The Red Sea Coral Reef. Credit**:** Morgan Bennett-Smith.

We are delighted to announce the new Specialty Chief Editor Professor Raquel Peixoto for the Coral Reef Research section in Frontiers in Marine Science. Together with Chief Editors Zvy Dubinski, Bar-Ilan University, Israel, and Thomas Frazer, University of Florida, USA, she will work with the community to publish the latest research and to help address environmental impacts on the world’s coral reefs.

Professor Peixoto is an Associate Professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and a Research Associate at the Rio de Janeiro Marine Aquarium (AquaRio) in Brazil.  Her latest research focuses on elucidating the contribution of the microbiome in the coral metaorganism in order to improve coral health.  

“The antagonistic blend of power (for their invaluable ecological and economic importance) and their vulnerability (for being one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world) summarizes why coral reefs are so fascinating. I want to know more about the complex and inspiring interactions ruling corals and the reefs, while efforts to protect them also need to be urgently discussed and set up,” says Professor Peixoto.

Professor Peixoto is one of the founders of the Beneficial Microorganisms for Marine Organisms (BMMO) Network that aims to facilitate a collaborative environment to study the beneficial and pathogenic roles of the microbiome associated with marine organisms, such as corals.

Her research published in Frontiers on the beneficial microbiome in coral resilience paved the way for more functional studies in coral reef research as well as highlighting the potential contribution marine probiotics in times of ocean warming.

If you are interested in Frontiers in Marine Science, or if you have any questions for Professor Peixoto please contact us (marinescience@frontiersin.org). Follow Frontiers in Marine Science on Twitter

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