Brittany N. Zepernick, PhD
@zepernickbn.bsky.social
NSF OCE Postdoctoral Research Fellow 🌊
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 🧪
Algal Blooms•Aquatic Continuum•Climate 🔼
Multi ‘omics 🧬
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 🧪
Algal Blooms•Aquatic Continuum•Climate 🔼
Multi ‘omics 🧬
In 2022, the #NSF Advanced Studies Institute on #WaterQuality & #HarmfulAlgalBlooms in Lake Victoria, Kenya conducted a three-week survey of the Nyanza Gulf. This week, a subset of the original team went back to follow up on our initial findings - a thread 🦠🇰🇪
November 15, 2025 at 12:08 PM
In 2022, the #NSF Advanced Studies Institute on #WaterQuality & #HarmfulAlgalBlooms in Lake Victoria, Kenya conducted a three-week survey of the Nyanza Gulf. This week, a subset of the original team went back to follow up on our initial findings - a thread 🦠🇰🇪
Congratulations to Margarita Lankford on a successful thesis - and thank you for inviting me to be on your committee! My first of hopefully many…committees & phytoplankton themed cakes that is 🦠🌊
October 24, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Congratulations to Margarita Lankford on a successful thesis - and thank you for inviting me to be on your committee! My first of hopefully many…committees & phytoplankton themed cakes that is 🦠🌊
Sunday sampling trip to the Albemarle Sound & Chowan River of North Carolina. Cyanobacteria were abound, particularly in the Chowan as we were hoping! More to come once we extract all these sterivex in the -80 C…
October 1, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Sunday sampling trip to the Albemarle Sound & Chowan River of North Carolina. Cyanobacteria were abound, particularly in the Chowan as we were hoping! More to come once we extract all these sterivex in the -80 C…
Reposted by Brittany N. Zepernick, PhD
OK. So you get a motivated postdoc @zepernickbn.bsky.social, who teaches a class of great graduate students, and then some support from the institution and a lot of great labs. Find yourself a nice pink algal bloom in the early spring and....science happens.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The ornithine-arginine cycle supported a toxic, metalimnic Planktothrix rubescens bloom
Planktothrix rubescens is distinct from other cyanobacterial harmful algal bloom (cHAB) genera: the crimson-red cHAB thrives in the cold, low-light, nutrient-limited metalimnion. Studies have attribut...
www.biorxiv.org
August 6, 2025 at 11:11 PM
OK. So you get a motivated postdoc @zepernickbn.bsky.social, who teaches a class of great graduate students, and then some support from the institution and a lot of great labs. Find yourself a nice pink algal bloom in the early spring and....science happens.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Brittany N. Zepernick, PhD
The first contribution from David Niknejad's thesis: a collaboration with UTIA and the Watershed Association of the Tellico Reservoir to start applying molecular tools to the Tellico Reservoir. Thanks to USC's @eric-a-webb.bsky.social for jumping in to help!
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Metagenome-assembled genome of Synechococcus sp. “Tanasi” from the Tellico Reservoir, Tennessee, USA | Microbiology Resource Announcements
Picocyanobacteria, especially members of the Synechococcus collective (1), contribute to primary productivity, food webs, and biogeochemical cycles of fresh
and marine waters worldwide (2). The Synech...
journals.asm.org
July 23, 2025 at 2:04 PM
The first contribution from David Niknejad's thesis: a collaboration with UTIA and the Watershed Association of the Tellico Reservoir to start applying molecular tools to the Tellico Reservoir. Thanks to USC's @eric-a-webb.bsky.social for jumping in to help!
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
A great defense of discovery-based science in a time when it is very much needed.
“Why Are We Funding This?”
Long-standing myths about “silly science” have contributed to the reckless slashing of government-supported research.
www.americanscientist.org
July 2, 2025 at 11:57 AM
A great defense of discovery-based science in a time when it is very much needed.
