Research

My research interests include systems biology of microbial communities and roles of nutrient exchange in microbial interactions and symbioses. For my post-doctoral work, I was part of a project investigating energy flow in cyanobacterial microbial mats and understanding secreted protein signatures in these complex communities. I am interested in how microbes, photoautotrophs in particular, play a role in transforming their environment and responding to change. I am also interested in integrating data using ‘omics techniques (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics), stable isotope probing and novel imaging strategies.

LLNL Biofuels Scientific Focus Area webpage

JGI User meeting presentation, 2016 on Cyanobacterial recycling of organic matter

Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, Marine Biology, Ph.D., 2012

University of California San Diego, Ecology, Behavior, Evolution, B.Sc., 2003

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ROWumhkAAAAJ&hl=en

Selected publications

Brisson, V., C. Swink, J. Kimbrel, X. Mayali, T. Samo, S.M. Kosina, M. Thelen, T.R. Northen, and R.K. Stuart, Dynamic Phaeodactylum tricornutum exometabolites shape surrounding bacterial communities. New Phytologist, 2023. 239(4): p. 1420-1433 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19051.

Stuart R. K., E. R. A Pederson., P. D. Weyman, P. K. Weber, U. Rassmussen, C. L. Dupont (2020). Bidirectional C and N transfer and a potential role for sulfur in an epiphytic diazotrophic mutualism. ISME J 14: 3068–3078.

Stuart, R.K., X. Mayali, J.Z. Lee, R.C. Everroad, B. Bebout, P.K. Weber, J. Pett-Ridge, M.P. Thelen, 2015. Cyanobacterial reuse of extracellular organic carbon in microbial mats. ISME J 10: 1240-1251.(link)

Stuart, R.K., B. Brahamsha, K. Busby and B. Palenik. 2013. Genomic island genes in a coastal marine Synechococcus strain confer enhanced tolerance to copper and oxidative stress.  ISME J 7: 1139-1149 (link)

Stuart, R. K., C. L. Dupont, D. A. Johnson, I. T. Paulsen, and B. Palenik. 2009. Coastal Strains of Marine Synechococcus Species Exhibit Increased Tolerance to Copper Shock and a Distinctive Transcriptional Response Relative to Those of

Birney, E. …R. K. Stuart…and others. 2007. Identification and analysis of functional elements in 1% of the human genome by the ENCODE pilot project. Nature 447: 799-816 (link)