I am a Chilean marine biologist, the type that travels always with ziploc plastic bags and tweezers. As part of my bachelor and master studies, I took several courses on phycology (marine botany, phycology, phytoplankton, applied phycology, advanced phycology, culture of microalgae), that gives me a wide overview on ecology, taxonomy, and applications of algal resources. Algae has been my passion since the beginning of my studies, and I have based my entire career in these fascinating organisms. Already early in my studies I focused my attention on the algae, because I understood how important they are for the marine ecosystem. Almost all animals depend either directly or indirectly on marine algae for their food supply. Their key role as microhabitat forming organisms is indisputable; not only the gigantic kelps, but also turf and subdosel macroalgae contain a rich biodiversity of organisms associated with them. Whether diving underwater or looking under the microscope, the study of algae offers a fascinating pool of forms and interactions of interesting living evolutionary and ecological laboratories. The development of defenses and specific resulting associations are of particular interest, because chemistry has been found to play the crucial role for those interactions with the surrounding biota. My interest in algal diseases led me to describe a new species of a parasite affecting Durvillaea antarctica. I started studying phytoplankton in a small southern bay of Chile in 2002. Later, I worked with macroalgae taxonomy, chemistry, and biological invasions in Chile. After that I continued with macroalgae-microbial associations in Germany. In Czech Republic, I investigated the physiological effects of metals and bio recycling, and in Bulgaria I studied thermal springs communities. I have cultivated both micro- and macroalgae, including cold adapted polar microalgae and hot desert cyanobacteria here in Norway. In the last years, I have been involved in several projects on cultivation of both micro- and macroalgae, towards a sustainable use of the resources we have, especially as food. And as a side project, I have been studying the diversity of Norwegian macroalgae. If you are interested in my research, if you need some help, or you are looking for research interactions, please contact me.
