Welcome to the Mika Lab!

We’re interested in the adaptation of fishes to extreme environmental shifts

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The oceans have been a hotbed of biological novelty and innovation since multicellular life originated. As this life diversified, organisms faced extreme environmental shifts, such as increased or decreased hydrostatic pressure with vertical migrations or the transition from life in water to life on land. The Mika Lab seeks to explore what molecular changes accompany these shifts and underlie successful adaptation to these new environments. Find out more HERE.

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View fullsize We've had an incredibly productive June so far in the lab! New students have started, training underway, exciting data to be shared soon hopefully. I need to take more photos, but today let's celebrate our fantastic graduate #womeninstem capturing mi
View fullsize Out of the ocean and into the aquarium! You just can't keep the Mika Lab away from sharks. Great job today, EG and AnjolaJesu!
View fullsize And that's a wrap on the inaugural @utulsa Marine Bio trip! We ended with one last lagoon dive, investigating diversity on Rodriguez Key, and a final sea grass snorkel. Thank you to @marinelabkeylargo , @oceanfirstkeylargo , @dr_capt_ron , and the st
View fullsize Day 6 @utulsa Marine Bio: Dive hair, don't care. We all made it out to the reefs on scuba for the first time, thanks @oceanfirstkeylargo ! Hopefully the weather holds and we can do it again tomorrow. Diversity indexing lab wraps up the evening. Final
View fullsize Day 5 (?) Of @utulsa Marine Bio: we were on the move today and did not take many photos. Snorkeling the reefs (at Grecian Reef), making coral plugs for coral restoration with Mote Marine Lab, a video and discussion about "Does nature have rights
View fullsize Day 4 @utulsa Marine Bio: Don't let these first photos fool you, we were soon plagued by waves and surge and our stomachs suffered. But everyone else officially finished their OW certifications! Thanks @oceanfirstkeylargo for an awesome morning- look
View fullsize Day 3 @utulsa Marine Bio: few photos, gone diving! What a successful first day on scuba for many of our students, and a great skill day for divers already certified (with @oceanfirstkeylargo ). Out to the reefs and mangroves tomorrow!
View fullsize Day 2 with @utulsa Marine Bio: Water Quality testing, swim test, sea grass snorkel and monitoring, sponge lab, obligatory sunset photo, and always on the lookout for another fish. A very full day @marinelabkeylargo !
View fullsize Dr. Mika @kmmika12 (and Dr. Walker @dr_capt_ron) are currently leading @utulsa 's Marine Bio course to @marinelabkeylargo and taking over the Mika Fish Lab Instagram! Lab members Ty and Charlotte are also on the trip, along with 6 other awesome stude
View fullsize May the FISH be with you! Happy Last Day of classes to students, but also, Happy Star Wars day to everyone! What is your favorite piece of Star Wars media or trivia? Please let us know! #maythe4thbewithyou #fish #mikalab
View fullsize Say hello to our 2026 Seniors! They are ofFISHially swimming out into the deep this year. 🐟 We asked our seniors to answer at least one of a few questions: What was your favorite memory? Where are you going? What have you learned? Or anything else
View fullsize So impressed by and proud of the Mika Lab students who presented at yesterday's @utulsa OCHNS Research Day poster session! Wonderful job Elizabeth, Kaitlyn, AnjolaJesu, Danny, and Emma Grace!

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