Brooke Travis Navigates the Deep, Dark Sea

What began as a childhood fascination with marine biology in landlocked upstate New York has turned into a groundbreaking academic journey for PhD candidate Brooke Travis (Peter Girguis, Advisor) who explores life in one of Earth’s most extreme environments: the deep sea.

Brooke's research is featured in the Harvard Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) News. Brooke was drawn by an interest in molecular biology and the unseen world of bacteria, Brooke's research focuses on life near hydrothermal vents—underwater hot springs where, in the absence of sunlight and low oxygen, bacteria thrive by converting chemicals into energy in a process known as chemoautotrophy. These microscopic organisms form the base of a rich ecosystem in the deep ocean, challenging long-held scientific assumptions that complex life can't flourish without sunlight.

Brooke's ability to create her own curriculum at GSAS inspired her to launch the InterDisciplinary Club, where scholars from different fields share their work and gain insight from different perspectives. 

Brooke studies a deep-sea clam that can live without oxygen for ten months—three times longer under these conditions than other clams. I want to know how chemoautotrophic bacteria support the clam during oxygen-starved periods.  "I hypothesize the bacteria are creating an internal reservoir of oxygen to support the clam’s needs, which would be a completely novel discovery," said Brook.

Images: Brooke onboard the the research vessel EV Nautilus; Travis helps mentor Professor Peter Girguis to homogenize tissue for incubation experiments aboard the R/V Roger Revelle in the Guaymas Basin./Sebastian Krause