Rachel E. Diner
Assistant Professor
About Dr. Diner
Dr. Diner’s lab studies the impacts of pollution and environmental change on host-microbe systems, and seeks to understand how microbial functions influence ecosystem and human health in aquatic environments. The Diner Lab uses marine and aquatic animals, such as oysters, as model systems to gain a mechanistic understanding of how host-associated microbes function and how they can harm or provide beneficial services to hosts, humans, and coastal environments. This research incorporates fieldwork, laboratory experiments, and computational approaches with a strong emphasis on high throughput DNA and RNA sequencing datasets. A major goal is to apply this knowledge towards developing solutions to environmental problems (for example, pollutant bioremediation and enhancing coastal restoration efforts) and to improve food safety and security. Dr. Diner is also committed to providing high quality learning experiences through teaching and mentoring, providing opportunities and science access to members of underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, and fostering a safe and inclusive environment at the University of Memphis.
Education
B.S. Biology, University of Georgia; J.D. (focus: coastal environmental law and policy), University of San Diego School of Law; M.S. Marine Biology, San Francisco State University; Ph.D. Marine Biology, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego.
Research Interests
- Ecotoxicology
- Aquatic animal microbiomes
- Marine and aquatic pathogens
- Environmental change
- Aquaculture
- Food safety and security
- High throughput DNA and RNA sequencing