Giraffes, like other large herbivores, rely on anaerobic gut fungi living in their stomachs to help digest fibrous plant matter.
During a community outreach event, Elaine engages a zoo visitor by showcasing a culture tube filled with actively growing anaerobic fungi — a glimpse into the hidden world of microbes that power herbivore digestion.
Marcus carefully transfers ciliates from a culture vial to a slide for viewing under the microscope — offering visitors a closer look at these fascinating single-celled organisms.
Microscopic image of anaerobic gut fungi growing under oxygen-free conditions.
World Ocean Day at the SB Zoo
June 8th, 2025
On World Ocean Day at the Santa Barbara Zoo, the O’Malley Lab invited guests to explore a hidden microscopic world—peering through microscopes to meet anaerobic gut fungi, agile ciliates, and vibrant algae, revealing the diverse, tiny ecosystems that drive digestion and feed the planet.
Our outreach team - Elaine, Janelle, and Marcus - stand ready to greet visitors and share their passion for the hidden world of anaerobic microbes.
Janelle chats with a group of curious kids, sparking their excitement as they explore the microscopic world of fungi and microbes.
Even our “fishy” friends couldn’t resist taking a closer look — peeking into the microscope to see the fascinating microbes up close!
Ciliates, known for their rapid and graceful swimming, pause just long enough to be captured in this microscopic image.
Earth Day Celebration at the Zoo
April 19th, 2025
At the Santa Barbara Zoo’s Earth Day Celebration, the O’Malley Lab fascinated visitors by peering into a microscope to unveil an unseen universe: anaerobic fungi and cellulose-breaking bacteria—tiny microbial champions that help herbivores like goats and sheep turn grass into energy.
Meet members of our outreach team — Artury, Ramya, and Janelle — eager to guide visitors through the fascinating world of microbes!
Janelle enjoys a lighthearted moment while talking with a visitor at our booth.
Elaine gets creative with our outreach display, using yeast gas production to inflate yellow balloons and delight visitors.
Artury introduces kids to the fascinating world of fungi, showing them vials of microbial growth at the booth.
Ramya shares a closer look at a vial of microbes with a curious visitor at the booth.
Close-up view of a vial containing actively growing fungi.
Janelle and Ramya spark curiosity as they talk with visitors about microbes and their hidden activities.
At the booth, one exhibit demonstrates plates of bacteria that glow after being transformed, illustrating the magic of microbial engineering.
Laguna Blanca School Outreach
November 20, 2024
Artury Ramirez, a graduate student in the O’Malley Lab at UC Santa Barbara, visited Laguna Blanca School as part of their Science Research Program. His engaging talk about the role of gut microbes in biotechnology applications provided students with a unique glimpse into the world of research and STEM careers. Artury's insights into microbial communities and their applications sparked curiosity and inspired thoughtful questions among the students.