Marine Aquaculture Postdoctoral Research Associate
Core Program
Sustainable Seafood
Research Program
Microbial Probiotics & Disease Resistance in Aquaculture
Education
B.S., Marine Biology. University of California, San Diego (2019)
Ph.D., Marine Biology. Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Dr. Emily Kunselman is a postdoctoral researcher passionate about microbes and aquaculture. She earned her bachelor’s in Marine Biology from UC San Diego in 2019 and completed her PhD at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 2024. Originally from Michigan, she now calls San Diego home and is committed to advancing sustainable aquaculture in Southern California. Her research focuses on microbial management strategies like probiotics to reduce disease in aquaculture systems. She has worked with Olympia and Pacific oysters, as well as endangered White Abalone, studying how their microbiomes respond to disease and environmental stress. Her goal is to continue to investigate ways for oyster farmers to manage Ostreid herpesvirus. Beyond research, Dr. Kunselman is dedicated to outreach and science communication. She produced On the Half Shell, a short documentary on oyster farming and climate change, and enjoys mentoring students across education levels. She aims to build a collaborative, resilient research program that blends science, communication, and impact.
Publications
Kunselman E, Manrique D, Burge C, Allard SM, Daniel Z, Mitta G, Petton B, Gilbert JA (2024) Temperature and microbe mediated impacts of the San Diego Bay ostreid herpesvirus (OsHV-1) microvariant on juvenile Pacific oysters. Sustainable Microbiology, qvae014, https://doi.org/10.1093/sumbio/qvae014.
Kunselman E, Allard S, Burge C, Marshman B, Frederick A, Gilbert J. Metagenome-assembled genome of withering syndrome causative agent, “Candidatus Xenohaliotis californiensis,” from endangered white abalone (Haliotis sorenseni). Microbiol Resour Announc. 2024 Jun 11;13(6):e0008624. https://doi.org/10.1128/mra.00086-24
Kunselman E, Wiggin K, Diner RE, Gilbert JA, Allard SM. 2024. Microbial threats and sustainable solutions for molluscan aquaculture. Sustainable Microbiology, qvae002, https://doi.org/10.1093/sumbio/qvae002
Diner RE, Zimmer-Faust A, Cooksey E, Allard SM, Kodera SM, Kunselman E, Garodia Y, Verhougstraete MP, Allen AE, Griffith J, Gilbert JA. 2023. Host and Water Microbiota are Differentially Linked to Potential Human Pathogen Accumulation in Oysters. Appl Environ Microbiol. 89(7):e0031823. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00318-23
Kunselman E, Minich JJ, Horwith M, Gilbert JA, and Allen EE. 2022. Survival of Hatchery-Grown Native Oysters Is Associated with Specific Gut-Associated Bacteria at Various Locations within the Puget Sound. Microbiology Spectrum 10:e0198221. https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01982-21