User:Gareth Trubl

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Gareth (Gary) Trubl

Contact Info

About Me

I started off my research career working under Dr. Ramzi Toucan at The University of Arizona Tree Ring Research Lab (2008). The lab host’s the largest collection of cross sections and core samples of tree rings from all over the world. As an undergraduate worker I received, labeled, and sorted cross sections and core samples. The samples were then sanded, analyzed, and photographed for documentation and either archived or used to support graduate student research.

USDA lab

At the start of my undergraduate career I was interested in environmental policy and was selected to attend the 56th Presidential Inauguration and University Presidential Inaugural Conference through National Society of Collegiate Scholars (January 19-23, 2009). I joined undergraduates from all over the US and spent five days in Washington D.C. meeting with politicians and watching the Presidential Inauguration. First night we attended a Gala at the Warden Hotel going over the itinerary for the trip and networking with the other scholars. The next two days were filled with a combination of sightseeing and lectures from Colin Powell, Al Gore, James Carville, and Mary Matalin. On Inauguration day we sat at the base of the capital and witnessed the historic day. The rest of the day was spent interviewing political campaigners and strategist to learn more of the field and their experiences. The days following the inauguration we met with high school and middle school students and spook with them about the election.

I have always had a love for the environment and have been interested in how science and policy can shape our future. After taking my first microbiology course, I quickly realized that I loved the field and needed to incorporate it into my career. My career continued under Dr. Peter Cotty at The United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS; 2009-2011). The laboratory leads aflatoxin management through improved understanding of aflatoxin-producing fungi and the aflatoxin contamination process. Responsibilities included studies of the etiology and epidemiology of contamination as well as adaptation, divergence, dispersal, pathogenicity, morphogenesis, and cellular regulation of fungi. Experiments included (1) extraction and analysis of B1 toxin and cyclopiazonic acid, (2) competition studies, (3) seed coating, (4) fungal isolate diversity, and (5) complementation tests to determine vegetative compatibility groups. I absolutely enjoyed working in this lab and stayed with the lab until I received my B.S. in Environmental Microbiology, minor in chemistry, from the University of Arizona in 2011.

DRI

My research led me to work under Dr. Alison Murray at The Desert Research Institute in The Molecular Microbial Ecology Laboratory (2011-2013). Project focus was the biogeochemistry and microbial diversity in brine from Lake Vida, Antarctica. Lake Vida is known as one of the most extreme environments on earth and an excellent analog for icy worlds such as Enceladus, Europa, and Ganymede. My thesis entitled "Insights into the origin of N2O in Lake Vida brine" looked at abiotic and biological factors to determine the origin of the nitrous oxide in Lake Vida brine and to determine if site preference can be used to distinguish between abiotic and biological N2O production. I received my M.S. in Environmental Science and Health (ES&H) from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2013.

Abisko, Sweden

My passion for polar and extreme environments has taken me back to The University of Arizona, where I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Soil, Water, and Environmental Science (SWES) and minors in Astrobiology and Global Change. Here, I am working in the SWES-MEL under Dr. Virginia Rich. Project focus is to predict ecosystem and planetary response to a changing climate, scaling from microorganisms to ecosystem processes. I propose to meet this challenge of scaling from the genomic diversity of communities to ecosystem-scale processes, i.e. “from genes to ecosystems,” by deconstructing and quantifying the stepwise linkages involved. Specifically, I will move beyond metabolic potential (genomes and metagenomes) to measuring expressed metabolism (meta- transcriptomes and -proteomes) and quantitatively relating it to biogeochemical fluxes. I will do so for the greenhouse gas methane, in controlled laboratory incubations of methane-cycling cultivars and natural communities, specifically, those of the thawing permafrost at our long-term field site of Stordalen Mire in Sweden. Co-investigators: Saleska Lab (Univ. of Arizona), Tyson Lab (Univ. of Queensland), Crill Lab (Stockholm Univ.), Chanton Lab (Florida State Univ.), Li and Frolking Labs (Univ. of New Hampshire), and Abisko Research Station in Sweden.

Stordalen mire field site

My goal is to become a master microbial ecologist (researching viruses, bacteria, archaea, and fungi) using culturing and non-culturing techniques to understand the biogeochemistry of Earth. I absolutely love teaching and outreach and plan to incorporate all my research into mentoring the next generation of scientists.

