Utilizing my molecular ecology training and interest in aquatic systems, biodiversity, and microbiome science, my research is primarily driven by questions on the impact of ecological processes and environmental stressors on aquatic biodiversity and their functions, and vice versa. I am committed to conducting fundamental and applied research to provide a mechanistic understanding of biological dynamics in aquatic systems. This includes studying genes, individuals, species, and their ecological assembly, as well as their interactions in natural and engineered environments. Currently, as a postdoctoral researcher at ACES (Stockholm University, Sweden), I am applying my expertise in ecology and microbiome research to a project focused on studying microbial community dynamics and the underlying mechanisms of biodegradation in aquatic systems (2023-present). This includes assessing and refining standard methods of biodegradation testing to ensure their effectiveness and increase environmental relevance. This research work further expanded my proficiency in microbial dynamics in relation to environmental transformations and work in multidisciplinary concepts and techniques.
My doctoral research focused on aquatic science and community ecology, specifically employing molecular-based approaches for biodiversity and biomonitoring applications. I used ecological indicators for the environmental assessment of freshwater ecosystems undergoing habitat restoration (e.g., gravel bars in the Trinity River, USA) and engineering solutions (e.g., bypass tunnels in dam-fragmented rivers in Switzerland). These equipped me with extensive expertise in analyzing biological interactions and assessing the impacts of disturbance on river ecology. Most of my projects involved national and international collaborations, such as those with DPRI (Japan), EAWAG (Switzerland), and the Trinity Management Council (USA), as well as internships at the Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (Germany). These experiences broadened my research network and exposed me to diverse academic standards and global research trends, significantly supporting my early career development.
I am seeking to contribute to the conceptualization and development of projects focused on assessing the ecological restoration of impacted aquatic systems, where I can apply my expertise in using multi-omics tools for biodiversity assessment and ecological monitoring applications to support a multidisciplinary program.