The Salerno Laboratory of Integrative Microbial Ecology (salernolab.com) is located at George Mason University and is part of the Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center (https://cos.gmu.edu/perec/). We are always interested in welcoming new members to our team – postdocs, graduate students, undergraduate students, and research volunteers. Students interested in pursuing a masters or Ph.D. would enroll in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy’s interdisciplinary graduate program (https://esp.gmu.edu/academic-programs/graduate/programs/).
The Salerno Lab researches symbiotic and free-living microorganisms and the role that they play in maintaining and destabilizing organism health and ecosystem function. This research is approached through the lens of seeking to advance basic science, while also developing environmental monitoring tools, practical applications, and policy guidance for environmental resource management and conservation. Our lab uses traditional microbiological techniques, molecular biology, next generation sequencing, bioinformatics, and microscopy to characterize microbial diversity and function, and how microbes respond to environmental change. Current research projects pertain to the identification and characterization of coral and fish pathogens, microbial biofilm formation on microplastics, and microbes as bioindicators of aquatic health. Our lab actively engages in science communication and interdisciplinary work at the intersection of science and policy. Students are encouraged to take advantage of our location near Washington, D.C.
Interested applicants should contact Dr. Jen Salerno (jsalerno@gmu.edu) before submitting an application. Please include a copy of your CV (including GPA and three references) and a brief statement describing your previous research experience and current research interests.
Salerno Laboratory 