This collaborative project explores the gut microbiome and predicted functional profiles of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) sampled in two distinct oceanic regions: the Gulf of California and the Azores. Using high-throughput sequencing of fecal samples, the study investigates how ecological factors such as prey availability, oceanographic conditions, and regional pressures may shape the microbial composition and metabolic potential of these deep-diving cetaceans.

The project is conducted in partnership with Dr. Fabiola Guerrero de la Rosa and Dr. Karina Acevedo Whitehouse, both professors and researchers at the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro (UAQ), Mexico. Through this collaboration, we aim to identify both core and region-specific microbial signatures that reflect dietary ecology, host–microbe interactions, and adaptive patterns across biogeographic gradients.

This research contributes to a broader understanding of the role of gut microbiota in marine mammal health and offers baseline data for future ecological, physiological, and conservation-focused studies on sperm whales. 

This interdisciplinary research project investigates the microbiomes of wildlife and environmental substrates in the Churchill estuarine ecosystem, a uniquely dynamic Arctic environment where terrestrial and marine species converge. Conducted in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) under the supervision of Dr. Steven H. Ferguson, the project explores how microbial communities—particularly bacteria—can serve as indicators of ecosystem health, interspecies microbial exchange, and disease risk in a region increasingly impacted by climate change.

The study focuses on microbiome composition and potential pathogenicity across a diverse array of Arctic species, including geese, ducks, harbour seals, ringed seals, polar bears, Arctic and red foxes, and belugas, alongside soil and water samples. By comparing microbial communities across hosts and environments, the project aims to uncover ecological connections and microbial pathways that may influence species health and ecosystem resilience.

Sample collection has already been completed, and the project is currently awaiting high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. This analysis will allow us to assess microbiome diversity, identify bacterial taxa with pathogenic potential, and investigate how microbial interactions are shaped by environmental stressors and cross-species contact.

The findings will contribute to our understanding of microbiome connectivity across species and habitats, supporting conservation strategies that account not only for wildlife populations but also for the microbial networks that sustain them. By mapping microbial “blueprints” across this fragile ecosystem, the project aims to provide tools for long-term ecological monitoring and Arctic wildlife health assessment in the face of accelerating environmental change.

This project investigates the respiratory microbiome of ringed seals (Pusa hispida) across ten high-Arctic sites, addressing a critical gap in our understanding of marine-mammal respiratory health and its environmental drivers. Respiratory-associated microbes can reveal host–environment interactions and serve as early indicators of health status in a rapidly changing Arctic.

This project is conducted in collaboration with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). Samples have been collected from ringed seals harvested at ten distinct high-Arctic sites spanning longitudinal and latitudinal extremes, and the sequencing data are currently being processed and analyzed. 

Using high-throughput 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, we will characterize bacterial community composition and diversity along spatial gradients. By comparing α- and β-diversity metrics, identifying indicator taxa, and exploring predicted functional profiles across sites, we aim to uncover biogeographic patterns that can inform baseline health monitoring and conservation strategies for ringed seals in the high Arctic.

Led by Dr. Karina Acevedo Whitehouse and Dr. Marina Banuet-Martínez, this project explores the adaptive immune system of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) through the lens of eco-immunology and molecular innovation. Using a ligation-anchored PCR method we characterized the T-cell receptor beta (TCRβ) repertoire from 50 adult females across 13 breeding rookeries in the Gulf of California and the Pacific coast of Baja California, Mexico. Our approach enabled us to describe V and J gene segment usage and the diversity of CDR3 regions, revealing individual-level immune variation and associations with environmental stressors.

This study challenges traditional views of immunological stability in wildlife, demonstrating how climate-driven ecological pressures may shape immune gene expression. It offers a compelling example of how non-model species can expand our understanding of adaptive immunity and its role in conservation and health surveillance in marine mammals.