Stordalen mire field site

Current Project

Genes, isotopes, and ecosystem biogeochemistry: dissecting methane flux at the leading edge of global change. A DOE-funded project led by Scott Saleska and Virginia Rich, with Gene Tyson (University of Queensland), Patrick Crill (Stockholm University), Jeff Chanton (Florida State University), Changsheng Li and Steven Frolking (University of New Hampshire.

Overall project focus is to quantify and predict thawing permafrost response to a changing climate, scaling from genes to ecosystem processes in Abisko, Sweden. My role is to help examine microbes’ and viruses’ metabolic potential (via genomes and metagenomes) and expressed metabolism (via metaproteomes) and quantitatively relating it to biogeochemical fluxes. I specifically focus on the greenhouse gas methane, which is the predicted driver of positive climate feedbacks from these systems.

First chapter: Viruses in Permafrost- understanding the viral communities along the permafrost thaw gradient (palsa --> collapsed palsa --> bog --> fen).

Major Questions:

  • How do the viral communities change along the permafrost thaw gradient?
  • How do they relate to identities & processes in microbial communities?
  • How are the viral communities changing between each year?
  • How do the viral communities differ with depth?
  • How do the viral communities change between lake and peat samples?

Second chapter: CRISPRs, the Archaeal last stand-understanding the interactions between the viral and archaeal communities along the permafrost thaw gradient.

Major Questions:

  • How does CRISPR length change throughout summer?
  • How does CRISPR length change among years?
  • Do hydrogenotrophic methanogens and acetoclastic methanogens have different CRISPR systems?
  • How do CRISPRs change along the permafrost thaw gradient?
  • Does CRISPR length correlate with archaeal abundance?

Education

  • 2013- current, Ph.D. in Soil, Water, and Environmental Science, University of Arizona

Minors in Astrobiology and Global Change

  • 2011-2013, M.S. in Environmental Science and Health, University of Nevada, Reno/Desert Research Institute
  • 2007-2011, B.S. in Environmental Microbiology University of Arizona

Minor in Chemistry

Research Interests

  • Microbial Ecology
  • Environmental Science
  • Biogeochemistry
  • Astrobiology
  • Geobiology

Publications

  • Insights into the origin of N2O in Lake Vida brine (In prep). Trubl, G., Kuhn, E., Ostrom, N.E., Fritsen, C.H., Doran, P. T., Murray, A.E. Thesis and manuscript, 2013.
  • The enigmatic nitrogen biogeochemistry of Lake Vida, Antarctica: an isolated brine cryoecosystem (In prep). Ostrom, N. E., Murray, A. E., Trubl, G., Kuhn, E.
  • Virion structural metaproteomics sheds light on ocean ‘viral dark matter’ (in prep). Kim, E-K., Ignacio-Espinoza, J.C., Trubl, G., Jones, R., VerBerkmoes, N., Rich, V.I., & Sullivan, M.B.

Employment

  • Graduate Research Assistant, University of Arizona (UA), Soil, Water, and Environmental Science-Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Tucson, Arizona (2013 – Present)

Overall project focus is to quantify and predict thawing permafrost response to a changing climate, scaling from genes to ecosystem processes in Abisko, Sweden. My role is to help examine microbes’ and viruses’ metabolic potential (via genomes and metagenomes) and expressed metabolism (via metaproteomes) and quantitatively relating it to biogeochemical fluxes. I specifically focus on the greenhouse gas methane, which is the predicted driver of positive climate feedbacks from these systems. Adviser: Dr. Virginia Rich

  • Graduate Research Assistant, Desert Research Institute (DRI)/University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), Nevada System of Higher Education, Reno, Nevada (2011 – 2013)

Project focus was to better understand the microbial diversity, biogeochemistry, and specifically the nitrogen cycle physiology of bacteria in brine from Lake Vida, Antarctica. My role was to culture (aerobically and anaerobically) microbes from this habitat and study their biogeochemical cycling, with a focus on nitrous oxide (N2O) production. To accomplish this I used approaches including screening cultivars for genes and proteins of interest, quantifying actual biogeochemistry and stable isotope techniques to understand isotopomers and Isotopologues of N2O to identify the process and source of the compound. I also explored the process chemodenitrification via a serpentinization-like reaction that may be occurring in Lake Vida brine. Thesis: Insights into the origin of N2O in Lake Vida brine. Adviser: Dr. Alison Murray

  • Biological Aid, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS; 2009 – 2011)

