Shady Amin
Associate Program Head for Undergraduate Studies of Biology; Associate Professor of Biology; Global Network Associate Professor of Biology
Affiliation: NYU Abu Dhabi
Education: BSc Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara; MA Chemistry, San Diego State University; PhD Inorganic Chemistry, University of California San Diego/San Diego State University Joint Program
Research Websites: Marine Microbiomics Lab
Research Areas: Chemical Ecology, Biological Oceanography, Marine Biology, Symbiosis
Prof. Amin is a biological oceanographer/marine chemist who uses biological and chemical tools to address fundamental questions about the role microbiomes play in the adaptation and evolution of marine hosts, such as microalgae, corals, and cetaceans. In marine ecosystems, metabolite exchanges between these eukaryotic hosts and their microbiomes play critical roles in interkingdom signaling and symbiotic associations, which ultimately influence the host’s physiology, adaptation to environmental change, and ultimately transform marine ecosystems. These associations may also play a role in the development of harmful algal blooms in coastal areas or diseases in animals. To study these complex relationships, his lab uses a variety of tools, including genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, fieldwork, microbiological, and molecular biology techniques. In addition, Shady is involved in a consortium of NYU PIs who are establishing an environmental monitoring system across the Abu Dhabi coast to collect data that will help prediction of harmful algal blooms and other environmental phenomena.
Shady received his B.Sc. from UC Santa Barbara and Ph.D. from UC San Diego and San Diego State University, where he studied symbiotic exchanges between phytoplankton and bacteria. He held a postdoctoral position at the University of Washington, where he worked on signaling mechanisms between diatoms and bacteria and adaptation of archaea to micronutrient limitations in the ocean. He joined NYU Abu Dhabi in 2015.