CCMAR promotes research and education on processes in the marine environment, with emphasis on biological interactions and the sustainable use of resources. It has competence in a range of areas of marine biology, biotechnology, fisheries and aquaculture. CCMAR classified Excellent is the last research assessment in Portugal. IPMA, CCMAR’s third party, is a public research institute carrying out research, technological development, innovation, services and dissemination activities on sea and atmosphere and carries out pre-competitive research and experimental development of methodologies and technologies for fish and shellfish production.

The participating teams hold expertise to carry out scientific research in:

• Fish reproductive technology and nutrition
• Fish reproductive physiology, osmoregulation, and genomics

Role in the AQUAEXCEL3.0 project:

CCMAR will offer TA, will lead tasks 1.4 and 2.3 and will contribute to Tasks 1.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.3, 5.1 and 6.1. IPMA will offer TA.

Key persons involved:

João CR Cardoso (h index 17) is a Biotechnology Engineer with a PhD in Biological Sciences. He is a senior research member at CCMAR. Dr Cardoso is an expert in evolutionary biology on the study of peptide hormones and their receptors and their functional characterization using in-vitro cell expression systems. The main work is on the G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) linked to the cardiovascular, integument, digestive and nervous systems.

Pedro M Guerreiro (h-index 19) is a Marine Biologist with a PhD in Animal Physiology. Develops research in fish ecophysiology, osmoregulation and mineral balance, stress response and endocrine regulation. Laboratory resources include biochemical assays for the determination of hormones, electrolytes and energetic substrates, enzymatic activity, oxidative stress and transepithelial transport.

Ana Margarida Amaral (PhD), Liaison officer and core facility manager responsible for the infrastructure access.

Adelino Canario, Deborah Power and Elsa Cabrita will participate to the project without claiming personal costs.