Corcoran Lab at New Mexico State University
Corcoran Lab at New Mexico State University
New Mexico Consortium (NMC) Senior Research Scientist Dr. Alina Corcoran has recently established the Corcoran Lab at New Mexico State University (NMSU), creating a new center for research focused on algae, aquatic ecosystems, and environmental sustainability.
The Corcoran Lab conducts research at the intersection of ecology, microbiology, and environmental science, with a particular emphasis on microalgal biology and ecology. Current research areas include algal cultivation ecology, algal-bacterial interactions, and the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems. Through both foundational and applied research, the lab seeks to address important scientific questions that support ecosystem management, resource sustainability, and the development of innovative biological solutions to environmental challenges.
A key goal of the laboratory is to better understand the complex relationships between algae, microorganisms, and their surrounding environments. By studying these interactions, researchers can gain insights into ecosystem health, nutrient cycling, biomass production, and other processes that are important for both natural and managed systems.
The lab is supported by a growing research team that includes NMC Laboratory and Field Technician Heather Martinez and NMC Postdoctoral Researcher Ahlem Jebali. The group recently welcomed Stephanie Getto, an NMSU student who joined the laboratory in the fall semester. In addition, Gurpreet Kaur Nagi will join the research team this summer, further expanding the lab’s capacity for research and student training.
The establishment of the Corcoran Lab provides new opportunities for collaboration between the New Mexico Consortium and New Mexico State University while helping to train the next generation of scientists. Students working in the laboratory gain hands-on experience in ecological and biological research, contributing to projects that address real-world environmental and sustainability challenges.
Although Dr. Corcoran is not currently recruiting additional students or postdoctoral researchers, she welcomes opportunities for scientific collaboration with researchers and organizations interested in related areas of study.
As the laboratory continues to grow, the Corcoran Lab is poised to make important contributions to our understanding of algae, aquatic ecosystems, and the biological processes that support sustainable environmental management.
To learn more about the lab group, visit: corcoranalgaelab.com.
This work is supported by the New Mexico Consortium.
Top photo of PhD student Stephanie Getto in the Molecular Biology and Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Graduate Program aseptically transfers cultures of Nannochloropsis oceanica. Photo by Heather Martinez.
