Research Interests

• Use of molecular technology to detect and characterize environmental stress responses in corals
• Investigate the effects of biotic and abiotic stressors on ecosystem health using biochemical and molecular approaches
• Molecular mechanisms associated with marine invertebrate ecophysiology, species interactions, social behavior, invasiveness and disease
• Ecotoxicology

Education

• 2001-2007 Ph.D. Environmental & Molecular Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia USA
• 1997 B.A. Journalism, University of Georgia, Athens; presidential scholar

Professional Experience

• 2008-present Assistant Research Professor, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at FAU, Robertson Coral Reef Program, Fort Pierce, Florida
• 2008 Post-doctoral Researcher, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at FAU, Robertson Coral Reef Program, Fort Pierce, Florida
• 2007-2008 Post-doctoral Researcher, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Robertson Coral Reef Program, Fort Pierce, Florida
• 2001-2007 Graduate Research Assistant, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
  Dissertation title: "Design and application of a microarray for testing coral response to environmental stressors", Advisor Dr. Terry Snell
• 1999-2001 Laboratory Assistant – Dr. Marc Weissburg, GA Inst. Tech., Atlanta, GA.

Awards and Distinctions

• 2008 Florida Sea Grant, Advanced molecular techniques for quantifying coral health: a workshop for Florida’s reef researchers, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University
• 2004, 2006 IGERT Research Grant, Georgia Institute of Technology, Biology
• 2004, 2005 IGERT Travel Award, Georgia Institute of Technology, Biology
• 2003 Disease and Health Consortium / U.S. N.O.A.A. Scholarship Recipient; 1st International Coral Reef Ecotoxicology and Health Workshop, Bermuda

Skills

PCR, cloning, gel electrophoresis, suppressive subtractive hybridization, RNA manipulation, primer design, cDNA library construction, Northern and Reverse Northern assays, Quantitative Real-Time PCR, microarray expression profiling, Representational Difference Analysis (RDA), Bioinformatics, AAUS Scuba and Nitrox Certified Academic Services (FAU and Georgia Institute of Technology)

Teaching Experience

• 2008
  OCB 4525 Molecular Microbial Marine Ecology
  OCB 4525L Molecular Microbial Marine Ecology Lab
• 2006
  BIOL 4490 Ecology Project Lab
• 2005
  BIOL 2336 General Ecology Lab
• 2003 – 2005
  BIOL 4490 Ecology Project Lab
• 2002
  BIOL 1510 Introductory Biology Lab
  BIOL 2335 General Ecology
  BIOL 4490 Ecology Project Lab
• 2001
  BIOL 1510 Introductory Biology Lab

Students Supervised

• 2005-2007
  Sara Kuoch – undergraduate
  Jennifer Craig – undergraduate
  Brian Rutland – undergraduate
  Joseph Bear – undergraduate
• 2001-2004
  Kristen Marhaver – undergraduate
• 2002-2003
  Diana Alba – undergraduate
  Natacha Cruchade – laboratory technician
  William Carter – undergraduate
  Manu Lyncee – high school chemistry teacher (GIFT program)
• 2001
  Kathy Hajek – high school science teacher (GIFT program)

Publications

Edge, S.E. et al. 2008. Temporal analysis of coral gene expression in a field population. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 355: 114 – 124.

Edge, S.E., 2007. Using microarrays to quantify stress responses in natural populations of coral. Doctor of Philosophy in Biology, pp. 164. Atlanta: Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Biology.

Edge, S.E., M.B. Morgan and T.W. Snell. 2005. Development of a cDNA array to examine gene expression profiles in coral exposed to environmental stress. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 51: 507 – 523.

Morgan M.B., S.E. Edge and T.W. Snell. 2005. Profiling differential gene expression of corals along a transect of waters adjacent to the Bermuda municipal dump. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 51: 524 – 533.

Snell, T.W., S.E. Brogdon, and M.B. Morgan. 2003. Gene expression profiling in ecotoxicology. Ecotoxicology. 12: 475 – 483.

Publications in preparation

Edge, S.E. et al. submitted. Application of a focused Cnidarian microarray to quantify coral stress on South Florida reefs. Marine Ecology Progress Series

Edge, S.E. et al. in prep. Time-dose response of coral stress gene expression in response to controlled copper exposure.

Edge, S.E. and Lane. A. in prep. Analysis of biochemical mechanisms behind coral-algal competition.

Presentations & Published Abstracts

Edge, S.E. 2008. Application of a focused Cnidarian microarray to quantify coral stress on South Florida reefs. Aquatic Sciences Meeting Amer. Soc. Limnol. Oceanogr., Orlando, FL, March 2 – 7 2008.

Edge, S.E. 2007. Detecting coral responses to environmental stress through gene expression profiling. 36th Benthic Ecology, Atlanta, Georgia, March 21 - 24 2007

Edge, S.E. 2007. Analysis of the biochemical mechanisms behind coral-algal competition. 36th Benthic Ecology, Atlanta, Georgia, March 21 - 24 2007

Edge, S.E. 2006. A focused coral stress array: gene expression profiling as a tool to address the question of nutrient stress on coral. Symbiofest, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 21 April 2006.

Edge, S.E. and T.W. Snell. 2005. Detecting coral response to environmental stress in the field using a cDNA array. Abstr. ASLO Summer Meeting, International. Amer. Soc. Limnol. Oceanogr., Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 19 – 24 June 2005.

Edge, S.E. 2004. Detecting coral response to environmental stress through gene expression profiling. Berry College, Mount Berry, Georgia. Invited Speaker.

Edge, S.E. and T.W. Snell. 2004. Detecting coral response to environmental conditions in the field using a cDNA array. Abstr. 10th International Coral Reef Symposium. Ginowan-shi, Okinawa, Japan 28 June – 2 July 2004.

Edge, S.E. and T.W. Snell. 2004. Detecting coral response to environmental stress in the field using a cDNA array. Abstr. 33rd Annual Marine Benthic Ecology Meeting, Mobile, AL, 25 – 28 March 2004.

Brogdon, S.E. and T.W. Snell. 2003. Stress gene analysis in the reef building coral Montastrea faveolata using cDNA array technology. Abstr. 1st International Coral Reef Ecotoxicology and Health Workshop, Bermuda Biological Station, 21 – 27 September 2003

Brogdon, S.E. and T.W. Snell. 2002. Molecular Probes of Sediment Stress in the Reef Building Coral Montastrea faveolata. Abstr. Aquatic Sciences Meeting Amer. Soc. Limnol. Oceanogr., Honolulu, HI, 11 – 15 February 2002.

Recommendations can be received from:

Georgia Institute of Technology
EST – School of Biology
311 Ferst Drive
Atlanta, Georgia 30312
Terry Snell – (404)-894-8906; terry.snell@biology.gatech.edu
Tonya Shearer – (404) 385-4434; tonya.shearer@biology.gatech.edu
Mark Hay – (404)-894-8429, 894-8293; mark.hay@biology.gatech.edu

Berry College
Department of Biology
Berry College
P. O. Box 430
Mount Berry, GA 30149-0430
Michael Morgan – (706) 290-2148; mbmorgan@berry.edu

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Ocean Dumping and Coastal Regions
Atlanta, Georgia
Roland Ferry – (404) 562-9387; ferry.roland@epa.gov