Welcome to the Warner Lab

Gene Networks of Development

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Gastrulation, the processes by which our embryonic tissue layers physically segregate via coordinated cell movements, is a critical event during embryogenesis. Gastrulation, like many other events during embryogenesis, is coordinated by a regulatory cascade of genetic interactions that we term gene regulatory networks (GRN). In this project, we're using the sea urchin embryo as a model to construct high resolution gene regulatory networks of gastrulation. We use a combination of bioinformatics and molecular biology approaches with an emhpasis on imaging. This work is funded by a grant from the National Institues of Health (R15)

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Genomic evolution in extreme environments

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Antarctic marine invertebrates exhibit extraordinarily slow rates of development from embryo to adult. This feature has arisen repeatedly in independent Antarctic lineages including sea urchins, sea stars, brachiopods, ribbon worms. Whereas slow development was previously assumed to be solely a function of temperature kinetics, recent studies of the Antarctic sea urchin Sterechinus numyeri indicate that rates of embryonic protein synthesis are comparable to temperate sea urchins. Thus, long developmental times are not solely the result of decreased biomolecular activity. Moreover, knowledge of the genomic interactions that drive slow development in any Antarctic marine invertebrate is lacking, effectively hindering our ability to understand the basis of such life-history alterations. In the lab we use the Antarctic sea urchin, Sterechinus neumayeri as a model system for understanding developmental timing in Antarctic invertebrate embryos and more generally, adaptation to the Southern Ocean. S. neumayeri is an ideal model to investigate this relationship as it is one of the best-studied Antarctic marine invertebrates for early life-history stages. Furthermore sea urchins are arguably the best-studied marine invertebrates in terms of early developmental genomics, and have been a major driving force in developing the predictive conceptual frameworks referred to as gene regulatory networks (GRNs). In this project, we use a comparative approach to identify gene regulatory interactions specific to S. neumayeri to identify the GRN components responsible for adaption to the Southern Ocean and the slow development observed in Antarctic invertebrates. This work is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs

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Engineering corals to resist climate change

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Coral reefs worldwide are experiencing unprecedented losses. Rising sea surface temperatures, declining seawater pH, pollutants, and disease are among the many factors that have led to coral population decline. Given the varied nature of these threats, it is unlikely that a ‘one size fits all’ approach to conservation and restoration will be sufficient. Precision genomics, including genome modification and transgenics, affords new opportunities to develop tailored solutions to these problems. Genomic modification in corals has thus far been hindered by technical difficulties including logistical challenges associated with coral reproduction and the low success rate of traditional transgenic approaches more broadly. Our group has overcome both limitations by successfully spawning corals in captivity year over year, and by developing a novel, high- throughput, gene knock-in strategy which we have demonstrated in several cnidarians including corals. There are potentially transformative applications of this technology: coral transgenic lines could, eventually, be used to drive expression of beneficial gene products that confer tolerance to heat, disease, or other stressors. At the same time, with our bioethics collaborators we are examining the potential ethical, environmental, and policy implications of deploying this technology in corals to generate a framework to guide future stakeholders in its implementation.

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Proespective team members

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Undergraduate students

Undergraduate students are welcome in the lab! Interested students are encouraged to reach out by emailing Dr. Warner at warnerj@uncw.edu. Typically, students perform research while enrolled in BIO 491 - DIS (directed indivual study) for 1-3 credits. During the summer, students can apply to a paid research assistanship through Dr. Warner. On rare circumstances students can volunteer in the lab although this is discouraged in favor of paid or for credit opportunities.

Grduate students

The Warner lab accepts students through the UNCW MS in Marine Biology program, the UNCW MS in Biology program, and the UNCW PhD in Integrative, Comparitive, and Marine Biology program. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact Dr. Warner at warnerj@uncw.edu before applying.

Postdocs

Potential postdocs are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Warner at warnerj@uncw.edu to discuss opportunities.

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