Some work stays with you because it makes visible what is usually hidden. Dr. Leila Hamdan’s TEDxSouthernMiss talk, Infinite Blue, does just that. It reminds us that the ocean is not just a backdrop or a resource, but a living world shaped by forces and relationships that often go unseen. In this piece, Dr. Leila Hamdan brings that view closer. TEDxSouthernMiss describes it as a journey from the ocean’s deepest darkness to its sparkling surface, blending science and poetry. Check it out below!

This week, the Hamdan Lab is thrilled to share news from the deep sea! From September 14-26, 2025, NOAA Fisheries, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, and the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute are teaming up for an expedition in Hudson Canyon, the largest submarine canyon on the U.S. Atlantic coast. Using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), scientists will livestream divers, collect samples, and share discoveries in real time. How to watch live ROV feed? Join us here to catch daily livestreams from September 15-24th, 8:00 am – 5:30 pm EDT (excluding weekends) and special “Ship-to-Shore” livestreams: September 17th, 19th, 23rd, and 25th.

Notably, this expedition also marks 100 years since the 1925 Arcturus Expedition, the first major voyage to study Hudson Canyon. The historic SS Arcturus expedition included six pioneering women scientists and artists who helped shape modern oceanography. Based on the findings of John Mahaffie, below is a break-away diagram view of the wooden steamer SS Arcturus refitted for oceanographic scientific exploration of “the graveyard of the Atlantic” in 1925.

Image: Based on information from NOAA/John B. Mahaffie

Below are historical snapshots of women that were integral to the 1925 Hudson Canyon expedition aboard the SS Arcturus. Interested in learning more about their scientific legacy? Get started here and here.

Imagery: NOAA/William B. Mahaffie

The Hamdan Lab at the University of Southern Mississippi studies how microbes shape and respond to the ocean environment. Our work spans the deep seafloor to the shoreline. We study microbial communities interacting with sediments, shipwrecks, aquaculture systems, and other natural and human-made features.

We are looking for a Research Associate I to join our team at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. This is a hands-on role in the lab and at sea, contributing to microbiome research that connects molecular biology, ecology, ocean science, and anthropology!

Interested? See the details and apply here: USM Job Posting – Research Associate I

Know someone who might be a great fit? Please share.

Mark your calendars! TEDxSouthern Miss is happening on October 30, 2025, at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Park Campus in Long Beach. We’re proud to announce that Dr. Leila Hamdan, will be among the featured speakers, bringing powerful insight into how the ocean’s smallest organisms shape our understanding of preservation, pollution, and progress in the deep sea.

Ready to attend?
In accordance with our TEDx license, only 100 people will be selected to attend in person. If you’re interested in attending, you must submit a lottery entry form by Saturday, September 7.
Register Here

Event Details:
Date: October 30, 2025
Location: USM Gulf Park Campus, Long Beach, MS
Livestream available for remote participation

How You Can Get Involved:

• Attend in person (register above)
• Host a livestream viewing party
• Sponsor the event – Sponsor Details

Meet All the Speakers:
Read the full press release: TEDxSouthern Miss 2025 Speakers

Let’s elevate Gulf Coast voices and ideas worth spreading!

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon rig disaster released some 134 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over 87 days, profoundly impacting coastal ecosystems from nearshore sands to deep benthic habitats. Just 11 days later, researchers at USM’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory were in the field collecting water and sediment samples, deploying “Shoreline Sentinels,” and partnering with state agencies and local fishing communities through the COAST citizen‑science program. In the years since, sustained initiatives under the RESTORE Act and major research consortia like GoMRI have generated more than 75 peer‑reviewed studies on oil impacts, hypoxia, and microbial responses. Read the full retrospective on coastal health and restoration efforts here.

Seeking a postdoctoral research associate to join our team studying deep sea benthic habitats. This study is multidisciplinary and will create a rich environment for learning lab, field and bioinformatics approaches with a welcoming and supportive team. Position is located at USM’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs, MS. This is a great place to learn, grow and live.

Apply here: https://usm.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=4012&site=1

Apply Here! The University of Southern Mississippi is currently accepting applications for the position of Post Doctoral Research Scientist in the Hamdan Lab.

The Hamdan Lab in the School of Ocean Science and Engineering at the University of Southern Mississippi seeks a postdoctoral researcher to support microbiome studies of benthic ecosystems, primarily within the Gulf of Mexico. Individuals with experience with microbiology and biogeochemistry, with specific knowledge and expertise in molecular ecology, are encouraged to apply. Interested candidates should be motivated to take a project vision and shape it with scientific expertise, and work with a team to support discovery and learning.

