Mόnica Orellana, PhD

Principal Scientist

Baliga Lab

Dr. Orellana has experience with phytoplankton physiological ecology, dynamics of polymer gels, and processes of regulated exocytosis of polymers produced by phytoplankton and their roles in ecosystem dynamics including interactions with bacteria. Phytoplankton are organisms responsible for about 40 percent of the total photosynthesis that occurs in our planet and play a critical role in the global carbon cycle and ultimately in global climate. Dr. Orellana is applying a systems-based approach to understand carbon sequestration in the ocean, by focusing on proteins released by diatoms into seawater. Dr. Orellana is also interested in understanding the links between ocean processes and human health and is part of the University of Washington’s Pacific Northwest center for Human Health and Ocean Sciences and NOAA’s Oceans and Human Health initiative which investigate environmental conditions triggering blooms of harmful algae in our marine waters and ultimately, how these blooms impact human health.

PhD, Biological Oceanography, University of Washington, 1990

MS, Biological Oceanography, University of Washington, 1985

BS, Biology, Concepcion (Chile), 1980

Oceanography, Phytoplankton physiological ecology

Zhao, Zihao, Chie Amano, Thomas Reinthaler, Federico Baltar, Mónica V. Orellana, and Gerhard J. Herndl. 2024. “Metaproteomic Analysis Decodes Trophic Interactions of Microorganisms in the Dark Ocean.” Nature Communications 15 (1): 6411. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-50867-z. Cite Download

Zhao, Zihao, Chie Amano, Thomas Reinthaler, Mónica V. Orellana, and Gerhard J. Herndl. 2024. “Substrate Uptake Patterns Shape Niche Separation in Marine Prokaryotic Microbiome.” Science Advances 10 (20): eadn5143. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adn5143. Cite Download

Orellana, Mónica V., Dennis A. Hansell, Patricia A. Matrai, and Caroline Leck. 2021. “Marine Polymer-Gels’ Relevance in the Atmosphere as Aerosols and CCN.” Gels (Basel, Switzerland) 7 (4): 185. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels7040185. Cite Download

Hansell, Dennis A., and Mónica V. Orellana. 2021. “Dissolved Organic Matter in the Global Ocean: A Primer.” Gels (Basel, Switzerland) 7 (3): 128. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels7030128. Cite Download

Voolstra, Christian R., Jacob J. Valenzuela, Serdar Turkarslan, Anny Cárdenas, Benjamin C. C. Hume, Gabriela Perna, Carol Buitrago-López, et al. 2021. “Contrasting Heat Stress Response Patterns of Coral Holobionts across the Red Sea Suggest Distinct Mechanisms of Thermal Tolerance.” Molecular Ecology 30 (18): 4466–80. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.16064. Cite Download

Orellana, Mónica, Claudia Ludwig, Anne Thompson, and Nitin Baliga. 2020. “Integrating Oceanographic Research into High School Curricula: Achieving Broader Impacts Through Systems Education Experiences Modules.” Oceanography 33 (3). https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2020.304. Cite Download

Goldman, Johanna A. L., Megan J. Schatz, Chris T. Berthiaume, Sacha N. Coesel, Mónica V. Orellana, and E. Virginia Armbrust. 2019. “Fe Limitation Decreases Transcriptional Regulation over the Diel Cycle in the Model Diatom Thalassiosira Pseudonana.” PLoS ONE 14 (9). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0222325. Cite Download

Sathe, Santosh, Mónica V. Orellana, Nitin S. Baliga, and Pierre M. Durand. 2019. “Temporal and Metabolic Overlap between Lipid Accumulation and Programmed Cell Death Due to Nitrogen Starvation in the Unicellular Chlorophyte Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii.” Phycological Research 67 (3): 173–83. https://doi.org/10.1111/pre.12368. Cite

Otwell, Anne E., Adrián López García de Lomana, Sean M. Gibbons, Mónica V. Orellana, and Nitin S. Baliga. 2018. “Systems Biology Approaches towards Predictive Microbial Ecology.” Environmental Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.14378. Cite

Valenzuela, Jacob J., Adrián López García de Lomana, Allison Lee, E. V. Armbrust, Mónica V. Orellana, and Nitin S. Baliga. 2018. “Ocean Acidification Conditions Increase Resilience of Marine Diatoms.” Nature Communications 9 (1): 2328. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-04742-3. Cite

Ashworth, J., S. Turkarslan, M. Harris, M. V. Orellana, and N. S. Baliga. 2015. “Pan-Transcriptomic Analysis Identifies Coordinated and Orthologous Functional Modules in the Diatoms Thalassiosira Pseudonana and Phaeodactylum Tricornutum.” Marine Genomics, November. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margen.2015.10.011. Cite

