Research Interests

Dr. Mayali's interest is in the molecular ecology and physiology of microorganisms and how they control carbon and nitrogen biogeochemistry. He applies 'omics and geochemical techniques (the NanoSIMS in particular) to link microbial phylogenetic structure and biogeochemical functions.

Ph.D., Biological Oceanography, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, 2007

M.S., Marine Biology, University of Charleston, South Carolina, 2001

B.A., Environmental Science, University of California at Berkeley, 1996

Full publication list can be found on Google Scholar

Some recent publications:

Padaki V, Mayali X, Weber PK, Giovannoni S, Abraham K, Jacobs K, Collart L, Halsey K (2025) Volatile organic compound specialists in the phycosphere ISME Journal 19(1): wraf229 https://doi.org/10.1093/ismejo/wraf229

Kim H, Brisson V, Casey JR, Swink C, Rolison K, McCall N, Golini A, Northen TR, Weber PK, Veličković D, Buie CR, Mayali X, Stuart RK (2025) Spatially structured bacterial interactions alter algal carbon flow to bacteria ISME Journalhttps://doi.org/10.1093/ismejo/wraf096

Gilbert N, Kimbrel JA, Samo TJ, Siccardi A, Navid A, Stuart RK, Mayali X (2025) A bloom of a single bacterium shapes the microbiome during outdoor diatom cultivation collapse mSystems 0:e00375-25. https://doi.org/10.1128/msystems.00375-25

Martínez-Martínez J, Talmy D, Kimbrel JA, Weber PK, Mayali X (2024) Coastal bacteria and protists assimilate viral carbon and nitrogen International Society of Microbial Ecology (ISME) Journal 18(1): wrae231 https://doi.org/10.1093/ismejo/wrae231

Johnston J, Nguyen B, Abrahamson B, Candry P, Ramon C, Cash K, Saccomano S, Samo TJ, Ye C, Weber PK, Winkler M, Mayali X (2024) Increasing aggregate size reduces single-cell organic carbon incorporation by hydrogel-embedded wetland microbes. International Society of Microbial Ecology (ISME) Communications 4(1): ycae086 https://doi.org/10.1093/ismeco/ycae086

Li W, Baliu-Rodriguez D, Premathilaka SH, Thenuwara SI, Kimbrel J, Samo T, Ramon C, Kiledal EA, Rivera S, Kharbush J, Isailovic D, Weber PK, Dick G, Mayali X (2024) Microbiome processing of organic nitrogen input supports growth and cyanotoxin production of Microcystis aeruginosa cultures International Society of Microbial Ecology (ISME) Journal 18(10): wrae082 https://doi.org/10.1093/ismejo/wrae082

PLS Summer Directorate Award for Outstanding Mentor (2024)

PLS Winter Directorate Award for Outstanding Publication (2024)

PLS Winter Directorate Award for Outstanding Publication (2023)

LLNL Global Security E Program Silver Award (2018)

JGI User meeting poster Award (2018)

PLS Directorate Postdoctoral Award (2012)

PLS Directorate SPOT Award (2012)

LLNL Outstanding Research and Best Poster Presentation (2011)

 

             

Press releases:

2024: Unexpected source of nutrients fuels growth of toxic algae from Lake Erie

2024: Microbial research unravels a global nitrogen mystery

2023: Not all bacteria are created equal  

2022: Small Algae, Big World

2022: Scientists use carbon to detect a new nitrogen source in the open ocean

2021: In the neighborhood of microalgae, location is key to bacterial carbon use

2018: Community Matters When Using Algae to Produce Energy

2008: Scripps Oceanography Research pegs ID of red tide killer

2008: Scripps honors recent grad for algal bloom study