In August 2023, the Hamdan Lab embarked on an expedition to explore shipwrecks in the Keathley Canyon lease area. The primary goals were to investigate previously identified sonar targets, determine if they were shipwrecks, and take sediment samples to investigate the microbial communities surrounding the shipwrecks. Five sonar targets were investigated and determined not to be shipwrecks. However, the nearby Monterrey Shipwrecks, a cluster of 3 historic shipwrecks, provided the opportunity to take sediment samples and investigate the microbial community of these uniquely positioned shipwrecks. Please see this link for the full NOAA Ocean Exploration website coverage of the expedition or click the project title under “Research Interests” in the Navigation bar and read the feature from the NOAA website to learn more about the expedition. Click the links throughout the feature to learn more about microbes and shipwrecks! Interested in learning more about the interdisciplinary field of shipwreck ecology? See this recent paper in BioScience that Dr. Hamdan contributed to.

The Hamdan Lab had two papers published this week, both led by Dr. Rachel Mugge. Dr. Mugge is a recent PhD graduate of the Hamdan Lab and the papers stem from her dissertation research . The first, “Proximity to built structures on the seabed promotes biofilm development and diversity” by Rachel Mugge, Chet Rakocinski, Max Woolsey, and Leila Hamdan, was published in Biofouling . This study involved short-term seafloor experiments containing steel surfaces placed near six structures, including historic shipwrecks and modern decommissioned energy platforms. Biofilms were analyzed for changes in phylogenetic composition, richness, and diversity relative to proximity to the structures. The biofilm core microbiome was primarily composed of iron-oxidizing Mariprofundus, sulfur-oxidizing Sulfurimonas, and biofilm-forming Rhodobacteraceae. Alpha diversity and richness significantly declined as a function of distance from structures. This study explores how built structures influence marine biofilms and contributes knowledge on how anthropogenic activity impacts microbiomes on the seabed. See more here.

The second, “Substrate Specificity of Biofilms Proximate to Historic Shipwrecks” by Rachel Mugge, Rachel Moseley, and Leila Hamdan, was published in Microorganisms. The goal of this study was to understand the substrate- and site-specific impacts of built structures on short-term biofilm composition and functional potential. Seafloor experiments were conducted wherein steel and wood surfaces were deployed for four months at distances extending up to 115 m away from three historic (>50 years old) shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico. A bioinformatics analysis revealed that the taxonomic composition was significantly different between substrates and sites, with substrate being the primary determining factor. Regardless of site, the steel biofilms had a higher abundance of genes related to biofilm formation, and sulfur, iron, and nitrogen cycling, while the wood biofilms showed a higher abundance of manganese cycling and methanol oxidation genes. This study demonstrates how substrate composition shapes biofilm microbiomes and suggests that marine biofilms may contribute to nutrient cycling at depth. See more here.

Thanks for following our research!

RDM

“Dr. Leila Hamdan has been selected to contribute her expertise to the National Academies’ 2025-2035 Decadal Survey of Ocean Sciences. This survey will advise the National Science Foundation’s Division of Ocean Sciences’ strategy towards investments in research, oceanographic infrastructure and development of the future ocean science workforce. The 21-member expert committee includes ocean scientists from across the nation working in disciplines spanning biological, chemical, physical and geological oceanography, policy, social science and engineering. “I am honored to be selected for this committee and to have the opportunity to work with an incredible group of professionals as we identify research needs and priorities for the future,” said Hamdan. Dr. Kelly Lucas, USM Vice President for Research, noted the significance of Hamdan serving as the only member of the committee from an institution located in the Gulf of Mexico region. “This is an invaluable opportunity to communicate on the complex science challenges of the Gulf region, and make sure the needs for scientific discovery and infrastructure of the Gulf are heard,” said Lucas. The committee’s work will span approximately 18 months, and through a careful framework, will develop a list of questions that have potential to transform what we know about the ocean, and the critical role the ocean plays for all life on earth. “The work we do together will influence the pace of scientific discovery, and how those discoveries shape lives, technology and careers into the future”, said Hamdan.”

– Excerpt from Van Arnold’s article found here

Find out more about the 2025-2035 Decadal Survey of Ocean Sciences here