Hennon, Gwenn M. M., Justin Ashworth, Ryan D. Groussman, Chris Berthiaume, Rhonda L. Morales, Nitin S. Baliga, Mónica V. Orellana, and E. V. Armbrust. 2015. “Diatom Acclimation to Elevated CO2 via CAMP Signalling and Coordinated Gene Expression.” Nature Climate Change 5 (8): 761–65. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2683. Cite

Ludwig, Claudia, Monica Orellana, DeVault, Megan, Zac Simon, and Nitin Baliga. 2015. “Ocean Acidification.” The Science Teacher 082 (06). https://doi.org/10.2505/4/tst15_082_06_41. Cite

Lopez Garcia de Lomana, A., S. Schauble, J. Valenzuela, S. Imam, W. Carter, D. D. Bilgin, C. B. Yohn, et al. 2015. “Transcriptional Program for Nitrogen Starvation-Induced Lipid Accumulation in Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii.” Biotechnology for Biofuels 8:207. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-015-0391-z. Cite

Kay, P., R. Choudhury, M. Nel, M. V. Orellana, and P. M.Durand. 2013. “Multicolour Flow Cytometry Analyses and Autofluorescence in Chlorophytes: Lessons from Programmed Cell Death Studies in Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii.” Journal of Applied Phycology 25 (5): 1473–82. Cite

H, Skubatz, M. V. Orellana, and W. N. Howald. 2013. “A NAD(P) Reductase like Protein Is the Salicylic Acid Receptor in the Appendix of the Sauromatum Guttatum Inflorescence.” Landes Bioscience 1 (Intrinsic Disordered Proteins). Cite

Beer, K. D., M. V. Orellana, and N. S. Baliga. 2013. “Modeling the Evolution of C4 Photosynthesis.” Cell 153 (7): 1427–29. Cite

Orellana, M. V., W. L. Pang, P. M. Durand, K. Whitehead, and N. S. Baliga. 2013. “A Role for Programmed Cell Death in the Microbial Loop.” PLoS One 8 (5): e62595. Cite

Tjernström, Michael, Caroline Leck, Cathryn E. Birch, Jan W. Bottenheim, Barbara J. Brooks, Ian M. Brooks, Leif Bäcklin, et al. 2013. “The Arctic Summer Cloud-Ocean Study (ASCOS): 1 Overview and Experimental Design.” Atmospheric Chemsitry and Physics 13. Cite

Ezzie, M. E., M. Crawford, J. H. Cho, R. Orellana, S. Zhang, R. Gelinas, K. Batte, et al. 2012. “Gene Expression Networks in COPD: MicroRNA and MRNA Regulation.” Thorax 67 (2): 122–31. Cite

Orellana, M. V., and D. A. Hansell. 2012. “Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase (RuBisCO): A Long-Lived Protein Inthe Deep Ocean.” Limnology & Oceanography 57 (3): 826–34. Cite

Orellana, M. V., P. A. Matrai, C. Leck, C. D. Rauschenberg, A. M. Lee, and E. Coz. 2011. “Marine Microgels as a Source of Cloud Condensation Nuclei in the High Arctic.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108 (33): 13612–17. Cite

Orellana, M. V., T. W. Petersen, A. H. Diercks, P. Donohue, P. Verdugo, and G. van den Engh. 2007. “Marine Microgels: Optical and Proteomic Fingerprint.” Marine Chemistry 105:229–39. Cite

Chin, W. C., M. V. Orellana, I. Quesada, and P. Verdugo. 2004. “Secretion in Unicellular Marine Phytoplankton: Demonstration of Regulated Exocytosis in Phaeocystis Globosa.” Plant Cell Physiol 45 (5): 535–42. Cite

Orellana, M. V., T. W. Petersen, and G. van den Engh. 2004. “UV-Excited Blue Autoflourescence of Pseudo-Nitzschia Multiseries.” J. Phycology 40:705–10. Cite

Orellana, M. V., and P. Verdugo. 2003. “Ultraviolet Radiation Inhibits the Exchange between Dissolved and Particulate Organic Matter.” Luminol. Oceanogr 48 (4): 1618–23. Cite

Orellana, M. V., E. J. Lessard, E. Dycus, W.-C. Chin, M. S. Foy, and P. Verdugo. 2003. “Tracing the Source and Fate of Biopolymers in Seawater: Application of an Immunological Technique.” Marine Chemistry 83:89–99. Cite