Promote aquaculture sustainability under a changing climate and develop innovative methods to increase food extraction from the ocean are central approaches to tackle societal challenges related to human nutrition and seafood quality. For these, it is critical to comprehend central aspects related to the morphological and physiological diversity of aquatic species of economic interest or key to food webs, including their environmental and nutritional requirements, mechanisms of adaptation and susceptibility to diseases. High impact scientific knowledge and innovation in supporting areas are provided through basic and applied research and transferred to the industry and end-users.
Filipe Castro is Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto and PI of the team in Animal Genetics and Evolution. Among the group’s various research focuses are Comparative Genomics, Physiology and Evolution, Bioinformatics and the Anthropocene.
Luísa M.P. Valente (Ph.D.) is a biologist with over 25 years of research experience in fish nutrition and sustainable aquaculture focusing on: Fish robustness; Environmental impact; Muscle growth and flesh quality; Functional feeds; Circular economy, One Health.
Senior scientist and Full Professor at ICBAS, University of Porto. Director of the Animal Science Doctoral programme. Member of the Directive Board of CIIMAR, coordinator of the Biology, Aquaculture and Seafood Quality thematic line. Member of the Directive Board of B2E- Collaborative Laboratory for the Blue Bioeconomy. Member of the European Aquaculture Society (EAS) having served as board member during 4 years.
Benjamín Costas completed a Masters in Aquaculture by the University of Algarve in 2006, and in 2011 achieved a PhD degree in Animal Science by the University of Porto. Benjamín Costas is currently Principal Researcher at CIIMAR and Head of Aquatic Animal Health, a young and strongly motivated team highlighting nutritional immunology as main research line. Dr. Costas is passionate about aquatic animal health and welfare and is actually coordinating several national and international projects in those topics. Main research is targeting novel strategies to improve fish disease resistance and welfare as well as on non-invasive biomarkers of animal health.
