Coral reef ecosystems contribute ~$30 billion USD annually to the global economy and harbor 1/4 of all known marine species. However, human activities have driven the loss of 50% of the world’s reefs over the last 30 years, and 90% of remaining reefs are predicted to be threatened by 2030. Thus, there is an urgent need for human interventions to support reef resilience to warming seas, overharvesting and pollution. Various studies have documented the influence of microbial symbionts on host physiology, demonstrated that some hosts are relatively mutable in the symbionts they harbor, and shown that symbionts can shift under stress. The large population sizes and short generation times of microorganisms allow them to rapidly evolve traits such as heat tolerance. Furthermore, trophic interactions between corals and their predators may facilitate the dispersal of microbial symbionts to prospective hosts across reefs. Over the last five years, my research group has sought creative ways to leverage microbial symbionts (e.g., dinoflagellates in the family Symbiodiniaceae, bacteria, viruses) and trophic interactions to improve coral colony and reef health. This talk will describe these efforts and associated challenges, and identify areas where transdisciplinary collaborations may offer solutions.