Multimodal Data Analysis for uncovering host-microbiome responses to environmental stress

Abstract: Algae are essential to aquatic ecosystems, but their survival depends on complex interactions with microbes like bacteria and viruses. These partnerships, known as holobionts, influence how algae respond to environmental stress.

Our research merges biology and data science to better understand these interactions. We develop statistical methods to identify microbial communities, quantify uncertainty in data-driven discoveries, and extract meaningful patterns from complex, high-dimensional datasets. By applying these tools to real-world samples, we aim to uncover key microbes that support algal resilience. This work aims to enhance our understanding of how aquatic ecosystems adapt to environmental challenges.