The laboratory leads aflatoxin management through improved understanding of aflatoxin-producing fungi and the aflatoxin contamination process. Responsibilities included studies of the etiology and epidemiology of contamination as well as adaptation, divergence, dispersal, pathogenicity, morphogenesis, and cellular regulation of fungi. Experiments included (1) extraction and analysis of B1 toxin and cyclopiazonic acid, (2) seed coating, and (3) fungal isolate diversity. Adviser: Dr. Peter Cotty

  • Lab Technician, UA, Tree Ring Research Lab (2008)

Received, labeled, and sorted cross sections and core samples. Sanded, analyzed, and photographed samples to support graduate student research. Supervisor: Dr. Ramzi Touchan

Teaching & Outreach

Sky school

Sky School is 1-5 day Science programs for Arizona K-12 students at the 25-acre Mt. Lemmon campus. Programs focus on core UA science areas such as sky island ecology, biology, geology, and astronomy and have been developed in collaboration with local school districts to meet Arizona State and Next Generation Science Standards. I specifically bridge biology and astronomy and share the field of astrobiology with the students. Responsibilities include participating in 4-5 Sky School events in the fall and spring, in which leading daytime activities and participating in evening activities. Daytime activities are for a group of 5-10 students and include sample collection, learning projects, and demonstrations. Contact: Director Dr. Alan Strauss

Sky school

School of Earth & Environmental Sciences hosted Earth week at UA 2014 themed “Scaling the World”. I was in charge of student recruitment for presentations for the SWES department. I reviewed oral & poster abstracts that were submitted, ordered food, created sessions, reserved rooms, and judged posters.

  • La Cima Middle School Career Shadow Day, Tucson, Arizona

I hosted four students for two hours interested in marine microbiology. For the first hour I led a discussion about aspects of the field, necessary education, and career options. The second hour involved a tour of the laboratory involving a discussion of equipment and methods. La Cima coordinator: Vaughn Croft (vaughn.croft@schools.pima.gov)

As the event coordinator I confirmed logistics for the event with Arizona MESA (a university-based outreach program). I planned the activity schedule, recruited activity leaders, identified keynote speakers, arranged for activity supplies and student prizes, organized volunteers, taught activities to volunteers, ordered snacks for students, provided feedback to volunteers, and led the event. The goal was to excite ~80 underrepresented middle school students about STEM fields, college, and sponsor future science related events.

March 1-3, 2013 a festival celebrating extreme environments was held at Death Valley National Park to get the public involved in STEM activities. The agenda included presentations, booth expositions, and field trips (Badwater basin and other park sites). I presented posters to the public, showcased DRI, and collected samples on field trips with youth for viewing under a microscope. Attendees also camped at the park overnight and participated in astrological activities.

  • Graduate outreach aid, University of Nevada, Reno for George L. Dilworth Middle School

We visited weekly through the fall and episodically through the spring. Topics and activities included microbiology mysteries (e.g., 1854 cholera outbreak, 1993 Milwaukee Cryptosporidium outbreak), chemistry demonstrations (e.g., vinegar and baking soda, Coke and Mentos), and math lessons (e.g., calculating how much water we use in a year). Primary activities included interacting with students to solve science problems, working with students to develop STEM research projects, and participating in career day.

  • Preceptor, University of Arizona, NATS 101: A Geological Perspective

Class was three units with a mandatory discussion session. I co-taught the discussion for a semester with a graduate student; taught the discussion session independently for next three semesters (25-30 students). The focus was on a single geological topic with a group assignment. I graded all the assignments and submitted the scores. Professor: Dr. Jessica Kapp

Awards and Other Interests

UNR CABNR Award Ceremony April 2013
  • National Society of Collegiate Scholars
  • National Scholars Honor Society
  • Phi Kappa Phi honor society
  • 56th Presidential Inauguration and University Presidential Inaugural Conference through National Society of Collegiate Scholars; January 19-23, 2009
  • Great Lakes National Scholarship Program recipient (2013, $2,500)
  • Completion of Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry course at Michigan State University (Summer 2012)
  • UNR Graduate Student Association (GSA) travel grants (Fall 2011 for AGU, $500; Spring 2012 ASM, $500; Fall 2012 for AGU, $500)
  • UNR GSA’s poster competition 3rd place (2013, $650)
  • DRI poster competition 1st place (2013, $200)
UNR GSA Award night with fellow grads
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