Lemer Invertebrate Genomics Lab

Lemer Invertebrate Genomics Lab

About

Sarah Lemer, PhD (CV)

Senior Research Faculty of Genomics
University of Guam Marine Laboratory
UOG Station, Mangilao, Guam 96923 USA
sarah.lemer@gmail.com

Google Scholar Profile / ResearchGate Profile

Other Affiliation:

Research Associate
Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology
Museum of Comparative Zoology
Harvard University

My Harvard webpage

Research Interests

Research in the Lemer lab focuses on understanding how biodiversity arises and is maintained in marine invertebrates, at the species, population and individual levels, in the context of a changing environment.

My work primarily focused on diverse mollusc groups, but I also explore the wider realm of marine invertebrates to address my research questions (I even sometimes venture into the vertebrate world!).

In the Lemer lab we mainly use a combination of field work, experiments in controlled environments, Next Generation Sequencing approaches (RNA-Seq, RAD-Seq and Genome sequencing) and bioinformatics to answer questions about population genetics, phylogeny and gene expression in various taxa such as Annelids, Bivalves, Cephalopods and Scleractinian corals.

I welcome new students who are passionate about invertebrate evolutionary genomics! Contact me: sarah.lemer@gmail.com

I am part of the NSF funded Guam Ecosystems Collaboratorium. Learn more about what we do here: Guam EPSCoR

Current Projects

Bleaching Resistance

We are using in aquaria experiments to reproduce the extreme environmental conditions that lead to coral bleaching. The goal is to identify and characterize the molecular processes that allow some corals to adapt to and survive extreme environmental conditions when others usually bleach and/or die.

Bivalve Phylogenomics

Phylogenetic relationships among bivalves still show areas of uncertainty, especially within the Imparidentia group. We sequenced and are analyzing over 100 transcriptomes of bivalves to shed light on the phylogeny of this diverse group of molluscs.

Coral Population Genomics

We are exploring the genetic connectivity, diversity and structure of multiple coral species around the island of Guam using a RAD-Seq approach.

Micronesian Reef Fish Phylogeography

In Micronesia, the fishing industry is a local source for food and economic development, yet movement of fish between Micronesian islands remains unknown. We hope to better understand genetic structure and diversity patterns of the fish families Acanthuridae, Lutjanidae, Scaridae and Lethrinidae across islands.

Lemer Lab Team

Graduate students

Victoria Moscato

Graduate Research Assistant

Email: victoriamoscato@gmail.com
Research: Characterization of Coral Fluorescence in Acropora surculosa in the context of Stress resistance

Constance Sartor

Graduate student Assistant

Email: constance.sartor14@ncf.edu
Research: Coral adaptation to light and temperature

Undergraduates

Jasmin Rotan

Biology Undergraduate

Research: Micronesian Reef Fish Phylogeography

Vince Fabian

Biology Undergraduate

Research: Phylogeography of Micronesian Reef Fish

Charles Hambley

Biology Undergraduate

Research: Effect of heat stress on reproduction of Leptastrea sp. corals

Alumni

Selected Publications

Google Scholar Profile / ResearchGate Profile

2017

D. Combosch*, S. Lemer*, N. Landman, P. Ward, G. Giribet. 2017. Genomic signatures of evolution in the living fossil Nautilus. Molecular Ecology, 26:5923-5938. * Shared first authorship
PUPA. Gilbert, KD. Bergmann, CE. Myers, RT. DeVol, CY. Sun, AZ. Blonsky, J. Zhao, EA. Karan, E. Tamre, N. Tamura, MA. Marcus, AJ. Giuffre, S. Lemer, G. Giribet, JE. Eiler, AH. Knoll. 2017. Nacre tablet thickness records formation temperature in modern and fossil shells. Earth and Planetary Science Letters; 460:281-292

