Cara Fiore

Dr. Cara Fiore is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Appalachian State University, where she leads a research program focused on marine microbial ecology and physiology. Her work bridges molecular and ecological approaches to investigate fundamental questions about host-microbe interactions, particularly in sponge systems, and nutrient cycling dynamics in marine environments.

Dr. Fiore's research spans three primary areas: symbiosis between sponges and microbes, nutrient cycling on coral reefs, and marine microbial ecology and physiology. Much of her field work has been conducted in the Caribbean, but she also investigates deep water sponge reefs, shallow temperate habitats, and laboratory-grown microbial cultures. At ASU, she has expanded her research to include characterizing freshwater sponge diversity in Western North Carolina and studying the physiological response of algae to nutrient limitation using Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as a model system.

Her laboratory has recently been productive, with four capstone projects completed in the 2024-2025 academic year, one published paper plus another at the end of 2024, and two papers currently in review with two more anticipated for submission in 2025. Dr. Fiore maintains active collaborations with researchers including Mark Venable (ASU Biology) and Mike Hambourger (Chemistry) on projects investigating bioluminescence in dinoflagellates and biogas production from marine algae. She currently holds two NSF-funded projects focused on coral reef microbiology.

• NSF-funded coral reef microbiology projects
• Bioluminescence research in dinoflagellates
• Biogas production from marine algae
• Freshwater sponge diversity studies in Western NC

Dr. Fiore actively mentors undergraduate and graduate students in her laboratory, which emphasizes being 'a community of learners' that 'support and embrace our differences and our shared love for learning.' Her lab maintains an active presence through social media (BlueSky Social: @spongesymbiont.bsky.social) and a YouTube channel featuring student research.