Michele K. Nishiguchi

Michele K. Nishiguchi serves as Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology within the School of Natural Sciences at the University of California, Merced. Her research program centers on marine symbiosis evolution, specifically investigating the mutualistic relationship between sepiolid squids and Vibrio bacteria as a model system for understanding host-symbiont specificity, population dynamics, and environmental adaptation. Current affiliations include leadership of the Nishiguchi Lab and active participation in collaborative research initiatives addressing climate change impacts on symbiotic systems.

Her primary research focuses on the molecular mechanisms governing squid-Vibrio symbiosis, examining how environmental factors and genetic determinants influence symbiont recognition, competitive exclusion, and cospeciation. Key areas include Vibrio population genetics, biofilm dynamics in host colonization, T6SS-mediated bacterial competition, and thermal stress responses in symbiotic partnerships. Recent work leverages CRISPR-based tools, transcriptomics, and genomic approaches to dissect symbiosis regulation across marine ecological niches.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on environmental drivers of symbiosis (47%), molecular mechanisms of host-symbiont interaction (33%), and methodological innovations in symbiosis research (20%). Dominant themes include bacterial competition within host environments, climate change impacts on symbiotic stability, and evolutionary adaptations in symbiont transmission. Her work consistently bridges molecular microbiology with ecological and evolutionary frameworks.

Scientific recognition includes:

• NSF CAREER Award for research on individual variation in dispersal through social landscapes

Nishiguchi actively mentors undergraduate and graduate researchers, with 15 documented students in her 2022-2023 lab cohort including UROC and NSF REU participants. Current funding includes the SICBEDU collaborative grant (2024) focused on equity in integrative biology education and the BII: INSITE climate adaptation initiative (2022). Her grant portfolio demonstrates dual commitment to symbiosis research and broadening participation in STEM.

The Nishiguchi Lab operates as a multidisciplinary research hub investigating marine symbiosis through molecular, ecological, and evolutionary approaches. Current projects examine biofilm-predator interactions, Vibrio genomics across host species, and climate stress impacts on symbiotic fitness, utilizing the squid-Vibrio model system's experimental tractability for both basic and applied research in microbiome science.