That’s a wrap on the #OceanObservatoriesInitiative #ImagingFlowCytobot Community Focus Group at UNCW! Looking forward to using this data in the lab and the classroom 🌊
June 25, 2025 at 3:52 PM
That’s a wrap on the #OceanObservatoriesInitiative #ImagingFlowCytobot Community Focus Group at UNCW! Looking forward to using this data in the lab and the classroom 🌊
Reposted by Brittany N. Zepernick, PhD
Many phytoplankton are affected by climate change via changes in temperature & pH, but to winter diatoms, it appears the issue is light.
🔗rebrand.ly/jsfhiow
@zepernickbn.bsky.social @tn-marine-micro.bsky.social @eechase.bsky.social @utkmicrobiology.bsky.social @unc-emes.bsky.social
🔗rebrand.ly/jsfhiow
@zepernickbn.bsky.social @tn-marine-micro.bsky.social @eechase.bsky.social @utkmicrobiology.bsky.social @unc-emes.bsky.social
May 15, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Many phytoplankton are affected by climate change via changes in temperature & pH, but to winter diatoms, it appears the issue is light.
🔗rebrand.ly/jsfhiow
@zepernickbn.bsky.social @tn-marine-micro.bsky.social @eechase.bsky.social @utkmicrobiology.bsky.social @unc-emes.bsky.social
🔗rebrand.ly/jsfhiow
@zepernickbn.bsky.social @tn-marine-micro.bsky.social @eechase.bsky.social @utkmicrobiology.bsky.social @unc-emes.bsky.social
Reposted by Brittany N. Zepernick, PhD
Congratulations to @jianhuaguo.bsky.social; @zepernickbn.bsky.social, R. Michael L. McKay, @tn-marine-micro.bsky.social; and Fabian Grein for their outstanding and impactful articles published in The ISME Journal.
View the articles on isme-microbes.org/the-isme-jou...
#MicrobialEcology #microbes
View the articles on isme-microbes.org/the-isme-jou...
#MicrobialEcology #microbes
April 17, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Congratulations to @jianhuaguo.bsky.social; @zepernickbn.bsky.social, R. Michael L. McKay, @tn-marine-micro.bsky.social; and Fabian Grein for their outstanding and impactful articles published in The ISME Journal.
View the articles on isme-microbes.org/the-isme-jou...
#MicrobialEcology #microbes
View the articles on isme-microbes.org/the-isme-jou...
#MicrobialEcology #microbes
Had an amazing time at #Eco-DAS2025 here in Oahu, Hawai’i! Much scientific scheming was had & new collaborations were made - stay tuned for the pubs to come from the phytoplankton ‘omics team with @akrinos.bsky.social & others!
April 13, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Had an amazing time at #Eco-DAS2025 here in Oahu, Hawai’i! Much scientific scheming was had & new collaborations were made - stay tuned for the pubs to come from the phytoplankton ‘omics team with @akrinos.bsky.social & others!
April 5, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Had a great time at #ASLO25 with @unc-emes.bsky.social & @marchettilab.bsky.social talking all things marine 🌊
April 5, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Had a great time at #ASLO25 with @unc-emes.bsky.social & @marchettilab.bsky.social talking all things marine 🌊
Reposted by Brittany N. Zepernick, PhD
Smaller members of the Marchetti Lab presenting massive research findings at the Aquatic Sciences meeting in Charlotte NC @aslo.org. Go Raquel!
March 29, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Smaller members of the Marchetti Lab presenting massive research findings at the Aquatic Sciences meeting in Charlotte NC @aslo.org. Go Raquel!
Gordon Research Conference in Polar Marine Science 2025 was a success! Had a great time discussing all things related to sea ice & proton-pumping rhodopsins, and made new friends along the way. Looking forward to the next one!
March 28, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Gordon Research Conference in Polar Marine Science 2025 was a success! Had a great time discussing all things related to sea ice & proton-pumping rhodopsins, and made new friends along the way. Looking forward to the next one!
