The projects we are currently working on fall into multiple scientific fields, including evolution, ecology, and marine biology. One of our projects is to map the genome of the bacterial endosymbiont of Riftia pachyptila, the giant tubeworm that is a major inhabitant of deep-sea hydrothermal vent communities.

Another project we are involved in is to determine the “metagenome” of another hydrothermal vent dweller, Alvinella pompejana, or the Pompeii worm. Our work involves obtaining DNA sequences of the bacterial community found along the backs of these worms. With the help of other scientists on board, we will be doing the DNA sequencing for this project in real-time during the Exteme 2001 cruise. I will serve as the resident expert on the MegaBACE, which we will be running on board the ship. This is the first time scientists have been able to gather a DNA sequence during a research cruise. With the information provided through DNA sequences, scientists will be able to make immediate decisions about upcoming Alvin dives, making the entire cruise more sucessful.