Jens Wira

Jens Wira is a Ph.D. student working in the lab of Dr. Allen Place at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology. He is interested in understanding the behavior of dinoflagellates, and how that might affect our ability to monitor or mitigate them.  He is currently focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms of light reception in dinoflagellates, and the movement behavior of the ciguatera poisoning causing benthic dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus. He received the University of Maryland Dean's Fellowship for the 2020-2021 school year, the USM Board of Regents Award for Innovation and Creative Activity in 2024, and the Ann G. Wylie Dissertation Fellowship for the 2025 Fall Semester.