David Gruber

Education

Ph.D., Biological Oceanography, Rutgers Univ. Institute of Marine & Coastal Sciences

M.S., Journalism, Columbia University

MEM, Coastal Environmental Management, Duke University

B.S., Environmental Mgt. & Oceanography, Univ. Rhode Island

Artistic and Creative Activities

Gruber, D., & Jonas, J. (2024). To Touch Sound. MoMA.

Gruber, D., & Feldman, A. (2022). Who Speaks for the Oceans?. Baruch College Mishkin Gallery.

Gruber, D., & Jonas, J. (2019). Moving Off The Land II. TBA21 Academy.

Gruber, D. (2018). American Museum of Natural History Ocean Exhibit. American Museum of Natural History.

Tschäpe, J., Gruber, D., & Hessler, S. (2018). Imagining an Oceanic Worldview through Art and Science. Tidalectics.

Gruber, D. (2014). Deep Sea Exploration: Remotely Operated Vehicle on Display. American Museum of Natural History.

Gruber, D. (2013). Creatures of Light: Nature's Bioluminescence Exhibit. American Museum of Natural History.

Gruber, D. (2012). Picturing Science: Museum Scientists and Imaging Technologies. American Museum of Natural History.

Books

Pieribone, V., & Gruber, D. (2006). Aglow in the Dark: The Revolutionary Science of Biofluorescence. (p. 288). Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press.

Journal Articles

(2024). An in situ digital synthesis strategy for the discovery and description of ocean life. Science Advances,

(2024). Transcriptome sequencing of seven deep marine invertebrates. Scientific Data,

(2024). Contextual and combinatorial structure in sperm whale vocalisations. Nature Communications,

(2023). A Theory of Unsupervised Translation Motivated by Understanding Animal Communication. NeurIPS 2023 ,

de Vargas, C., & Gruber, D. (2022). Plankton Planet: a frugal, cooperative measure of aquatic life at the planetary scale. Frontiers in Marine Science,

(2022). Molecular phylogeny and evolution of bioluminescence in Odontosyllis (Annelida, Syllidae). Invertebrate Systematics,

Gruber, D. F., & Wood, R. J. (2022). Advances and future outlooks in soft robotics for minimally invasive marine biology. 7(66). eabm6807.

Andreas, J., Begus, G., Bronstein, M. M., Diamant, R., Delaney, D., Gero, S., Goldwasser, S., Gruber, D. F., de, H. S., Malkin, P., Pavlov, N., Payne, R., Petri, G., Rus, D., Sharma, P., Tchernov, D., Tonnesen, P., Torralba, A., Vogt, D., & Wood, R. J. (2022). Toward understanding the communication in sperm whales. ISCIENCE, 25(6).

Gruber, D., & Gaffney, J. (2022). Transcriptomics of a Greenlandic Snailfish Reveals Exceptionally High Expression of Antifreeze Protein Transcripts. Evolutionary Bioinformatics,

Sparks, J., Gruber, D., & Phillips, B. (2021). Description of a New Species of Rariphotic Parapercis (Perciformes: Pinguipedidae) from the Solomon Islands. American Museum Novitates, (3987). 1-12.

Guarnaccia, A. M., Krivoshik, S. R., Sparks, J., Gruber, D., & N/A, J. G. (2021). Discovery and Characterization of a Bilirubin Inducible Green Fluorescent Protein From the Moray Eel Gymnothorax zonipectis. Frontiers in Marine Science, (678571). 1-8.

Gruber, D. (2021). First report of biofluorescence in Arctic snailfishes and rare occurrence of multiple fluorescent colors in a single species. American Museum Novitates, 3967. 1-12.

(2021). Discovery and Characterization of a Bilirubin Inducible Green Fluorescent Protein from the Moray Eel Gymnothorax undulatus. Fronteirs in Marine Science, 8. 8.

