DURHAM, N.C. – The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has awarded a three-year, $774,000 research grant to scientists at the 51 Marine Lab and the University of Rhode Island to study the importance of micro-scale interactions between bacteria and phytoplankton in marine environments.

“Phytoplankton and bacterioplankton are the most abundant organisms in the open ocean, yet scientists often study them independently,” says Dana Hunt, assistant professor of microbial ecology at the 51 Marine Lab.  “In our new research, we are using model organisms to examine how interactions between these two groups affect physiology and gene expression under a range of environmental conditions.”

“Determining the importance of these microbial interactions is key to developing a deeper understanding of both ecology and carbon cycling in marine environments,” she says.

Hunt is principal investigator on the new grant. Tatiana Rynearson, associate professor of oceanography at Rhode Island, is co-principal investigator.

The grant was awarded through the Moore Foundation’s Marine Microbiology Initiative, which was launched in 2004 to support innovative research and the development of novel technologies and modeling approaches for studying the diversity of marine microorganisms.

Marine microbes are responsible for cycling of carbon, nutrients and energy, and they produce about 50 percent of the oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere. Yet, scientists still know surprisingly little about these tiny organisms, Hunt explains.  While researchers are discovering answers to long-standing questions and uncovering important new questions about the roles that marine microorganisms play at the base of the ocean’s food web, much more needs to be learned about what these organisms do and how they interact with one another.  

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation believes in bold ideas that create enduring impact in the areas of science, environmental conservation and patient care. Intel co-founder Gordon and his wife Betty established the foundation to create positive change around the world and at home in the San Francisco Bay Area. To learn more, visit  or follow @MooreScientific.

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