Coral Diseases

White Plague Disease

We have experimentally transmitted White Plague disease to 7 reef-building species in the Caribbean. We are currently analyzing the immune proteins and transcriptomes of each coral and relating it to the susceptibility of the species and tissue loss due to the disease. We are working in collaboration with Dr. Marilyn Brandt and Dr. Erinn Muller and  looking at how immunocompetence varies between species with different morphology, growth rates, reproduction and susceptibility to disease.

SCTLD

We have experimentally transmitted SCTLD to 5 reef-building species in the Caribbean. We are currently analyzing the immune proteins and transcriptomes of each coral and relating it to the susceptibility of the species and tissue loss due to the disease. We are working in collaboration with Dr. Marilyn Brandt, Dr. Erinn Muller, Dr. Adrienne Correa, Dr. Amy Apprill and Dr. Dan Holstein.

Eunicea Black Band

Species of Eunicea gorgonian corals are susceptible to an unknown disease that causes melanization and black banding.