Nathan Ahlgren

Professor Ahlgren is an aquatic microbial ecologist who studies how environmental factors and interactions between microbes and viruses shape the evolution, diversity, and structure of microbial communities. Marine microbial communities in particular are extremely diverse and impact globally important nutrient and carbon cycles. A key aspect to understanding the importance of microbes to our planet is knowing what factors control and maintain the diversity and structure of these communities. Professor Ahlgren uses traditional culture isolation and laboratory studies along with DNA sequencing and bioinformatics approaches to elucidate these important abiotic and biotic microbial interactions.