Krivoshik, S. R., Guarnaccia, A., Fried, D., Gruber, D., & Gaffney, J. (2020). Disrupting Fluorescence by Mutagenesis in a Green Fluorescent Fatty Acid Binding Protein from a Marine Eel. The Protein Journal,

Gruber, D., Dishon, G., Grossowicz, M., Krom, M., Guy, G., & Tchernov, D. (2020). Evolutionary Traits that Enable Scleractinian Corals to Survive Mass Extinction Events. Scientific Reports,

Tessler, M., Gaffney, J., Oliveira, A., Guarnaccia, A., Dobi, K., Gujarati, N., Galbraith, M., Sparks, J., Wood, R., & Gruber, D. (2020). A putative chordate luciferase from a cosmopolitan tunicate indicates convergent bioluminescence evolution across phyla. Scientific Reports,

(2020). Disrupting Fluorescence by Mutagenesis in a Green Fluorescent Fatty Acid Binding Protein from a Marine Eel. The Protein Journal, 39,. 145–151.

Gruber, D., Oakley, T., & Hensley, N. (2020). Selection, drift, and constraint in cypridinid luciferases and the diversification of bioluminescent signals in sea fireflies. Molecular Ecology, (mec.15673). 1–16.

Gruber, D. (2020). Ultra-gentle soft robotic fingers induce minimal transcriptomic response in a fragile marine animal. Current Biology, 30(4). 157-158.

Chaloux, N., Phillips, B., Gruber, D., Schelly, R., & Sparks, J. (2020). A novel fish sampling system for ROVs. Deep Sea Research Part I,

Gruber, D., Bermant, P., Bronstein, M., Wood, R., & Gero, S. (2019). Deep Machine Learning Techniques for the Detection and Classification of Sperm Whale Bioacoustics. Scientific Reports, 9. 12588.

Gruber, D. (2019). Bioluminescent Flashes Drive Nighttime Schooling Behavior and Synchronized Swimming Dynamics in Flashlight Fish. PLOS One,

Gruber, D., Sinatra, N., Teeple, C., Vogt, D., Parker, K., & Wood, R. (2019). Ultra-Gentle Manipulation of Delicate Structures using a Soft Robotic Gripper. Science Robotics, 4(33). eaax5425.

(2019). Bright Green Biofluorescence in Sharks Derives from Bromo-Kynurenine Metabolism. iScience,

Gruber, D., Kurumaya, S., Phillips, B. T., Becker, K. P., Rosen, M. H., Galloway, K. C., Suzumori, K., & Wood, R. J. (2018). A Modular Soft Robotic Wrist for Underwater Manipulation. Soft Robotics, 5(4). 1-11.

Verdes, A., Alvarez-Campos,, P., Nygren, A., San Martin, G., Rouse, G., Deheyn, D. D., Gruber, D., & Holford, M. (2018). Molecular phylogeny of Odontosyllis (Annelida, Syllidae): A recent and rapid radiation of marine bioluminescent worms. BioRxiv,

Gruber, D. (2018). Rotary-actuated folding polyhedrons for midwater investigation of delicate marine organisms. Science Robotics, 3(20). 1-8.

Gruber, D., Phillips, B. T., Becker, K. P., Kurumaya, S., Galloway, K. C., Whittredge, G., Vogt, D., Teeple, C., Rosen, M. H., & Wood, R. J. (2018). A Dexterous, Glove-Based Teleoperable Low-Power Soft Robotic Arm for Delicate Deep-Sea Biological Exploration. Scientific Reports,

Tessler, M., Gaffney, J., Crawford, J. M., Trautman, E., Gujarati, N. A., Alatalo, P., Pieribone, V. A., & Gruber, D. (2018). Luciferin production and luciferase transcription in the bioluminescent copepod Metridia lucens. PeerJ, 6. 1-14.

Gruber, D. (2018). Shipboard design and fabrication of custom 3D-printed soft robotic manipulators for the investigation of delicate deep-sea organisms. PLOS One, 13(8). 1-16.

Gruber, D., Phillips, B. T., Marsh, L., & Sparks, J. S. (2018). In situ Observations of the Meso-Bathypelagic Scyphozoa, Deepstaria enigmatica (Ulmaridae). AMNH Novitates, 3900. 1-14.

Gruber, D., & Verdes, A. (2017). Bioluminescence in Annelida: Biological, Chemical and Functional Diversity. Integr Comp Biol., 57(1). 18–32.

Bhattacharya, D., Agrawal, S., Aranda, M., Baumgarten, S., Belcaid, M., Drake, J. L., Erwin, D., Foret, S., Gates, R. D., & Gruber, D. (2016). Comparative genomics explains the evolutionary success of reef-forming corals. eLiFE, 5. 1-26.

