Nicole Webster

Nicole Webster is an Honorary Professor at the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland. Her research integrates molecular genetics, genomics, and microbial ecology to investigate marine symbioses, focusing on coral reefs and sponge microbiomes under climate stress. She leads studies on microbial contributions to reef resilience, holobiont dynamics, and environmental monitoring frameworks.

Research Focus

Professor Webster's work centers on:

• Microbial symbiosis in marine invertebrates (sponges, corals) and their adaptive responses to environmental stressors
• Impacts of ocean warming, acidification, and pollution on reef microbiomes
• Development of microbial indicators for ecosystem health assessment
• Genomic and metatranscriptomic analysis of host-microbe interactions

Publication Trends

Her recent articles (2023-2025) emphasize climate change impacts on marine microbiomes, employing advanced omics tools. Key themes include:

• Thermal stress and dysbiosis in coral/sponge holobionts
• Microbial roles in larval settlement and reef recovery
• Predictive modelling of reef health using microbial data
• Genomic adaptations of symbiotic microbes

Affiliations and Collaboration

Professor Webster collaborates with the Centre for Marine Science and global research networks. Her work supports reef conservation through microbial-based monitoring frameworks.