2016

D. Combosch; TM. Collins; EA, Glover; DL. Graf; EM. Harper; JM. Healy; GY. Kawauchi; S. Lemer; E. McIntyre; EE. Strong; JD. Taylor; JD. Zardus; PM. Mikkelsen; G. Giribet, R. Bieler. 2017. A family-level Tree of Life for bivalves based on a Sanger-sequencing approach. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 107: 191-208
S. Lemer, D. Combosch, D. Dumale, F. Sotto, V. Soliman, G. Giribet. 2016. The family Pinnidae (Mollusca, Bivalvia) in the Philippine archipelago: observations on its distribution and phylogeography. The Nautilus, 130:4.
S. Lemer, V. González, R. Bieler, G. Giribet,. 2016. Cementing mussels to oysters in the pteriomorphian tree: phylogenomic approach. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 283:1833

2015

S. Lemer, D. Saulnier, Y. Gueguen, S. Planes,. 2015. Identification of genes associated with shell color in the black-lipped pearl oyster, Pinctada magaritifera. BMC Genomics, 16:568
S. Lemer, GY. Kawauchi, CS Andrade, MJ Boyle, G. Giribet,. 2015. Re-evaluating the phylogeny of Sipuncula through transcriptomics. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 83: 174-183
R. Fernandez*, S. Lemer*, G. Giribet,. 2015. Comparative phylogeography and population genetic structure of three widespread mollusc species in the Mediterranean and near Atlantic. Marine Ecology, 36: 701-715. * Shared first authorship

2014

S. Lemer & G. Giribet,. 2014. Occurrence of a Bivalve-inhabiting marine hydrozoan (Hydrozoa, Hydroidolina, Leptothecata) in the amber pen-shell Pinna carnea Gmelin, 1791 (Bivalvia, Pteriomorphia, Pinnidae) from Bocas del Toro. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 80: 464-468
G. Giribet, S. Lemer,. 2014. On the occurrence of Tuleocaris neglecta Chace, 1969 (Decapoda, Palaemonidae, Pontoniinae) in Echinometra lucunter (Linnaeus, 1758) (Echinodermata, Echinoidea, Echinometridae) in the archipelgos of Bocas del Toro, Panama. Crustaceana, 87: 634-638
S. Lemer & S. Planes,. 2014. Effects of habitat fragmentation on the genetic structure and connectivity of the black‑lipped pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera populations in French Polynesia. Marine Biology, 161: 2035-2049
S. Lemer, B Buge, A. Bemis, G. Giribet. 2014. First molecular phylogeny of the circumtropical bivalve family Pinnidae (Mollusca, Bivalvia): evidence for high levels of cryptic species diversity. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 75: 11-23

2012

S. Lemer & S. Planes,. 2012. Translocation of wild populations: conservation implications for the genetic diversity of the black-lipped pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera. Molecular Ecology, 21: 2949-2962
A.C. Stier, M.A. Gil, C.S. McKeon, S. Lemer, M. Leray, S.C. Mills, C.W. Osenberg,. 2012. Housekeeping mutualisms: do more symbionts facilitate host performance? PLoS ONE 7(4):e32079. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0032079

2011

S. Lemer, E. Rochel, S. Planes,. 2011. Correction method for null alleles in species with variable microsatellite flanking regions, a case study of the black-lipped pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera. Journal of Heredity, 102 (2) 243-246
S. Planes & S. Lemer,. 2011. Individual-based analysis opens new insights into understanding population structure and animal behaviour. Molecular Ecology, 20: 187-189

2007

P. Borsa, S. Lemer, D. Aurelle,. 2007. Patterns of lineage diversification in rabbitfishes. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 44: 427-435.

2006

S. Lemer , D. Aurelle, L. Vigliola, J.D. Durand, P. Borsa,. 2006. Cytochrome b barcoding, molecular systematics, and geographic differentiation in rabbitfishes (Siganidae). Comptes Rendus Biologies, 330 (1): 86-94.

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Lemer Invertebrate Genomics Lab