Today we chose to #standupforscience2025 in Raleigh, NC! So proud to be a part of this community! 🧪🥼🔬
March 7, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Today we chose to #standupforscience2025 in Raleigh, NC! So proud to be a part of this community! 🧪🥼🔬
Reposted by Brittany N. Zepernick, PhD
NOAA's #GreatLakes Environmental Research Lab will be taking an "indefinite hiatus" from communications due to staff cuts. GLERL communicates critical weekly updates about the extent of harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie - like the one that left my hometown of Toledo without drinking water in 2014
February 27, 2025 at 11:45 PM
NOAA's #GreatLakes Environmental Research Lab will be taking an "indefinite hiatus" from communications due to staff cuts. GLERL communicates critical weekly updates about the extent of harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie - like the one that left my hometown of Toledo without drinking water in 2014
Monthly Albemarle sampling in 45 mph wind gusts! 🌊 Lots of sand mixed in with the plankton - going to be a challenge to extract. Peep my technician & the truck “lab”.
February 17, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Monthly Albemarle sampling in 45 mph wind gusts! 🌊 Lots of sand mixed in with the plankton - going to be a challenge to extract. Peep my technician & the truck “lab”.
Reposted by Brittany N. Zepernick, PhD
Happy to see "Lysogen formation governs colonies while lytic infection is more prevalent in single cells of the bloom-forming cyanobacterium, Microcystis" available.. Xuhui and others show a linkage between lifestyle (colonies vs single cells) and infection strategy (lytic vs lysogenic)
Lysogen formation governs colonies while lytic infection is more prevalent in single cells of the bloom-forming cyanobacterium, Microcystis
While the bloom-forming cyanobacterium Microcystis can exist as free-living single cells or within dense mucilaginous colonies, the drivers and consequences of colony formation remain unclear. Here, w...
www.biorxiv.org
February 16, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Happy to see "Lysogen formation governs colonies while lytic infection is more prevalent in single cells of the bloom-forming cyanobacterium, Microcystis" available.. Xuhui and others show a linkage between lifestyle (colonies vs single cells) and infection strategy (lytic vs lysogenic)
Great write-up on our work in Lake Victoria, Kenya by my partner-in-crime @laurenhart.bsky.social & colleagues! Check it out to see how the North American & African Great Lakes share a few commonalities - including toxigenic cyanobacteria 🧪
Lake Victoria is turning green – the deadly bacteria behind it
The organisms that cause greening are highly concentrated in Kenya’s shallow Winam Gulf.
theconversation.com
February 14, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Great write-up on our work in Lake Victoria, Kenya by my partner-in-crime @laurenhart.bsky.social & colleagues! Check it out to see how the North American & African Great Lakes share a few commonalities - including toxigenic cyanobacteria 🧪
A brisk, foggy day on the Neuse River, NC with the Paerl lab ModMon team. This month’s run we encountered a bloom - 160 ug/L Chlorophyll a readings & some very yellow-brownish filters! 😊
February 13, 2025 at 1:02 PM
A brisk, foggy day on the Neuse River, NC with the Paerl lab ModMon team. This month’s run we encountered a bloom - 160 ug/L Chlorophyll a readings & some very yellow-brownish filters! 😊
Reposted by Brittany N. Zepernick, PhD
Nice to see this important work make the news cycle when there is a lot of news in the world. Kudos to @laurenhart.bsky.social, @zepernickbn.bsky.social and others.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
And very nice of Newsweek to pick it up!
www.newsweek.com/lake-erie-la...
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
And very nice of Newsweek to pick it up!
www.newsweek.com/lake-erie-la...
Worrying signs for Lake Erie uncovered 7,500 miles away in Africa
New research from Africa's Lake Victoria has revealed critical clues about toxic algal blooms and their potential impact on Lake Erie and beyond.
www.newsweek.com
January 24, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Nice to see this important work make the news cycle when there is a lot of news in the world. Kudos to @laurenhart.bsky.social, @zepernickbn.bsky.social and others.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
And very nice of Newsweek to pick it up!
www.newsweek.com/lake-erie-la...
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
And very nice of Newsweek to pick it up!
www.newsweek.com/lake-erie-la...