CV

Education

• Ph.D in Marine Biology & Ecology, RSMAS, University of Miami, 2024
• B.S. in (1) Microbiology and Immunology & (2) Marine Science, University of Miami, 2019

Research experience

• Postdoctoral Research Fellow (September 2024 - Present)
  • University of British Columbia
  • Supervisor: Patrick Keeling
• Graduate Research Assistant (2019 - 2024)
  • University of Miami
  • Supervisor: Javier del Campo
• Research Assistant (October 2018 - August 2019)
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratories
  • Supervisor: Dr. Christopher Sinigalliano
• Research Assistant (January 2018 - May 2019)
  • University of Miami
  • Supervisor: Dr. Nikki Traylor-Knowles

Fellowships & Grants

• FELLOWSHIP: Canada Postdoctoral Research Award - $140,000 CAD (February 2026 – present)
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
• GRANT: ISOP-Funded Symposium - $6,000 USD (January 2026)
  • International Society of Protistologists
• AWARD: Holz-Connor Travel Award - $1,500 USD (May 2023 & 2025)
  • International Society of Protistologists
• AWARD: Jahn-Bovee Award for Best Student Oral Presentation, 2nd Prize - $300 USD (August 2024)
  • International Society of Protistologists
• AWARD: Outstanding Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (April 2024)
  • University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science
• AWARD: Outstanding Graduate Student Leader (April 2022)
  • University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science
• FELLOWSHIP: Travelling Fellowship - $5,000 USD (January 2022)
  • The Company of Biologists
• FELLOWSHIP: Center for Computational Science Fellows Programs (November 2019 – May 2020)
  • University of Miami, Center for Computational Science
• GRANT: Small Undergraduate Research Grant Experience Award - $1,500 USD (Spring 2019)
  • University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science
• FELLOWSHIP: Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship Program - $10,000 USD (July 2017 – May 2019)
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Publications

• Hurdeal, V. G., Cooney, E. C., Lax, G., Bonacolta, A. M., Keeling, P. J., Fast, N. M. (2026) Single-cell transcriptomics reveals a new marine parasite: characterization and distribution of Rozellomyces from the Gulf of Alaska. Mycologia. https://doi.org/10.1080/00275514.2026.2631200

• Weiler, B. A., Kron, N., Bonacolta, A. M., Vermeij, M. A., Baker, A. C., del Campo, J. (2026) Temporal transcriptional rhythms govern coral-symbiont function and microbiome dynamics. Cell Host & Microbe. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2026.01.004

• Bonacolta, A.M. & Keeling, P.J. (2026) Modern microbialites harbor an undescribed diversity of chromerid algae. Environmental Microbiome. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-026-00852-4

• Bonacolta, A. M., Li, L.*, del Campo, J., Keeling, P. J. (2026) Endosymbiotic apicomplexans of marine holobionts: microbial parasites in a warming ocean. Journal of Integrative and Comparative Biology. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icag006

• Tulloch, S.*, Estarellas, M., Adams, D. C., Bonacolta, A., …, & Carranza, S. (2026). Comparative skin microbiome analyses reveal differences between wild populations and captive groups of the Montseny brook newt (Calotriton arnoldi). ISME Communications, ycaf245. https://doi.org/10.1093/ismeco/ycaf245

• del Campo, J., Bonacolta, A. M., Weiler, B. A., Knowles, B., Apprill, A., Fox, M. D., Wakeman, K. C., Vermeij, M. J. A., Rohwer, F., Keeling, P. J. (2026) Global diversity and distribution of coral-associated protists. Submitted. Pre-print link

• Kulikov, N., Joffroy, K., Bonacolta, A. M., del Campo, J., Irisarri, I. (2026) The chromosome-scale genome assembly of the redlip blenny, Ophioblennius macclurei (Blenniidae). Genome Biology and Evolution, 18(1), evaf242. https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaf242

• Grimes, C. J., Bonacolta, A. M., Halanych, K. M. (2025). Microbial community composition and functional potential in Annelida from abyssal and hadal zones of the Aleutian trench. Progress in Oceanography, 241, 103643. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103643

• Bonacolta, A. M., Kravitz, T.*, Mozo, R., Baker, L. J., Heuer, R. M., Grosell, M., del Campo, J. Symbiotic bacteria support calcium carbonate precipitation in the Gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta). Submitted. Pre-print link: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.10.07.681008

• Bonacolta, A. M., Krause-Massaguer, J., Unuma, T., del Campo, J. (2025). The sea cucumber-infecting parasite Apostichocystis gudetama gen. nov. sp. nov. expands marine-host-specific clade of apicomplexans. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 72(3), e70013. https://doi.org/10.1111/jeu.70013

• Bonacolta, A. M., Weiler, B. A., Grimes, C. J., Trznadel, M., Vermeij, M. J. A., Keeling, P. J., del Campo, J. (2025). Fireworms are a reservoir and potential vector for coral-infecting apicomplexans. The ISME Journal, 19(1), wraf078. https://doi.org/10.1093/ismejo/wraf078

