Virus-host interactions in the Baltic Sea

Dr. Bell proposes to work with Prof. Andersson at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, to study VIrus-hoSt Interactions in the BaLtic sEa (VISIBLE).

Bacteriophages (bacteria specific viruses) are the most abundant biological entity on the planet, yet we are only beginning to grasp the impact they have upon ecosystem functioning.

Using state-of-the-art metagenomics, viromics and bioinformatics, the fellow will uncover novel genomes of virus populations in the Baltic Sea and the prokaryotic hosts they infect.

Multiple approaches (abundance, CRISPR spacer matching and homology of auxiliary metabolic genes) will be combined to uncover virus-host dynamics.

The metagenomic and viromic dataset has a high temporal resolution spanning a three-year period making it possible to answer fundamental ecological questions: (1) How are the temporal dynamics of viruses related to that of their hosts? (2) Can the co-evolution of viruses and their hosts be detected? (3) Do the function of auxiliary metabolic genes reflect changes in environmental gradients?

These questions have major implications for biogeochemical cycling and resource turnover in the marine biosphere, as well as water resource management and predicting ecological responses to climate change.

By means of a multidisciplinary approach, the fellow will advance their current research skills in microbial ecology and bioinformatics and gain new skills in virology. The MCSA fellow will join a world-class host institute and world-leading research team in environmental genomics.

They will establish new interdisciplinary collaborations with researchers from across Sweden and Europe and develop their communication, management and leadership skills. KTH has been awarded HR Excellence in Research and supports the MCSA Green Charter.

KTH provides the ideal environment and infrastructure for the fellow to carry out this research and to develop as a leading independent researcher.