Dr Luca Mirimin

Lecturer in Aquatic Ecology

Dr Luca Mirimin, Lecturer in Aquatic Ecology at ATU and Researcher in Conservation Genetics and Applied Molecular Ecology at MFRC.

I hold an honours degree in Natural Sciences from University of Ferrara, Italy (2002) and a PhD in Zoology from University College Cork, Ireland (2007). Prior to my current academic position, I had been a researcher in several projects in UK, South Africa and Ireland. My research interests are in the development and application of molecular tools to aid aquatic ecosystems health and sustainable seafood production.

Projects

Integrating eDNA in Marine Spatial Planning

This is a PhD scholarship held by Marina Vingiani and co-funded by ATU (Galway, Ireland) and ISMAR-CNR (Italy)

Contact: Dr Luca Mirimin

PSPSafe project – Paralytic shellfish poisoning events in Ireland

The PSPSafe project is a 4-years project funded by DAFM and involving a collaboration between the Marine Institute, ATU and UCD, to elucidate the causes and identifying potential upcoming impacts of a recent increase of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins (PSTs) in Irish shellfish.

Contact: Dr Luca Mirimin

Molecular detection of toxigenic and harmful phytoplankton

The primary aim of this CULLEN fellowship is to validate and implement DNA-based methods for the detection and quantification of Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) species in Irish coastal waters and sediments into a routine monitoring programme.

Contact: Dr Luca Mirimin

MERMEID – Marine macrofauna diversity using eDNA

Contact: Dr Luca Mirimin

Mytilus species complex genomics

The main aim of this project is to disentangle genetic structure and adaptive potential of mussels in Irish waters to understand native vs non-indigenous species dynamics and enable sustainable seafood production.

Contact: Dr Luca Mirimin

Nephin Forest Lakes Project

This research will determine a baseline list of biological communities, comprising aquatic and semi-aquatic plants, invertebrates and vertebrates of dystrophic lakes and pools within Nephin Forest using eDNA.

Contact: Dr Heather Lally

Biodiversity Conservation and Restoration in Nephin Forest

This Marine Institute funded research project led by ATU Galway City aims to gather and assess baseline habitat composition and structure, and bird population data in Nephin Forest within Wild Nephin National Park

Contact: Dr Heather Lally, Dr Conor Graham

Marine biodiversity monitoring using environmental DNA (eDNA)

Environmental DNA/RNA metabarcoding for monitoring marine biodiversity in Galway Bay, with particular attention to marine Invasive Alien Species (AIS)

Contact: Dr Luca Mirimin

Genetic screening of zooplankton

This project aims at developing state-of-the-art molecular tools for the rapid and cost-effective screening of plankton samples for the presence of bivalve and crustacean species of commercial value. This project is in collaboration with BIM and is funded by the European Maritime Fisheries Fund.

Contact: Dr Luca Mirimin