• Jacko-Reynolds, V.K., Kwong, W.K., Livingston, S.J., Trznadel, M., Bonacolta, A.M., Lax, G., Shivak, J., Irwin, N.A., Vermeij, M.J., Del Campo, J. and Keeling, P.J. (2025). Phylogenomics of Coral-Infecting Corallicolids Reveal Multiple Independent Losses of Chlorophyll Biosynthesis in Apicomplexan Parasites. Current Biology, 35(5), 1156-1163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.01.028

• Bonacolta, A. M., Snyder, G. A., Karp, R. F., Yeager, E., Wen, A. D. E., Dennison, C. E., Nonell, J., Traylor-Knowles, N., Baker, A. C., del Campo, J. (2024). Single-Cell Atlas of Coral Bleaching. Submitted. Pre-print link

• Bonacolta, A. M., Visscher, P. T., Del Campo, J., & White III, R. A. (2024). The eukaryome of modern microbialites reveals distinct colonization across aquatic ecosystems. npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, 10(1), 78. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41522-024-00547-z

• Bonacolta, A. M., Krause-Massaguer, J., Smit, N. J., Sikkel, P. C., & Del Campo, J. (2024). A new and widespread group of fish apicomplexan parasites. Current Biology. 34(12), 2748-2755. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.04.084

• Bonacolta, A. M., Miravall, J., Gómez‐Gras, D., Ledoux, J. B., López‐Sendino, P., Garrabou, J., … & Del Campo, J. (2024). Differential apicomplexan presence predicts thermal stress mortality in the Mediterranean coral Paramuricea clavata. Environmental Microbiology, 26(1), e16548. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.16548

• Gitter, A., Gidley, M., Mena, K. D., Ferguson, A., Sinigalliano, C., Bonacolta, A., & Solo-Gabriele, H. (2023). Integrating microbial source tracking with quantitative microbial risk assessment to evaluate site specific risk based thresholds at two South Florida beaches. Frontiers in Microbiology, 14, 1210192. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1210192

• Bonacolta, A. M., Weiler, B. A., Porta-Fitó, T., Sweet, M., Keeling, P., & del Campo, J. (2023). Beyond the Symbiodiniaceae: diversity and role of microeukaryotic coral symbionts. Coral Reefs, 42(2), 567-577. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-023-02352-0

• Bonacolta, A. M., Connelly, M. T., M. Rosales, S., Del Campo, J., & Traylor-Knowles, N. (2021). The starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, possesses body region-specific bacterial associations with spirochetes dominating the capitulum. FEMS microbiology letters, 368(3), fnab002. https://doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fnab002

• Sinigalliano, C., Kim, K., Gidley, M., Yuknavage, K., Knee, K., Palacios, D., Bonacolta, A., …, & Maurin, L. (2021). Microbial source tracking of fecal indicating bacteria in coral reef waters, recreational waters, and groundwater of Saipan by real-time quantitative PCR. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, 596650. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.596650

