Cynthia Becker

Dr. Cynthia Becker is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Ithaca College's School of Humanities and Sciences, where she leads research on marine microbial ecology and coral reef health. Her work specializes in understanding microbiome dynamics in coral ecosystems, particularly the impacts of diseases like stony coral tissue loss disease. She employs metagenomics, computational biology, and field studies to identify microbial bioindicators of reef disturbance.

Education:

• PhD in Biological Oceanography from MIT-WHOI Joint Program
• BS in Biology from Ithaca College
• BA in Music from Ithaca College

Research Focus: Dr. Becker investigates how environmental stressors and diseases alter coral reef microbiomes. Her research integrates seawater microbial ecology, coral disease mechanisms, and advanced DNA sequencing to develop predictive models for reef health. Key themes include microbial bioindicators, metabolomics, and computational analysis of 'big data' from reef ecosystems.

Publications Trend: Her recent articles (2022-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on coral disease biomarkers, reef metabolomics, and microbial biogeography. Over 80% leverage metagenomic or metabolomic techniques to diagnose reef health, with consistent emphasis on practical applications for conservation and rapid monitoring.

Student Engagement: Dr. Becker actively mentors students in field and computational research, offering projects on coral disease ecology and microbial community analysis. Her lab accepts undergraduates for research on Caribbean reef disturbances and metagenomic data interpretation.

Teaching (Fall 2025):

• BIOL-10900: Life in the Ocean
• BIOL-12000: Fundamentals of Biology: Ecology-Evolution Labs