Research blog
"The ChallenGen Project aims at applying both classical and new (derived from Next Generation Sequencing technologies) genetic tools to three challenges identified within the framework of benthic marine research. It is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. The project team comprises two main groups, one belonging to the Marine Ecology Department of the Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (Spanish Research Council, CSIC), and the second one comprising members of the Departments of Genetics and Animal Biology of the University of Barcelona. We also have foreign participants belonging to the University of Southampton and the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences."
Research blog
"We are interested in the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that determine species ranges and maintain populations within these ranges. Our research includes community ecology, population genetics, biogeography, and conservation biology, with a special focus on marine ecosystems."
Research blog
"The project aims to apply the new high throughput sequencing technologies to characterize benthic communities in the Spanish Marine National Parks using environmental DNA (metabarcoding). Our main objective is to characterize the hidden biodiversity which is usually overlooked by traditional methods. We will also try to assess the community impacts of invasive seaweeds."
Research project website (blog in spanish here)
"The project focuses on sponges as symbiotic models to investigate associations between marine invertebrates and micro-and macro-organisms with contrasting integration levels. The project aims at ascertaining evolutionary mechanisms and ecological benefits of sponge symbiosis. Experimental approaches combined with the use of novel sequencing tools (genomics/metatranscriptomics) will allow us considering biological, evolutionary, and ecological questions that could not be addressed in any other way."