IMPROVING FRESHWATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT USING DNA METABARCODING

STUDENT SEMINAR IN BIODIVERSITY AND EVOLUTION

DNA metabarcoding is a recent genomic technique with promising applications in biodiversity assessment and biomonitoring. The goal of my PhD is to develop and evaluate a metabarcoding protocol, from macroinvertebrate sampling and genetic identification to a river classification method using multimetric indices that meets the criteria of the EU Water Framework Directive. In this seminar, I will talk about my PhD project and show some preliminary results.

Filipa Martins graduated in Terrestrial Environmental Biology at the University of Lisbon (FCUL) and holds a MSc in Conservation Biology from the same University. In 2011, she worked as a researcher at the NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility in Sheffield where she developed skills in molecular ecology. Afterwards, she worked as a research technician at CIBIO-InBIO (CONGEN and APPLECOL groups) until she was awarded a PHD grant from FCT. Currently, she is enrolled on the 3rd year of the BIODIV doctoral program under the supervision of Dr. Pedro Beja and Dr. Paulo Célio Alves (CIBIO-InBIO, UP).

[Host: Paulo Célio Alves, Conservation Genetics and Wildlife Management]

Image credits: Filipa MS Martins