Ella Meek is contributing to research in the Strader Lab that explores how environmental conditions influence the immune responses of sea urchin larvae. Her work spans from hands-on animal care to data analysis, giving her a wide-ranging experience in marine biology research.
In the lab, Ella maintains cultures of purple sea urchins and upside-down jellyfish for experiments. She also assists with data organization and analysis, prepares annotated bibliographies, and contributes to drafting methods for future manuscripts.
Now in her fourth semester in the Strader Lab, Ella reflects on how transformative the experience has been:
“My time here has been amazing, giving me a unique research experience, uncommon husbandry skills, and a guiding hand on how to effectively contribute to the scientific process.”
Through this work, Ella has developed both practical skills and a passion for marine science. Her research experience has instilled in her a deep love for the oceans and a strong curiosity to uncover the unknown.