Marine Science

Degrees

• Interdisciplinary Ecology, Microbiology
  Ph.D., University of Florida, 2012
• Interdisciplinary Ecology, Microbiology
  M.Sc., University of Florida, 2008
• Biology and German, Summa cum Laude
  B.A., Drew University, 2006

Research interests

My research interests lie in host-microbe interactions and specifically how mutualistic or commensal microbiota influence the host’s physiologic response to various abiotic and biotic stressors. These types of interactions are present in a wide array of systems ranging from humans and other vertebrates, to invertebrates and to plants. Tropical corals and the sea anemone Aiptasia, form mutualistic symbioses with dinoflagellate algae (in the family Symbiodiniaceae) and other microbial partners (bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi). Our understanding of all stages of this symbiosis (onset and establishment, maintenance, and breakdown) is extremely limited, which allows us to ask many exciting and challenging questions. I joined the faculty at Eckerd College in 2016 and my research aims to better understand how associated microbiota affect the physiology of the coral holobiont and what mechanisms underpin the overall success of the symbiosis. I regularly involve undergraduate students as assistants in my research.

Courses taught

• Comparative Physiology
• Biological Oceanography
• Marine Invertebrate Biology
• Coral Reefs
• Marine Science Seminar – Marine Symbioses

Selected publications

• Cleves PA, Krediet CJ, Lehnert EM, Onishi M, Pringle JR. 2020. Insights into coral bleaching under heat stress from analysis of gene expression in a sea-anemone model system. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117:28906-28917
• Krediet CJ, DeNofrio JC, Caruso CX, Burriesci MS, Cella K, Pringle JR.  2015. Rapid, precise, and accurate counts of Symbiodinium cells using the Guava flow cytometer, and a comparison to other methods. PLoS ONE 10(8): e0135725.
• Pollock FJ, Krediet CJ, Garren, M, Stocker R, Winn K, Wilson B, Huete-Stauffer C, Willis BL, Bourne, DG.  2015. Visualization of coral host-pathogen interactions using a stable GFP labeled Vibrio coralliilyticus strain. Coral Reefs 34: 655-662.
• Krediet CJ, Ritchie KB, Paul VJ, Teplitski M.  2013.  Coral-associated microorganisms and their roles in promoting coral health and thwarting diseases.  Proc Roy Soc B 280: 20122328