Joining the lab

Mentorship and scientific training are among the parts of my job that I value and enjoy the most. One of the most rewarding aspects of my career has been seeing students and postdocs learn, develop as scientists, and succeed in their careers. I view mentorship as a long-term commitment that extends beyond someone's time in the lab, as reflected in the Former Lab Members section of this website, where you can see where many of our alumni are now.

Because I take mentorship seriously, doing it well requires substantial time and attention from me and from other members of the lab. This necessarily limits how many new people we can take on at any given time. I also receive many inquiries from prospective students, postdocs, and volunteers and unfortunately cannot respond individually or meet one-on-one with everyone who contacts me. The information below explains the opportunities currently available in the lab and the main criteria I use when considering prospective lab members.

Undergraduate students and volunteers

Undergraduate students can participate in research in the lab as volunteers or for academic credit through programs such as BISP 199 and SIO 199. The main limitation is the availability of a graduate student, postdoc, or other senior lab member who can provide day-to-day mentorship. Each lab member mentors a maximum of two undergraduate students at a time.

I share undergraduate inquiries with the lab, and lab members let me know when they have both the interest and bandwidth to mentor a new student. Because availability changes throughout the year, I cannot guarantee that there will be an opening at any particular time.

Taking my course, SIO 181: Marine Biochemistry and Physiology, which I normally teach every Spring quarter (except Spring 2027, when I will be on sabbatical), is also a good way to become more familiar with my research and the approaches used in the lab. At the end of the course, I typically select 0–3 students to join the lab, depending on their research interests and mentor availability. Thus, taking the course may increase the chances of securing an undergraduate research or volunteer position, although it does not guarantee one.

Master's and BS/MS students

SIO offers both a Master's program and a contiguous BS/MS program for eligible current UC San Diego undergraduates. The stand-alone Master's program typically takes approximately two years and is self-funded: students pay tuition and are responsible for their living expenses. Teaching assistantships may sometimes offset part of the tuition costs, but they are not guaranteed.

The BS/MS program provides eligible UC San Diego undergraduates with an accelerated route to a research-based Master's degree. Because BS/MS students need to identify a thesis advisor and develop a research proposal as part of the application process, students interested in pursuing a BS/MS in my lab should contact me sufficiently early to discuss potential research projects.

Prospective Master's students should apply directly to the program. I typically select candidates for interviews during the Winter quarter.

PhD students

The SIO PhD program provides financial support to admitted PhD students; however, faculty must consider the availability of funding when making decisions about taking on new students. Funding is currently the main limitation for admitting new PhD students to my lab. At present, I am generally able to consider new PhD students when at least two years of their graduate support can be covered through an external fellowship or other identified funding source.

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is a common source of such support, but other fellowships may also qualify. If you are applying for external fellowship support, I encourage you to apply to the SIO/UC San Diego PhD program. I will be able to consider your application if you are awarded sufficient fellowship support, or if I am able to secure grant funding to support a new PhD student in a research area relevant to your interests.

Postdoctoral researchers

Postdoctoral positions are research positions for scientists who have completed a PhD and are seeking additional training while developing greater scientific independence. Opportunities in my lab depend primarily on available funding and alignment with ongoing research projects.

Applicants with their own fellowship support, or who are interested in developing an external fellowship application together, are particularly encouraged to contact me. When contacting me, please briefly describe your research background, the scientific questions you would like to pursue, why my lab would be an appropriate environment for that work, and any potential or secured sources of funding.

Research areas

Our lab broadly studies the molecular, cellular, and organismal physiology of marine organisms: how physiological mechanisms evolved, how they allow organisms to live in diverse environments, how they shape responses to natural and anthropogenic environmental change, and, in some cases, their practical applications in areas such as biotechnology, conservation and restoration, aquaculture, and fisheries.

Our current research and funding are particularly focused on coral and fish neurobiology, aquatic symbioses, and biomineralization. Although we are interested in conservation, restoration, and ecological questions, we typically address these aspects through collaborations with colleagues who have complementary expertise. Our lab is therefore best suited to directly mentor students whose primary interests are in physiology, cell biology, molecular biology, and related mechanistic approaches, rather than students seeking training primarily in conservation, restoration, or ecology.

I am open to other research ideas when they fit the broader interests and expertise of the lab, but we currently have the strongest resources and infrastructure to support projects in the areas described above.

What I look for in prospective lab members

One of the most important factors I consider is how prospective lab members describe their research interests, scientific questions, and previous research experience. A strong inquiry or application explains why a particular research question is interesting, what is unknown, what hypotheses could be tested, and how you might begin testing them experimentally. These ideas do not need to be fully developed or perfect; they help me evaluate your background knowledge, curiosity, critical thinking, and scientific reasoning.

Naturally, I expect the level of sophistication and independence of these ideas to reflect the applicant's career stage. I do not expect an undergraduate student to propose a project at the same level as a postdoc. For an undergraduate, curiosity, engagement with the relevant science, and an ability to think critically are most important. Master's projects need to be focused and feasible within the relatively short duration of the program. PhD applicants should be able to articulate broader questions and potential research directions appropriate for a five-year research program. Postdoctoral applicants are expected to bring substantially greater scientific expertise and independence, including their own research questions and ideas that complement and expand the expertise of the lab.

Before contacting me, please familiarize yourself with our recent research and think carefully about what you would like to study and why our lab is a good fit for those questions. Specific scientific interests and ideas are much more informative than a general statement of enthusiasm for marine biology.

I appreciate your interest in our work and hope this information helps you determine whether the Tresguerres Lab would be a good fit for your research and training goals.