Melina I. Giakoumis

Associate Director, Institute for Comparative Genomics

Email:

[email protected]

Phone:

212-769-5410

Education

• The City University of New York, Ph.D. in Biology, 2023
• Columbia University, M.A. in Conservation Biology, 2013
• Adelphi University, B.A. in Environmental Studies and Anthropology, 2011

Research Interests

Dr. Giakoumis studies the molecular evolution and ecology of marine invertebrates in the North Atlantic Ocean. Her research seeks to understand how the rocky intertidal zone is influenced by the environment: historically, currently, and in the future as the climate changes. She addresses this question by using genomics, ecological modeling, and field surveys. In particular, Dr. Giakoumis is interested in sea stars, keystone species with population dynamics that are particularly relevant to marine conservation efforts.

Publications

Giakoumis, M., Pinilla-Buitrago, G. E., Musher, L. J., Wares, J. P., Baird, S. J. E., & Hickerson, M. J. (2023). Evidence of introgression, ecological divergence and adaptation in Asterias sea stars. Molecular Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.17118

L. M. Schiebelhut^*, M. Giakoumis^*, Rita Castilho, Valentina E. Garcia, John P. Wares, Gary M. Wessel, and Michael N Dawson (2023). Is it in the stars? Exploring the relationship between species’ traits and sea star wasting disease. The Biological Bulletin, https://doi.org/10.1086/722800.

L. M. Schiebelhut^*, M. Giakoumis^*, Rita Castilho, Paige J. Duffin, Jonathan B. Puritz, John P. Wares, Gary M.  Wessel, and Michael N Dawson (2023). Minor genetic consequences of a major mass mortality: short-term effects in Pisaster ochraceus. The Biological Bulletin, https://doi.org/10.1086/722284

*Equal Co-first authors.