Home Department: Earth Systems
Mentor: Ayelet Voskoboynik (Biology)

“Larvae on the Brink: Survival and Choice in a Changing Ocean”

Cara’s research project will examine the adaptability and survival of marine tunicate Botryllus schlosseri in varying conditions (e.g. temperature and pH levels), to explore how global warming might affect their populations. B. schlosseri is the closest invertebrate relative to humans and is an important model organism for the study of aging and stem cell regeneration. The Voskoboynick lab hopes to understand how changes to B. schlosseri’s environment and health could impact future medical research. Collecting wild mother colonies and letting larvae settle freely in varying conditions will allow Cara to observe their success rates over time through reproduction rates and longevity.