Phillips, B., Gruber, D., Vasan, G., Roman, C. N., Pieribone, V., & Sparks, J. (2016). Observations of in situ deep-sea marine bioluminescence with a high-speed, high resolution sCMOS camera. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 111. 102-109.

Phillips, B., Gruber, D., Vasan, G., Pieribone, V., Sparks, J., & Pieribone, V. (2016). First Evidence of Bioluminescence on a “Black Smoker” Hydrothermal Chimney. Oceanography, 29(2). 1-2.

Einbinder, S., Gruber, D., Solomon, E., Liran, O., Keren, N., & Tchernov, D. (2016). Novel adaptive photosynthetic characteristics of mesophotic symbiotic microalgae within the reef-building coral, Stylophora pistillata. Frontiers in Marine Science,

Galloway, K., Becker, K., Phillips, B., Kirby, J., Licht, S., Tchernov, D., Wood, R. J., & Gruber, D. (2016). Soft Robotic Grippers for Biological Sampling on Deep Reefs. Soft Robotics, 3(1). 23-33.

(2016). Biofluorescence in Catsharks (Scyliorhinidae): Fundamental Description and Relevance for Elasmobranch Visual Ecology. Scientific Reports, 6. 16.

Gruber, D., Loew, E., Deheyn, D., Akkaynak, D., Gaffney, J., Smith, W. L., Davis, M., Stern, J. H., Pieribone, V. A., & Sparks, J. (2016). Biofluorescence in Catsharks (Scyliorhinidae): Fundamental Description and Relevance for Elasmobranch Visual Ecology. Scientific Reports, 1-16.

(2015). Adaptive Evolution of Eel Fluorescent Proteins from Fatty Acid Binding Proteins Produces Bright Fluorescence in the Marine Environment. Plos One,

Gruber, D., & Sparks, J. (2015). First Observation of Fluorescence in Marine Turtles. American Museum Novitates, 3845. 1-8.

Dishon, G., Fisch, J., Kaczmarek, K., Bijma, J., Nir, O., Gruber, D., Popovich, Y., & Tchernov, D. (2015). A novel paleo-bleaching proxy using boron isotopes and high-resolution laser ablation to reconstruct coral bleaching events. Biogeosciences, 12. 5677–5687.

Shaadi, M., Verdes, A., Desalle, R., Sparks, J., Pieribone, V., & Gruber, D. (2015). Transcriptome sequencing and annotation of the polychaete Hermodice carunculata (Annelida, Amphinomidae). BMC Genomics, 16. 1-13.

Olden, K., Lin, Y., Gruber, D., & Sonawane, B. (2014). Epigenome: Biosensor of Cumulative Exposure to Chemical and Nonchemical Stressors Related to Environmental Justice. American Journal of Public Health, 104(10). 1816-1821.

Tchernov, D., Gruber, D., & Irwin, A. (2014). Isotopic fractionation of carbon in the coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 508. 53-66.

Rubin-Blum, M., Tsadok, R., Shemesh, E., Goodman-Tchernov, B., Austin, J., Coleman, D., Ben-Avraham, Z., Gruber, D., & Tchernov, D. (2014). Distribution of the Lamellibrachia spp. (Siboglinidae, Annelida) and their trophosome endosymbiont phylotypes in the Mediterranean Sea. Marine Biology, 161(6). 1229–1239.

Nir, O., Gruber, D., Glasser, E., Shemesh, E., & Tchernov, D. (2014). Seasonal mesophotic coral bleaching of Stylophora pistillata in the northern Red Sea. PloS ONE , 9(1). 1-8.

Sparks, J., Schelly, R., Smith, W. L., Davis, M., Tchernov, D., Pieribone, V., & Gruber, D. (2014). The Covert World of Fish Biofluorescence: A Phylogenetically Widespread and Phenotypically Variable Phenomenon. PLoS ONE , 9(1). 1-9.

Mehr, S. F., & Gruber, D. (2013). Transcriptome deep-sequencing and clustering of expressed isoforms from Favia corals. BMC Genomics, 14(546). 1-13.

(2012). A new mesophotic clingfish (Teleostei: Gobiesocidae) from the Bahamas. Copeia, 2012(2). 251-256.

