Mussels as Canaries of the Pacific Ocean ‘Coal Mine’

A Conversation with Maria Christina Vasquez

Maria Christina Vasquez, a professor of biology in the LMU Frank R. Seaver College of Science and
Engineering, teaches in the SummerOpportunities for Advanced Research (SOAR) Award Program. SOAR is a six-week, full-time research program that provides funding for students participating in faculty-mentored, hands-on research. We spoke to Vasquez about the SOAR program and its impact on students. 

What is the focus of your research, and what will you work on in the summer of 2026?

My lab is focused on understanding climate change impact on marine mussels. This summer, we will look at the effects of heavy metals in runoff in coastal Southern California. In January 2025, the Palisades fire occurred, which happened right next to the coast. After that fire event, we had a large rain event as well. So, we had freshwater run-off from the scarred area of the burn, and all of that run-off went directly into the ocean. In that coastal habitat are marine mussels and other invertebrates. We’re using the mussels as biological indicators of environmental stress and ecosystem health to see if there are any pollutants, especially heavy metals, that may have washed off from the burn areas into the mussels and accumulated in them.

What’s the distinctive benefit of SOAR to your students?

SOAR is about getting the research experience that’s going to be impactful in their development, not only as a scientist but in the career that they want to go into. In my lab, SOAR students get to design the experiment, and they give me input on statistical analyses or experimental treatments. We work together on the data analysis, and they learn how to present the research. We have a poster presentation at the end of the research period. They also present the research nationally at conferences. And, of course, the culmination of the project: the manuscript that gets submitted to and published in peer-reviewed journals. 

Does SOAR’s summertime program allow students to focus on research in a way that’s more difficult during the academic year?

The SOAR program has a research requirement of 35 hours per week. During the academic year, there’s a very small window of time when students are actually in the lab doing laboratory work. They have other things that they deal with: a club meeting, a TA meeting, a class. Some of the lab procedures may take four hours, six hours, eight hours or consecutive days back-to-back. During the summer, the students learn a lot more. They learn the techniques a lot faster, they become very proficient very quickly, and they’re able to complete a lot more work.

What do you think the students especially appreciate about being in SOAR?

Most of my students are not interested in doing marine biology. But the techniques they’re learning are not just for marine science. They’re applicable to any type of human-based research — cancer research, Alzheimer’s research — because the techniques we use are cellular- and protein-based that could be used on any sort of animal or human research. From what I’ve seen in my students who participate in this research, they are highly competitive when they apply for their post-LMU programs. Most of the students who come into my research lab, 90% to 99% of them, want to go to medical school. And they’re very successful in getting into medical or dental school. SOAR gives them an opportunity for career development.

How has the SOAR program benefited you as a teacher, as distinct from being a researcher?

One reason I was drawn to work at LMU was the teacher-scholar model. Not only are we researchers who are academically driven by what we’re interested in, we’re also teachers. And that doesn’t just include what we do in the classroom. As we’re doing our research, we’re teaching our students: mentoring, advising, and teaching them new techniques. We’re also teaching them how to grow as a student and how to grow in their career. What SOAR has allowed me to do, besides advancing my research program, is allow me to spend time with my students, which I love.

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