Talks

1. *Bonacolta AM. Apicomplexans in the hot seas (Co-organized symposium). Protistology Open. Prague (Czech Republic). Scheduled for April 2026.
2. *Bonacolta AM. Endosymbiotic apicomplexans of marine holobionts: microbial parasites in a warming ocean (Invited talk). Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) Annual Meeting. Portland, Oregon (USA). January 2026.
3. Bonacolta AM. Fireworms are a reservoir and potential vector for coral apicomplexans (corallicolids) (Contributed talk; Parasite Session Chair). XVI International Congress of Protistology / International Society of Protistologists (ICOP/ISOP). Seoul (South Korea). June 2025.
4. *Bonacolta AM. Endosymbiotic apicomplexans of marine holobionts: bridging ecology and evolution (Invited talk). Departmental Seminar, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology. Onna, Okinawa (Japan). May 2025.
5. Bonacolta AM. Targeted genomics reveal the diversity and potential ecological impacts of novel apicomplexan lineages (Contributed talk; 2nd prize for best student oral presentation). PSA–ISOP–ISEP Joint Meeting. Seattle, Washington (USA). July 2024.
6. Weiler BA, Kron N, Bonacolta AM, Baker AC, del Campo J. Coral pathobiome community structure, network dynamics, and expression signatures provide critical context into molecular-based definitions of infectious coral diseases (Contributed talk). European Coral Reefs Symposium. Napoli (Italy) July 2024.
7. Krause-Massaguer J, Bonacolta AM, Christou M, Porta-Fitó T, del Campo J. Targeted genomics of apicomplexan symbionts in Mediterranean corals (Contributed poster). European Coral Reefs Symposium. Napoli (Italy) July 2024.
8. Bonacolta AM. Single-cell transcriptomics reveal differential responses of mixed protist symbiont communities and host cells in corals during heat stress (Contributed talk). IX ECOP / ISOP Meeting. Vienna (Austria). July 2023.
9. Bonacolta AM. Apicomplexans and Syndiniales predict thermal stress response in the Mediterranean coral Paramuricea clavata (Contributed talk). International Society for Evolutionary Protistology (ISEP23). Online. January 2023.
10. Bonacolta AM. Beyond the zooxanthellae: a multifaceted approach to explore coral-associated microeukaryotes (Contributed talk). International Coral Reef Symposium. Bremen (Germany). July 2022.
11. Weiler BA, Kellogg CA, Bonacolta AM, Whitson E, del Campo J. A meta-analysis of the published coral microbiome studies (Contributed talk). 14th International Coral Reef Symposium. Bremen (Germany). July 2022.
12. Bonacolta AM. Analyzing the correlation between microbiome composition and thermal tolerance in Paramuricea clavata (Contributed talk). International Society of Protistologists Summer Seminar Series. Online. September 2021.
13. Bonacolta AM. Single-cell RNA sequencing of a scleractinian coral to improve understanding of the holobiont’s response to bleaching (Contributed talk). International Coral Reef Symposium. Online. July 2021.
14. Bonacolta AM. Single-cell transcriptomic sequencing of a coral during the bleaching process (Oral presentation). IDSC Fellowship Capstone Presentation. Miami, Florida (USA). April 2020.
15. Bonacolta AM. Distinguishing the compartmentalization of the microbiome in the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis (Contributed poster). RSMAS Undergraduate Research Symposium. Miami, Florida (USA). May 2019.
16. Bonacolta AM. Assessment of land-based contamination in corals in the Florida Keys using next-generation sequencing and microbial source tracking (Contributed poster). NOAA Hollings Scholarship Symposium. Washington, D.C. (USA). August 2018.
17. Bonacolta AM. Assessment of land-based contamination in corals in the Florida Keys using next-generation sequencing and microbial source tracking (Contributed poster). Southeast Ecology and Evolution Conference. Miami, Florida (USA). October 2018.

Mentorship

• Alina Jarvis, University of British Columbia, Undergraduate, Apicomplexan Evolution (2026 – present)
• Hailey Znamenacek & Ella Wilson, Steamboat Springs High School, Coral Microbiomes (2024 – present)
• Kay Li, University of British Columbia, Undergraduate, Echinoderm Microbiomes (2024 – present)
• Tristan Kravitz, University of Miami, MPS Program, Microbiome analysis (2022 – 2025)
• Sergi Tulloch, Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC - UPF), Graduate, Microbiome analysis (2022 – 2024)
• Caleigh Weis, University of Miami, Undergraduate, DNA clean-up and sequencing prep (2022 – 2023)
• Shea Halpenny, University of Miami, Undergraduate, Ciliate Culturing & Isolation (2021 – 2022)
• Sean Lowry, University of Miami, MPS Program, rRNA Operon Bioinformatic Mining (2020 – 2021)

Teaching

• Teaching Assistant
  • Marine Animal Neurophysiology and Behavior, undergraduate level (Fall 2022)
  • Introduction to Marine Science, undergraduate level (Spring 2022)
  • Marine Biology Laboratory, undergraduate level (Fall 2020)
• Guest Lectures
  • Coral Immunology and Microbiology, undergraduate level, The Coral Eukaryome (Fall 2021 – 2024)
  • Tropical Marine Ecology, graduate level, The Coral Eukaryome (Fall 2023)
  • Institut de Biologia Evolutiva high-school Visit, high-school level, Marine Microbial Ecology (Spring 2022)

Service and leadership

Scientific Society Memberships

• International Society of Protistology (ISOP) (2019 – present)
• International Coral Reef Society (ICRS) (2019 – present)
• American Society for Microbiology (ASM) (2019 – 2022)

Organizational Roles

• Mentor, Biology Undergraduate Diversity in Research Program (BUDR) (October 2025 – present)
• Member, International Society of Protistologists Communication Committee (October 2024 – present)
• Graduate Student Representative, RSMAS MBE Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Taskforce (July 2020 – May 2024)
• President, UMiami Graduate Student LGBTQ+ Organization (GradOUT) (July 2022 – April 2024)
• Curator & Code Contributor, PR2 Eukaryotic 18S rRNA sequence Database (July 2023)
• Lead Campus Ambassador, Get Out the Vote (September 2020 – November 2022)

Peer-review

• Full record of verified scientific peer-reviews at Web of Science.

• Journals: Nature Microbiology, Global Change Biology, Environmental Microbiology, Coral Reefs, Protist, Harmful Algae, Science Advances, Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, PlosOne, PeerJ & Discover Oceans

Misc.

• Organized ISOP-funded Symposium – “The Symbiotic Continuum across the Tree of Life” (April 2026)
  • Protistology Open, Prague, Czech Republic
  • Acquired funding ($6,000 USD), invited speakers, and co-hosted the symposium