The Barott Lab
Katie L. Barott, PhD
Assistant Professor

I am interested in understanding how symbiosis between corals and their diverse microbial residents functions, from the cellular mechanisms regulating their interactions to the subsequent ecological consequences. The fundamental mechanisms driving symbiosis are particularly important due to the devastating influence of climate change being experienced on reefs worldwide.

Education
 
2012              Ph.D. Cell and Molecular Biology
University of California San Diego
San Diego State University
 
2006              B.S. Zoology
B.S. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Michigan State University
 
Professional Experience
 
  • Assistant Professor​
             Department of Biology
             University of Pennsylvania (2017 - present).

  • Postdoctoral Researcher
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (2015 – 2017).
Mechanisms of coral adaptation and acclimatization to climate change.
Advisor: Dr. Ruth Gates 
 
  • Postdoctoral Researcher
​Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego (2012 – 2015).
Cellular mechanisms regulating coral symbiosis and response to ocean acidification.
Advisor: Dr. Martin Tresguerres
Guest scientist: Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco. Hosts: Drs. Alex Venn and Sylvie Tambutté (4 months).
Guest scientist: Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. Host: Dr. Ruth Gates (8 months).
 
  • Doctoral Student 
San Diego State University, Department of Biology (2007 – 2012).
Dissertation: The role of bacteria in competition between corals and benthic algae.
Advisor: Dr. Forest Rohwer.
 
  • Research Assistant 
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry (2006 – 2007)
Microbial oceanography.
Advisors: Dr. Elizabeth Kujawinski and Dr. Benjamin Van Mooy.
 
  • Undergraduate Research Assistant
​Michigan State University, Department of Plant Pathology (2005 – 2006) 
Fungal pathogens of grapevines.
Advisor: Jerri Gillett.
 
  • Summer Student Fellow (NSF REU)
​Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Biological Oceanography (2005)
Oxidative stress response in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Advisor: Dr. Mark Hahn.
 
  • Undergraduate Research Assistant
​Michigan State University, Department of Zoology (2002 – 2005)
Aquatic ecology of macroinvertebrates.
Advisor: Dr. Thomas Burton.
  ​
Research Grants 
 
  • NSF Ocean Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowship: $170,000 
Project: Carbon dioxide, pH and bicarbonate sensing pathways in reef-building corals and regulation of homeostasis in response to ocean acidification. 
 
  • NOAA Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship: $118,000 (declined)
​
  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship: $120,000
Project: Patterns of coral-associated bacterial diversity in Pacific and Caribbean reefs of Panama. 
 
Invited Seminars

2018    Bryn Mawr College, Summer Science Research Program.
                Villanova University, Biology Seminar.
                Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Prokaryotic Seminar.
2017    Temple University, Biology Seminar.
                University of Pennsylvania, Biology Department Retreat.
2016    University of Southern California, Marine Biology Seminar.
                Boston University, Biology Seminar.
2015    Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology Seminar.
                University of Pennsylvania, Biology Seminar.
                Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Ecology Seminar.
                San Francisco State University, Biology Seminar.
                Washington State University, Biology Seminar.
2014    Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology Seminar.
                University of Hawaii, Oceanography Seminar.
                Oceanography Laboratory of Villefranche, France, Ocean Acidification Seminar.
2013    Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Marine Biology Seminar.
   
Conference and Workshop Presentations

2018   
Barott, K., J Davidson, A. Huffmyer, E. Lenz, J. Hancock, B. Glazer, R. Gates. Developing strategies to promote the resilience of coral symbiosis in the face of climate change. International Symbiosis Society Congress. Corvallis, OR (Oral)
Barott, K. Using the sea anemone Aiptasia pallida as a model system for studying pH sensing mechanisms in symbiotic cnidarians. Aiptasia Workshop. Corvallis, OR (Oral)

2017   
Barott, K. Understanding coral symbiosis: from cell biology to reef ecology. Astrangia Research Workshop (Oral)
Barott, K, Gates Coral Lab, S Lio, B Glazer, R Gates. Developing strategies to promote coral reef survival in the face of climate change. Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography. Honolulu, HI (Oral)

2016   
Barott, K, M Barron, M Tresguerres. Soluble adenylyl cyclase is an evolutionarily conserved pH sensor in the coral Pocillopora damicornis. International Coral Reef Symposium. Honolulu, HI (Oral)

2014   
Barott, K, A Venn, S Tambutté, and M Tresguerres. Coral host cells acidify symbiotic algal microenvironment to promote photosynthesis. American Physiological Society Intersociety Meeting: Comparative approaches to grand challenges in physiology. San Diego, CA. Scholander Award Winner. (Oral)
Barott, K, A Venn, S Tambutte, and M Tresguerres. Host proton pump promotes photosynthesis in scleractinian corals. Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography. Honolulu, HI. (Poster)

2013   
Barott, K, M Barron, and M Tresguerres. Mechanisms for pH sensing and regulation in corals. Society of Experimental Biology, Valencia, Spain. Young Investigator Award Finalist. (Oral)
Barott, K, M Barron, and M Tresguerres. Mechanisms for pH sensing and regulation in corals. Yosemite Symbiosis Workshop, Sierra Nevada Research Institute, CA. (Oral)

2012   
Barott, K. et al. Microbial contribution to competition between corals and benthic algae. International Coral Reef Symposium, Cairns, Australia. (Oral)

2011   
Barott, K, and F Rohwer. Competition between coral and algal holobionts. Yosemite Symbiosis Workshop, Sierra Nevada Research Institute, CA. (Poster)
Barott, K. et al. Competition with benthic algae affects physiology and microbial communities associated with tropical corals. American Society for Limnology and Oceanography San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Oral)

2010   
Barott, K. and F. Rohwer. Changes in microbial communities associated with coral-algal interactions. Canadian Inst. for Advanced Research: Integrated Microbial Biodiversity Program Meeting. Seattle, WA. (Oral)
Barott, K., B. Rodriguez-Brito and F. Rohwer. Bacterial communities associated with the coral Montastraea annularis and competing benthic algae. Intl Society of Microbial Ecology. Seattle, WA. (Poster)

2009   
Barott, K., J. Smith, E. Dinsdale, M. Hatay, S. Sandin, and F. Rohwer. Exploring coral-algal interfaces using hyperspectral imagery. Canadian Inst. for Advanced Research: Integrated Microbial Biodiversity Program Meeting. Asilomar, CA. (Poster)
Barott, K., N. Knowlton and F. Rohwer. Characterizing coral reef biodiversity at the micro scale. Canadian Inst. for Advanced Research: Integrated Microbial Biodiversity General Program Meeting. Asilomar, CA. (Oral)
Barott, K., R. Vega Thurber, and F. Rohwer. Understanding the role of viruses on coral reefs using metagenomics. Census of Marine Life Symposium and Workshop, University of Tokyo, Japan. (Oral)

2008   
Barott, K., D. Lipson, and W. Oechel. A positive feedback loop for global warming: methane production and microbial diversity in Arctic soils. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. San Francisco, CA. (Poster)
​
Sea Time
 
  • Northern Line Islands, Central Pacific (2010) M/Y Hanse Explorer – 28 days
  • Pacific Remote Island Areas, NOAA RAMP Cruise (2010) R/V Hi’ialikai – 23 days
  • Southern Line Islands, Central Pacific (2009) M/Y Hanse Explorer – 31 days
  • Iquique, Chile, Oxygen Minimum Zone (2008) R/V Vidal Gormaz – 10 days
  • Woods Hole, MA, 2005, R/V Tioga – 1 day​
"There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more."  ~ Lord Byron