Molecular genetics

Our group has acquired expertise in molecular tools to be able to explore fundamental ecological and oceanographic problems that concern the impact of environmental perturbations on the marine ecosystem. Molecular techniques not only contribute to the establishment of a more robust taxonomic subdivision of foraminifera species, but also provide a better understanding of their environments and a more accurate usage of them as bioindicators. These techniques are now used in our laboratory to investigate the large scale Lessepsian invasion of large benthic foraminifera from the Red Sea to the Eastern Mediterranean.