Research in the Onthank lab focuses on how the physiology of cephalopods helps these organisms survive in the environments they inhabit, and how this influences their interactions with other organisms. Occasionally these questions lead into decidedly ecological or behavioral studies as well.

Octopus arms and suckers in the lab, photo by Meg Mindlin

Cephalopod Physiology & Behavior

Investigating the physiology, energetics, and behavior of cephalopods, with a focus on how these animals interact with and adapt to dynamic marine environments.

Close-up of an octopus eye and skin texture, photo by Meg Mindlin

Environmental Physiology in a Changing Ocean

Exploring how marine organisms respond physiologically to ocean acidification, warming, hypoxia, and other environmental changes associated with a rapidly changing ocean.

Open-source tank control system for ocean acidification experiments

Open-Source Marine Research Tools

Developing open-source hardware, software, and computational approaches that expand access to experimental marine biology and physiological research.

Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory shoreline at sunset

Marine Genomics & Computational Biology

Using genomics, transcriptomics, and computational biology to investigate marine organism evolution, physiology, and adaptation.