Deanna Beatty

Growing up in Florida, I have always had a love of the ocean. After obtaining my bachelors degree from Northeastern University in 2008, I moved to San Diego, California to follow my passion for discovery-based science. I worked at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD with some of the most well-respected marine natural product chemists and microbiologists looking for new antibiotics from the ocean. During this time I was lucky enough to travel to far away places and explore the tiny things that live there (bacteria!). We looked for new compounds produced by bacteria living on the surfaces of coral reef plants and animals, and investigated bacterial interactions in host defense against pathogens. My work at Scripps fueled my interest in obtaining a PhD, further exploring the role microbes play in host and ecosystem health. Ocean health effects us all and I'm fortunate to have the opportunity to explore the tiny things that play a BIG role in the persistence of these diverse and beautiful ecosystems.

August 2016