https://www.hannah-epstein.com/about-us daily 1.0 2025-06-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550354387774-E73GCHRQYHDRJU2N2IRG/Epstein_prof.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550339653449-RU2UO5ANQBWCL0555DV2/IMG_4301.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550346428353-QMVVX3H9L5MNGEM6A8BI/IMG_0530.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550529812494-PGMPIQSC8OQ23QJHWBIC/Reef_edited.jpeg Home https://www.hannah-epstein.com/research daily 0.75 2024-03-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550365510691-2UQF64YK09CCJWRX2M2V/IMG_0879.jpg Research - Drivers of microbial community composition Before we can understand the role of the coral microbiome in climate resilience, we must understand what drives a healthy microbiome. Although this seems like a simple task, the vast number of coral species and wide geographic range that they inhabit makes it extremely difficult to find patterns in microbial diversity. My research seeks to disentangle some of this complexity through metabarcoding microbial communities across a range of species through space and time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550365427272-1BN61P9DTCFMWXXXOGQ6/IMG_1111.jpg Research - Influence of the microbiome on climate resilience We know that environmental changes have the capacity to affect changes in the coral microbiome. But can these changes be beneficial to the coral under climate change? Kiritimati, a coral atoll located in the central Pacific Ocean, was at the epicentre of the 2016 El Niño event that resulted in an unprecedented 10 months of heat stress. Using this “natural experiment”, my work in the Baum Lab is to identify whether any changes in the coral microbiome are able to confer (or predict) coral survival. Learn More https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550350191753-WASY7LI8HGU2ROH6MMPT/Figure%2B1.%2Bliving%2Banimals%2B1.jpg Research Image from: Epstein et al. 2018, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550351137488-1T7Y9V166OZDGU46S3XL/IMG_6516.jpg Research https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1607474988039-5VTR8N72K1FPEDOZI4K2/GOPR7549.jpg Research - Impacts of rat eradication on reef health Invasive rats found on tropical atolls threaten the resilience of island ecosystems through predation of seabirds and disruption of the healthy nutrient transfer. Capitalizing on a planned rat eradication initiative on the island of Tetiaroa, French Polynesia, our current work with the Tetiaroa Society aims to illuminate a causal link between rat eradication and coral reef health by following temporal shifts in microbial communities and nutrient cycling across the island ecosystem. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550346269836-VFJTNQK0I11TF1EY9Z9A/Untitled.png Research https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550348062178-BJM7B2NQ07XK54B178OQ/2017-02-15%2B14.23.08-1.jpg Research https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550351347367-FX1RORQRKTYXSB1FZ58L/IMG_5568.jpeg Research https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550348306880-MGQLGTUSESAVX9TRDD72/2017-04-02+09.12.12.jpg Research https://www.hannah-epstein.com/new-page daily 0.75 2019-02-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550530946017-FBMJ7DQJD1ZG4PG4542C/IMG_1111.jpg New Page https://www.hannah-epstein.com/contact daily 0.75 2023-10-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550355136163-ODB6HU7HDHWIL4F1T39J/2017-04-01+16.48.01-1.jpg Contact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550376959333-RC9WTETYRN9E5APLL4KB/IMG_0101.jpg Contact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550355177877-YLJOFN2MLF8CRLM9F15G/IMG_2626.jpg Contact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550355212225-Y9LF3ZL9NUG1LG0FP5KF/IMG_6029.jpg Contact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550377543810-KDRD8J4UDYO11XCHQ6Y2/DMyIGqiV4AADoIV.jpg Contact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550355192526-WCA0I8LXNP1KUDRI5RKG/IMG_6278.jpg Contact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550377411337-A7HI2F1CDNY1XBJ2XC3I/2018-01-30+00.47.38-2.jpg Contact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550355388702-9ZAXE1R8ZLLBQV83AWA2/IMG_6061+2.jpg Contact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550377001528-MZYY0PU6RYVUQW9U9XHN/IMG_7924.jpeg Contact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550377402085-LW3RH7FUOU755H3UXGZC/2017-10-14+19.11.44.png Contact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550377583937-23UIGS65YFNSLB4OK88Z/IMG_5962.jpg Contact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1607477263826-2FI86CRBKHQTOW1ZTES7/IMG_9893.jpeg Contact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1607477504627-8MMGY32GU571I2Y77E3H/IMG_9477.jpeg Contact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1607477531882-25CWJOJIKY3N1HBX644W/IMG_4857.jpeg Contact https://www.hannah-epstein.com/publications daily 0.75 2025-07-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/1550352839746-F52ROQH0AJK46NFCTB77/IMG_1571.jpg Publications - Publications https://www.hannah-epstein.com/epstein-lab daily 0.75 2024-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c67bb8251f4d413f65de7b4/9b2d1859-695b-4d11-988d-9e180d0adc7c/epstein-lab.png Lab Home - Welcome to the Epstein Lab! In the Epstein Marine Microbial Ecology Lab, we explore the implications of marine microbes in marine conservation and restoration. Working across ecological landscapes, we are interested in understanding microbial diversity and function. Specifically, we work toward characterizing the roles microbes play in host biology, ecology and ecosystem function, as well as the consequences of environmental pressures like climate change and coastal disturbance. Check out our lab philosophy here.