Mass, T., Tchernov, D., & Gruber, D. (2012). Symbiotic Transition of Algae-Coral Triggered by Paleo-Climatic Events?. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 27(4). 194-195.

(2011). Changes in scleractinian coral Seriatopora hystrix morphology and its endocellular Symbiodinium characteristics along a bathymetric gradient from shallow to mesophotic reef. Coral Reefs, 30(4). 1089-1100.

Ilagan, R., Rhoades, E., Gruber, D., Kao, H., Pieribone, V., & Regan, L. (2010). A new bright green-emitting fluorescent protein – engineered monomeric and dimeric forms. FEBS Journal, 277. 1967-1978.

(2010). Photoacclimation mechanisms of corallimorpharians on coral reefs: Photosynthetic parameters of zooxanthellae and host cellular responses to variation in irradiance. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 394. 53-62.

(2010). The Correlation Between Rates of Cancer and Autism: An Exploratory Ecological Investigation. PLoS ONE, 5(2). 1-8.

(2010). Characterization of New and Improved Fluorescent Proteins and their Applications. Biophysical Journal, 98(3). 603a.

Gruber, D., DeSalle, R., Tchernov, D., Pieribone, V. A., & Kao, H. T. (2009). Novel Internal Regions of Fluorescent Proteins Undergo Divergent EvolutionaryPatterns. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 26(12). 2841-2848.

Gruber, D., Tuorto, S., & Taghon, G. L. (2009). Growth Phase and Elemental Stoichiometry of Bacterial Prey Influences Ciliate Grazing Selectivity. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 56(5). 466-71.

(2009). Three's Company: The Tripartite Synapse. Nature Medicine, 15. 232-235.

Gruber, D., Pieribone, V. A., Porton, B., & Kao, H. T. (2008). Strict Regulation of Gene Expression from a High-Copy Plasmid Utilizing a Dual Vector System. Protein Expression and Purification, 60. 53-57.

Gruber, D. (2008). Preliminary Studies Find DNA Erosion in Mental Disorders. Nature Medicine, 14(12).

Gruber, D., Kao, H. T., Tsai, J., & Pieribone, V. A. (2008). Patterns of Fluorescent Protein Expression in Scleractinian Corals. Biological Bulletin, 215. 143-154.

Kao, H. T., Sturgis, S., DeSalle, R., Tsai, J., Davis, D., Gruber, D., & Pieribone, V. A. (2007). Dynamic Regulation of Fluorescent Proteins from a Single Species of Coral. Marine Biotechnology, 9(6). 733-746.

Gruber, D., Simjouw, J. P., Seitzinger, S. P., & Taghon, G. L. (2006). Dynamics and Characterization of Refractory Dissolved Organic Matter Produced by a Pure Bacterial Culture in an Experimental Predator-Prey System. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 72(6). 4184-4191.

Nasar, S., & Gruber, D. (2006). Manifold Destiny. The New Yorker, (January 26). 44-57.

Patents and Intellectual Properties

Gruber, D., Gaffney, J., & Pieribone, V. (2018). Method for detecting bilirubin. Regular. United States.

Gruber, D. (2014). Isolated Australian Coral Reef Fluorescent Proteins and Cell-based Kinase or Phosphatase Platforms for Cancer Drug Development. Regular. Patent Cooperation Treaty.

Presentations

Gruber, D., & Gero, S. How does whale communication work?. : TED-Ed.

Gruber, D. Can we learn to talk to sperm whales?. TED. : TED.

Gruber, D. (2018, March 6). Novel Approaches Using Transcriptomics and eDNA for Deep Sea Biology. Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University.

Gruber, D. (2017, March 28). Jellyfish predate dinosaurs. How have they survived so long?. TED-Ed. New York, NY: TED.

Gruber, D. (2015, October 31). Glow-in-the-dark sharks and other stunning sea creatures. TED Mission Blue II. : TED.

Other Scholarly Works

Reviews

Gruber, D. (2006,January 1). Reviews of Aglow in the Dark: Oertner, T.G. 2006. The bright side of life. Nature.

Gruber, D. (2006,January 1). Lippincott-Schwartz, J. 2006. Biofluorescence: the making of a new technology. Nature Cell Biology.

Department

College

University