Dr Eve Maunders

I am a molecular microbiologist in the Degnan lab. My research focuses on studying the symbiotic relationship between marine sponges and the internal microbial communities they harbour. As one of the earliest multicellular life forms, marine sponges are in a unique evolutionary position to shed light on the cardinal rules governing modern animal-microbe symbioses thereby uncovering broader ecological and evolutionary implications. Using genomic, molecular and behavioural methods, I investigate how these symbiotic partnerships influence sponge development and how symbioses break down in response to environmental challenges.