About Our Lab
The ToBo Lab lab is shared by two PI’s Robert J. Toonen (To) and Brian Bowen (Bo). Our lab focuses on understanding the patterns of marine biodiversity through the study of the genetics and ecology of a wide variety of marine species. Lab members have worked on everything from sea stars to dolphins, seeking to illuminate the underlying mechanisms behind differences in dispersal, distribution and speciation.
Rob Toonen’s research focuses on the processes that influence dispersal and recruitment in coastal marine invertebrates, and the evolutionary consequences of larval developmental modes among Hawaiian coral reef species.
Brian Bowen’s research program focuses on the biogeography of marine vertebrates, with an emphasis on coral reef fish. Bowen uses environmental DNA to document species diversity and endangered species distributions.
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Research Team
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Latest News & Research
Featured updates from our lab
Diving Deep and Connecting Community: HIMB PhD Student Carlos Tramonte Explores American Samoa's Hidden Reefs
August 05, 2025
HIMB Researchers Describe 10 New Sponge Species in Kāne‘ohe Bay
February 19, 2025
Breakthrough Study Shows Coral Reefs will Transform but can Persist, if Carbon is Curbed
November 01, 2024
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