Manuel Aranda
Assistant Professor
Department of Marine Science
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Saudi Arabia
Biography
Prof. Manuel Aranda Specializes in development of functional genetic tools for reef building corals and other cnidarian model organisms that will allow the systematic analysis of the molecular processes governing symbiosis and coral bleaching. He is working as Professor in Department of Marine Science, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia.
Research Interest
​Dr. Aranda's main research interests lie in the development of functional genetic tools for reef building corals and other cnidarian model organisms that will allow the systematic analysis of the molecular processes governing symbiosis and coral bleaching. The coral-algal symbiosis hereby serves as a model system to address questions regarding the molecular basis of symbiosis in order to extend our knowledge on the mechanisms and factors determining the nature of symbiotic relationships i.e. mutualistic, commensalistic or parasitic. Central part of this research is the elucidation of the function of key proteins involved in the initiation, maintenance and breakdown of the symbiotic relationship in both partners.
Publications
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Aranda M, Banaszak AT, Bayer T, Luyten JR, Medina M, Voolstra CR. Differential sensitivity of coral larvae to natural levels of ultraviolet radiation during the onset of larval competence. Molecular ecology. 2011 Jul 1;20(14):2955-72.
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Aranda M, DeSalvo MK, Bayer T, Medina M, Voolstra CR. Evolutionary insights into scleractinian corals using comparative genomic hybridizations. BMC genomics. 2012 Sep 21;13(1):501.
