About Me

My interest in environmental biology stems from witnessing my hometown beach erode before my eyes. Sea level rise and increased storm frequency have combined to decimate our town’s beach in Matunuck (RI). With over 100 meters of beach now lost, the coastline creeps closer residential homes and community establishments. I am reminded of the climate crisis’ wrath on coastal communities every time I walk on the beach. My career as a research scientist was launched by Clark University’s joint BA-MS program. Being a Clarkie and an NCAA swimmer (TL, CUSDF!) instilled my approach to teamwork and collaboration. I then earned my PhD in Biology from Penn State University (LaJeunesse Symbiosis Ecology & Evolution lab) and spent the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as a postdoc at the University of Rhode Island (Putnam Lab). Now, I am continuing my postdoctoral research at the University of New Hampshire (Harvey Lab).

Outside of lab, I enjoy spending time with family, swimming, hand-feeding my cat treats, long walks on the beach, collecting beach gems, completing puzzles, playing board games, having tea parties, binge-watching reality tv, and trying to recover my middle school artistic abilities. 

Research Overview

​Greetings phycophiles! I am a biologist who is fond of trace metals and collaborative research. Broadly speaking, my research interests boil down to these three portmanteaux: PhycoSymbiosis- algae in symbiotic relationships, MetalloPhysiology- metal influences on physiology, and SymbioElementology- nutrient exchange in symbiosis.

Trace metals are the unsung heroes of the life sciences. They are critically influential on all levels of biological organization spanning from the cellular level, where inadequate access to metal supplies halts cell cycle progression, to the ecosystem level, where metal deficiency limits primary productivity. Trace metals, given their intricate sensitivity to environmental changes, are increasingly important as the climate crises intensify and demand grows for forecasting the fate of vulnerable organisms.
Aristotle’s philosophy “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” parallels the core strengths of incorporating metallomes (i.e., metal quotas, contents/ profiles) into phenotypic assessments. My research highlights how quantifying metallomes more clearly reveals the ecological specialties of microalgae who engage in mutualisms with reef-building corals and their resistance to environmental stress. I am continuing this line of research through studying how nutrient variability perturbs the cellular communication of coccolithophore-bacterial partnerships. My long-term research goal is to maximize the predictive powers of trace metals to pinpoint robust connections between the eco-physiology of vulnerable organisms and their ability to endure the climate crisis.

Other platforms you can find me on:

For more information...

Email me! hgreich16 [at] gmail [dot] com
Check out my CV (below, last updated 20230131)