
CRUSTOMICS
Crustacean Genomics and Systematics Lab


















































About Us
Learn some facts about our lab!
The CRUSTOMICS lab is fundamentally interested in the evolution of marine invertebrates with an emphasis on decapod crustaceans. We use morphological and molecular techniques to address questions related to their relationships, origins, biogeography, biodiversity, ecology, taxonomy, and conservation. My main research objectives include 1) decapod phylogenetics and genomics, 2) the evolution of systems and structures (ex. bioluminescence, vision, color), and 3) the identification of key morphological traits that promote diversification and speciation within this group.
We are located at ...

Florida International University - Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151 Street, MSB-330 (Lab), MSB-361 (office)
North Miami, Florida 33181, USA
Phone : 305 919-4030
Fax : 305 919-4190
CRABTASTIC NEWS

Physetocaris microphthalma
Sept. 2023
Extra! Extra!
A new paper was released by Dr. Heather Bracken Grissom & Dr. Pedro Peres who have been investigating this super rare deep-sea shrimp!

Reach for the Stars!
Angel Rodriguez
He may not be new to our lab but Angel has taken a step down from lab manager and is further pursuing his education by continuing with us as a New PhD student!

Welcome New Lab Manager
Angie!
Aug. 2023
After interning at our lab for almost a year and graduating with her B.S in Marine Biology, Angie was given the opportunity to join us as our new lab manager!

Welcome aboard
Mary!
Mary will be joining us as a PhD Student along with Angel and Natalie!

Safe travels!
Deepend Cruise
A big congratulations to Robert Tomasetti as he successfully defended his dissertation and has graduated with his PhD!!

Congratulations
Dr. Tomasetti
A big congratulations to Robert Tomasetti as he successfully defended his dissertation and has graduated with his PhD!!

Wishing you the best
Dr. Ballou!
lauren is off to share her knowlegde at Berea College as a professor

New Candidate
Stormie!
Stormie confidentally
and is now a PhD Candidate!

King of the Bay
Spring 2023
The CRUSTOMICS Lab participated in the first annual King of the Bay competition!

Acanthephyra
heatherii
Fall 2022
Dr. Alexander Vereshchaka name a new Acanthephyra shrimp species, Acanthephyra heatherii, after our very own Dr. Heather Bracken-Grissom. That marks the second species to be named after her!

Great Job Dr. Pedro!
Spring 2022
Congrats to Dr. Pedro Peres for receiving Best Oral Presentation in the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology's Division of Phylogenetics and Comparative Biology (SICB DPCB) Wake Award Session!

Congratulations
Dr. Charles!
Fall 2021
Charles Golightly has successfully defended his thesis "The Evolution of Bioluminescence in the Shrimp Family Sergestidae: aGenome Skimming and Phylogenetic Approach" and received his Masters. Congrats Charles!

NSF Award!
Deep-sea Vent Shrimps
Fall 2022
Dr. Heather Bracken-Grissom has been awarded a $1.35 million from the National Science Foundation to study alvinocaridid deep sea vent shrimp. More news on this project to come in 2023!

Congratulations
Dr. Varela!
Fall 2021
Carlos Valera has successfully defended his dissertation "DNA BARCODING ENHANCES LARGE-SCALE BIODIVERSITY INITIATIVES FOR DEEP-PELAGIC CRUSTACEANS WITHIN THE GULF OF MEXICO AND ADJACENT WATERS" and successfully obtained his doctorate. Congrats Dr. Valera!

Welcome NEW PhD Students
Natalie & Stormie!
Fall 2021
Stormie Collins and Natalie Whitaker joined Fall 2021 as doctoral students. Stormie plans on working with bioluminescence in shrimp and Natalie plans on working with spider crab seascape genomics!

Welcome NEW Lab Manager
Harrison!
Fall 2021
Harrison Mancke became the lab manager and received the NSF REPS fund!

NOAA Journey into
Midnight Expedition!
Spring 2021
Dr. Heather was part of the 2019 NOAA Journey into Midnight Expedition that found the first ever giant squid in US waters.
Check it out here!

Cancellus
heatherae
Spring 2021
Cancellus heatherae is a newly described species of hermit crab named after Dr. BG to honor her contributions to decapod phylogenetics. It was found over 300 feet down!
Check it out here!

Way to Go
Stormie!
Spring 2021
Stormie was awarded the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship to join the doctoral program in Fall 2021!
One of eleven students to be awarded at FIU.
Read more here!

Congratulations
Dr. Ditter!
Fall 2020
A big congratulations to Robb as he successfully defended his dissertation and accepted a postdoctoral research position at University of California, Davis!
Good luck Dr. Ditter!

Shrimply-amazing!
Fall 2020
Dr. Bracken-Grissom appointed as the Assistant Director of Coastlines and Oceans Division at FIU.
Check her out!

You're a Star
Dr. Schweikert!
Summer 2020
A BIG congratulations to Lori for accepting an Assistant Professorship position in the Department of Biology and Marine Biology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington!

Keep up the good work!
Spring 2020
Robert was awarded NSF GRFP!

SQUID-iculously cool!
Spring 2020
Dr. Heather Bracken Grissom was part of a research team to discover interactions between a pelagic shark and giant cephalopod!
Read more here!

Congratulations
Dr. Jorge Perez Moreno
Spring 2020
Congratulations s to Dr. Jorge Perez Moreno for successfully defending his dissertation on the evolution and vision of cave crustaceans!

Congrats to Dr. Pedro Peres for receiving Best Oral Presentation in the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology's Division of Phylogenetics and Comparative Biology (SICB DPCB) Wake Award Session!
Spring 2022

Carlos Valera has successfully defended his dissertation "DNA BARCODING ENHANCES LARGE-SCALE BIODIVERSITY INITIATIVES FOR DEEP-PELAGIC CRUSTACEANS WITHIN THE GULF OF MEXICO AND ADJACENT WATERS" and successfully obtained his doctorate. Congrats Dr. Valera!
Fall 2021

Charles Golightly has successfully defended his thesis "The Evolution of Bioluminescence in the Shrimp Family Sergestidae: a
Genome Skimming and Phylogenetic Approach" and received his Masters. Congrats Charles!
Fall 2021

Stormie Collins and Natalie Whitaker joined Fall 2021 as doctoral students. Stormie plans on working with bioluminescence in shrimp and Natalie plans on working with spider crab seascape genomics!
Fall 2021

Harrison Mancke became the lab manager and received the NSF REPS fund!
Fall 2021

Cancellus heatherae is a newly described species of hermit crab named after Dr. BG to honor her contributions to decapod phylogenetics. It was found over 300 feet down!Check it out here!
Spring 2021

Dr. HBG was part of the 2019 NOAA Journey into Midnight Expedition that found the first ever giant squid in US waters.
Check it out here!
Spring 2021

Spring 2021
Stormie was awarded the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship to join the doctoral program in Fall 2021!
One of eleven students to be awarded at FIU. Read more here!
Bracken-Grissom appointed as the Assistant Director of Coastlines and Oceans Division at FIU. Read more here!

A big congratulations to Robb as he successfully defended his dissertation and accepted a postdoctoral research position at University of California, Davis! Good luck Dr. Ditter!
Fall 2020

Fall 2020

A BIG congratulations to Lori for accepting an Assistant Professorship position in the Department of Biology and Marine Biology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington!
Summer 2020
Spring 2020

HBG part of a research team to discover interactions between a pelagic shark and giant cephalopod! Read more here!
SQUID-iculously cool!

Robert was awarded NSF GRFP!
CRUSTOMICS lab keeping up the good work!
Spring 2020
