Dr. Maria Rodgers
Maria L. Rodgers, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
Center for Marine Sciences and Technology
303 College Circle
Morehead City, NC 28557
Specialty
Immunotoxicology and comparative immunology in coastal and marine organisms.
Professional Experience & Qualifications
- BS in Marine Science and Biology at the University of Miami
- PhD in Biological Sciences at Clemson University
Research Area
This research group broadly studies immunotoxicology and comparative immunology in coastal and marine organisms. They are especially interested in multistressor scenarios that capture the realities of what organisms contend with in their environments.
Active research includes:
- PFAS in the Long Island Sound
- Multistressor impacts on fish immunity
- Humoral immune responses in sea turtles
- Intestine/immune/microbiome nexus
Students
Andrea Landaverde
Andrea, originally from El Salvador, is a PhD student in the Biology program. She earned her BS in Environmental Sciences from Zamorano University, and her MS degree in Environmental Toxicology from Clemson University. Prior to joining the Rodgers lab, Andrea worked as a marine technician at the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve and as a management scientist with The Nature Conservancy. Besides scuba diving, Andrea loves hiking, yoga, and spending time with her friends and family.
Zach Zagon
Zach grew up in Cornwall, New York before attending the University of Miami where he received a B.S. in Marine Science and Biology with a minor in Ecosystem Science and Policy, and later an M.P.S. in Marine Biology and Ecology with a focus in Tropical Marine Ecosystems. During his time at UM, he worked in a variety of labs and on a wide range of projects. Zach was with the Ocean Acidification lab studying genotypic and physiological responses to environmental factors in staghorn coral. After graduating, he joined NOAA’s Coral Program where he worked on experiments to evaluate the effect of algal symbiont assemblages and environmental co-stressors on stony coral tissue loss disease and coral physiology in mountainous star coral. Zach also spent time at TAMU-CC with the Coastal Conservation and Restoration Ecology group studying oyster and serpulid reef conservation and ecology. As a GG Scholar and Genetics PhD student, his research interests lie in furthering our knowledge of reef building organisms’ microbiome responses to the changing environment and how to implement our findings into restoration and conservation. Outside of research, he is an avid SCUBA diver, and enjoys cooking, photography, and New York sports teams!
Hannah Brown
Hannah grew up in the small coastal town of Gloucester, Virginia. She received her B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology from Christopher Newport University. After graduation, she joined the Aquatic Disease Initiative at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science where she worked on a variety of projects concerning disease pressures and organismal health within the Chesapeake Bay. As a PhD student in the Toxicology program, she is interested in exploring the effects of contaminants on the oyster health and immunity, and is particularly interested in examining how toxicants influence bacteria:bacteria interactions within oysters.
