial environments. Working in different systems, e.g., soils and grasses, provided many opportunities for growth by a new perspective on microbial ecology and physiology as well as new challenges I had not seen in the marine environments, facilitating my growth as a researcher and scientist. This work was used to investigate variations in microbial growth rates and elemental composition in the Loma Ridge and advanced our understanding of the physiological diversity within microbial communities and potential factors regulating this. Significantly, this research has broader implications for predicting how these communities may respond to climate change and how this will affect carbon sequestration in terrestrial environments.

Los Angeles, California, United States

During my postdoc, I continued my interdisciplinary approach to unravelling global ocean biogeochemical processes and the role of microbial assemblages, applying my expertise in ecology and biochemistry to explore how processes, their major microbial contributors, and the factors influencing these dynamics changed over space and time. I helped secure a multidisciplinary NSF grant where I led an investigation of new versus regenerative production during a prominent El Niño event in the Southern California Bight. We highlighted the impacts of nitrification and urea utilization, nitrogen sources often overlooked in biogeochemical investigations, in driving production and export during this warming event. Species-specific urea uptake by prokaryotes and diatoms was uncovered and correlated with community-level changes in activity. This scavenging of urea by diatoms diverts organic material from the inefficient heterotrophic microbial loop into large, particle-forming organisms, enhancing the biological pump. My research played a pivotal role in disentangling the complex interactions within the marine carbon and nitrogen cycles, significantly advancing our knowledge of marine ecology and global ocean biogeochemistry.

Los Angeles, California, United States

During my graduate studies at the University of Southern California under the guidance of Professor Doug Capone, I pursued an interdisciplinary approach to understanding global ocean biogeochemical processes. By investigating both the biological activity and molecular composition of the marine environment, utilizing an array of biochemical and genomic techniques in concert with complex analytical methods, I refined our understanding of phylogeny and function. This research revealed the significant influence of microbial communities on marine ecosystem functioning and stability, as well as their direct involvement in biogeochemical cycling.As part of my dissertation, I successfully secured NSF EAGER funding to develop and implement stable isotope probing (SIP) techniques for studying nitrogen and carbon cycling in the Southern California Bight. This investigation led to the discovery of novel nitrate utilization by key microbial taxa and species-specific urea uptake by prokaryotes and diatoms, which could be directly linked to community-level changes in rates. Additionally, my contributions to a multidisciplinary NSF grant explored new versus regenerative production during a warming event, emphasizing the role of nitrification and urea in driving production and export during this time. Collectively, my dissertation provided a comprehensive understanding of the intricate interactions within the marine carbon and nitrogen cycles, significantly advancing our knowledge of global ocean biogeochemistry.

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Biology, General

Dissertation title: SIPing in a Sea of New Production, understanding marine nitrogen and carbon cycling and the microbes driving these.

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Marine Sciences

Double major in Marine Sciences and Biology with a Minor in Chemistry. Conducted research and published findings in peer reviewed journal.