Biology

Julia Kubanek, Associate Professor

Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 1998
julia.kubanek@biology.gatech.edu
Phone: (404) 894-8424
Fax: (404) 385-4440
Office: Enviormental Science & Technology 2242/2170, 2172, 2175

Research Interests

Chemical ecology; Chemical communication/ chemical signaling; marine natural products chemistry; secondary metabolism; harmful algal blooms; plankton ecology

Chemical Ecology

Most organisms use chemical signals to assess their environment and to communicate with others. Chemical cues for defense, mating, habitat selection, and food tracking are known to be crucial, widespread in occurrence, and structurally and functionally diverse. Yet, our understanding of chemical signaling is patchy, especially in marine environments. Processes such as oceanic primary production affect global climate, human health, and our sustainable use of environmental resources. Understanding the interactions between marine organisms and how marine ecosystems function is an important scientific goal that can be tackled with both biological and chemical approaches. Research in Professor Julia Kubanek's laboratory explores mechanisms of chemical communication and signaling in aquatic environments. Using both chemical and biological experimentation in the laboratory and at field sites around the world, we examine the ecological roles and consequences of plant and animal natural products. Ongoing projects include: (1) harmful algal bloom toxin function and effects on food webs and competitors; (2) pheromones and sex attraction of zooplankton, crabs, and lobsters; (3) chemical defenses of tropical organisms against marine pathogens; (4) drug discovery based upon new natural products from coral reef organisms in Fiji; (5) freshwater community structure mediated by plant antifeedant chemical compounds.

Selected Publications

[Complete list of publications]

    40. Kubanek J*, Snell TW, Pirkle C# (2007) Chemical defense of the red tide dinoflagellate Karenia brevis against rotifer grazing.  Limnology & Oceanography 52:1026-1035

    39.  Parker JD, Burkepile DE, Collins DO#, Kubanek J, Hay ME (2007) Stream mosses as chemically-defended refugia for freshwater macroinvertebrates.  OIKOS 116:302-312

    38.  Prince EK#, Lettieri L#, McCurdy KJ#, Kubanek J* (2006) Fitness consequences for copepods feeding on a red tide dinoflagellate: deciphering the effects of nutritional value, toxicity, and feeding behavior. Oecologia 147:479-488

    37.  Lane AL#, Kubanek J* (2006) Structure-activity relationship of chemical defenses from the freshwater plant Micranthemum umbrosum.  Phytochemistry 67:1224-1231

    36.  Kubanek J*, Prusak AC#, Snell TW, Giese RA#, Fairchild CR, Aalbersberg W, Hay ME (2006)  Bromophycolides C-I from the Fijian red alga Callophycus serratus.  Journal of Natural Products 69:731-735

    35.  Burkepile DE, Parker JD, Woodson CB, Mills HJ, Kubanek J, Sobecky P, Hay ME (2006)  Chemically-mediated competition between microbes and animals: microbes as consumers in food webs. Ecology 87:2821-2831

    34.  Snell TW, Kubanek J, Carter W, Payne AB, Kim J, Hicks MK#, Stelzer CP (2006) A protein signal triggers sexual reproduction in Brachionus plicatilis (Rotifera). Marine Biology 149:763-773

    33.  Parker JD, Collins DO#, Kubanek J, Sullards MC, Bostwick D, Hay ME (2006) Chemical defenses promote persistence of the aquatic plant Micranthemum umbrosum.  Journal of Chemical Ecology 32:815-833

    32.  Kubanek J*, Prusak AC#, Snell TW, Giese RA#, Hardcastle K, Fairchild C, Aalbersberg W, Raventos-Suarez C, Hay ME (2005) Antineoplastic diterpene-benzoate macrolides from the Fijian red alga Callophycus serratus.  Organic Letters 7:5261-5264

    31. Kubanek J*, Prusak AC#, Snell TW, Giese RA#, Hardcastle K, Fairchild C, Aalbersberg W, Raventos-Suarez C, Hay ME (2005) Antineoplastic diterpene-benzoate macrolides from the Fijian red alga Callophycus serratus. Organic Letters 7:5261-5264