My scientific career started in 2005 when I was entered in the group of Pathology and Histopathology of marine species belonging to Department of Biology of the University of Cádiz (Spain) as a volunteer student. Prof. Maria Luisa de Canales supervised my training for 9 months. The main objective was the study of the different diseases present in seabream and seabass juveniles under captive conditions using several histological procedures. In the same year, I had the opportunity to continue my research training at the Institute of Research and Technology Food and Agriculture (IRTA, Spain) at the Department of Aquatic Pathology supervised by Dr. Ana Roque for 3 months. In this case, I learnt microbiology and bacteriology techniques working with different mollusc species. In 2008, I repeated the experience in IRTA supervised by Dr. Ana Roque for 3 months but in this case I was focussed in molecular biology of bacteria. In 2010, I was able to carry out my Master project on the detection and characterization of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in mollusc of two Ebro delta bays production: Alfacs and Fangar. This was my first contact with high-level research and it represented the starting point of my career in aquaculture research. Later, in 2012, I was awarded a prestigious Predoctoral Fellowship (INIA) from the Spanish Government to complete my PhD in Fish reproductive behaviour and chemical communication always focused in aquaculture production at the Institute of Research and Technology Food and Agriculture (IRTA, Spain) where I worked under the supervision of Dr. Neil John Duncan (2012 - 2016). I completed my doctorate at the Polytechnic University of Valencia in April 2017. My PhD research dedicated in the study of reproductive behaviour, chemical communication and dominance behaviour in high-value fish, such as Senegalese sole, mainly characterising the different behavioural aspects associated with spawning period and the implication of urine during this reproductive phase. I also provide the importance of the behavioural studies, such dominance, stress coping style (individual and group) to try to improve the production systems in aquaculture. Moreover, I had the opportunity to benefit from several stays during my PhD in prestigious Research centres to acquire better knowledge in molecular biology and chemical communication in fish. I was awarded the Postdoctoral Fellowship associated with the Project "REPROF1 - Condicionamento de indivíduos F1 de linguado Senegalês com perspetivas à reprodução em cativeiro", funded by Mar2020 Program (Direção Regional de Agricultura e Pescas do Algarve) under Dr. Elsa Cabrita supervision where I performed several activities (conditioning and chemical communication) related to fish reproduction specially in Senegalese sole. Recently, I have been awarded a postdoctoral fellowship related to the project "EBB-European Marine Biological Resource Centre Biobank". Moreover, I started to run two projects associated with reproduction in different fish species important for production. In 2021, I have been awarded with a prestigious research position in CCMAR as "Junior Researcher" funded by FCT (Portugal) under the call "CEEC 3rd edition". (more details in CV attached).
The parts that most attracted the participants were the practical video sessions and the participation of the industry in the Workshop. During the three days, the workshop registered a total of 220 participants from 19 countries.
Our researchers had a strong presence at the annual conference of the European Aquaculture Society, where they won the best poster award among more than 800 submitted works and made several oral presentations.
The BREEDFLAT project aims to improve the reproductive capacity of 3 important flatfish species in aquaculture production in Portugal and Norway by improving broodstock nutrition.
During this field trip, our researchers visited the facilities where will be kept the halibut broodstock with which they will work wit on the Breedflat project.
Our researchers attended the 8th International Workshop on the Biology of Fish Gametes, where they presented several projects and met old friends.