Anita Narwani, PhD - Group Leader
email: anita.narwani@eawag.ch
My research aims to determine the mechanisms of species coexistence and the impact of biodiversity on ecosystem properties. I am an empiricist, and I use numerous approaches in my research, spanning the range from careful manipulations of biodiversity in lab microcosms, to whole-ecosystem manipulations and data-synthesis. My curiosity about how species coexist has focused, so far, on how environmental variation in resources and temperature determine the strength and outcome of competition. Recently, I have been investigating how these factors influence species' metabolism, growth and evolution.
Short Bio
2020: Group Leader in the Aquatic Ecology Department at Eawag (with tenure)
2015: Group Leader in the Aquatic Ecology Department at Eawag (tenure-track)
2014-2015: Eawag Postdoc Fellowship
2011-2014: Postdoc @ University of Michigan with Brad Cardinale
2011: PhD @ University of Victoria with Asit Mazumder
email: anita.narwani@eawag.ch
My research aims to determine the mechanisms of species coexistence and the impact of biodiversity on ecosystem properties. I am an empiricist, and I use numerous approaches in my research, spanning the range from careful manipulations of biodiversity in lab microcosms, to whole-ecosystem manipulations and data-synthesis. My curiosity about how species coexist has focused, so far, on how environmental variation in resources and temperature determine the strength and outcome of competition. Recently, I have been investigating how these factors influence species' metabolism, growth and evolution.
Short Bio
2020: Group Leader in the Aquatic Ecology Department at Eawag (with tenure)
2015: Group Leader in the Aquatic Ecology Department at Eawag (tenure-track)
2014-2015: Eawag Postdoc Fellowship
2011-2014: Postdoc @ University of Michigan with Brad Cardinale
2011: PhD @ University of Victoria with Asit Mazumder
Vanessa Weber de Melo, PhD - Posdoctoral Fellow
email: vanessawmelo@gmail.com
Vanessa is the newest addition to the team, and will start her postdoc in June 2020. She recently finished her PhD at the University of Zurich, studying the transcriptomic and phenotypic responses of protists to warming. Her research in the next years will be focused on understanding the interactive effects of warming and resource limitation on metabolism in phytoplankton. Vanessa will leverage her experience in investigating phenotypic change at the molecular level by diving deep into metabolism using high-throuput metabolomics.
We are very excited to welcome Vanessa!
email: vanessawmelo@gmail.com
Vanessa is the newest addition to the team, and will start her postdoc in June 2020. She recently finished her PhD at the University of Zurich, studying the transcriptomic and phenotypic responses of protists to warming. Her research in the next years will be focused on understanding the interactive effects of warming and resource limitation on metabolism in phytoplankton. Vanessa will leverage her experience in investigating phenotypic change at the molecular level by diving deep into metabolism using high-throuput metabolomics.
We are very excited to welcome Vanessa!
Irene Gallego-Nogales, PhD - SNF Posdoctoral Fellow
email: irene.gallego@unige.ch
As an aquatic ecologist, my research interests are oriented towards understanding phytoplankton biodiversity under the modern coexistence framework and its link to ecosystem functioning. My work focuses on two main topics: the role of environmental and spatial variability on plankton community assemblies, and how functional and competitive traits can predict species coexistence.
In the Narwani group, I am investigating the evolution of phytoplankton populations under resource-limiting conditions and its impact on the community structure, in a mesocosm experiment.
email: irene.gallego@unige.ch
As an aquatic ecologist, my research interests are oriented towards understanding phytoplankton biodiversity under the modern coexistence framework and its link to ecosystem functioning. My work focuses on two main topics: the role of environmental and spatial variability on plankton community assemblies, and how functional and competitive traits can predict species coexistence.
In the Narwani group, I am investigating the evolution of phytoplankton populations under resource-limiting conditions and its impact on the community structure, in a mesocosm experiment.
Marta Reyes, M.Sc. (Technician)
email: marta.reyes@eawag.ch
I am an aquatic ecologist, and I am broadly interested aquatic foodweb dynamics and ecosystem processes, as well as in their responses to environmental change. I have worked with several groups of organisms in the past, including fishes and macroinvertebrates, but I am currently most fascinated by the beauty of phytoplankton.
In the Narwani lab, I am currently working on the project NUDREM, where we aim to understand the ecological and evolutionary drivers of the ecosystem stability in 20 outdoor experimental ponds. Over the last few years I have developed extensive skills in algal taxonomy, and I apply these skills in the NUDREM project. I am also working on developing flow cytometry methods, high throuput fluorescence microscopy methods coupled with image classification using machine learning, I train lab robots, and I maintain an algal culture collection for conducting controlled lab experiments.
email: marta.reyes@eawag.ch
I am an aquatic ecologist, and I am broadly interested aquatic foodweb dynamics and ecosystem processes, as well as in their responses to environmental change. I have worked with several groups of organisms in the past, including fishes and macroinvertebrates, but I am currently most fascinated by the beauty of phytoplankton.
In the Narwani lab, I am currently working on the project NUDREM, where we aim to understand the ecological and evolutionary drivers of the ecosystem stability in 20 outdoor experimental ponds. Over the last few years I have developed extensive skills in algal taxonomy, and I apply these skills in the NUDREM project. I am also working on developing flow cytometry methods, high throuput fluorescence microscopy methods coupled with image classification using machine learning, I train lab robots, and I maintain an algal culture collection for conducting controlled lab experiments.
Raphaël Bossart, B.Sc. EFZ (Technician)
email: raphael.bossart@eawag.ch
I am helping to establish a robust pillar in molecular biology for the Narwani Group. Being involved in a multitude of projects, I try to understand the different needs of the group and help whenever I can. Currently, I am trying to design primers for amplicon sequencing of phytoplankton marker genes with the aim of understanding genetic change in populations of algae as they change in dominance over time in natural communities. In providing my technical assitance, I am always developing new skills, and I hope to contribute to a better understanding of how evolutionary change contributes to species interactions and community structure in aquatic ecosystems.
email: raphael.bossart@eawag.ch
I am helping to establish a robust pillar in molecular biology for the Narwani Group. Being involved in a multitude of projects, I try to understand the different needs of the group and help whenever I can. Currently, I am trying to design primers for amplicon sequencing of phytoplankton marker genes with the aim of understanding genetic change in populations of algae as they change in dominance over time in natural communities. In providing my technical assitance, I am always developing new skills, and I hope to contribute to a better understanding of how evolutionary change contributes to species interactions and community structure in aquatic ecosystems.
Daniel Steiner (Technician)
email: daniel.steiner@eawag.ch
I work with the Narwani Group to understand how elemental stoichiometry, primary production and respiration respond to changes in phytoplankton populations and communities in response to environmental change.
email: daniel.steiner@eawag.ch
I work with the Narwani Group to understand how elemental stoichiometry, primary production and respiration respond to changes in phytoplankton populations and communities in response to environmental change.