About us
get to know the team
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Dr. Jana Isanta-Navarro
I am a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Freshwater Ecology at the University of Copenhagen. I am most fascinated by the interplay of ecological and evolutionary processes in lake ecosystems. Especially the lower part of the food chain, from nutrients via phytoplankton to zooplankton is in the focus of my research. With my research, I want to contribute to our understanding of some of the challenges our freshwater ecosystems are facing, now and in the future.
PhD Students
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Claudia Lassen
I hold a Bachelor and Master degree in Biology from the University of Copenhagen and specialised in ecology throughout my studies. I am generally interested in freshwater and marine ecology, and botany, but especially phytoplankton. I really like phytoplankton! For my PhD research I will assess changes in key-ecological traits that not only impact the fitness of phytoplankton itself but are also of nutritional importance to higher trophic levels. For that, I will experimentally examine ecological and evolutionary changes of more than 40 different phytoplankton species to several environmental gradients. I look forward to getting the first data, as I really enjoy data visualisation and statistics.
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Vana Paida
I hold a Bachelor degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and a Master degree from Uppsala University. Previously, I have participated in projects revolving around evolution and ecology, as well as their intricate interplay. While I’m always fascinated by studying evolutionary patterns and processes, I have developed a strong will to have an impact with my research on the global crisis induced by anthropogenic activity. For my PhD research I will experimentally explore phenotypic adaptive responses of Daphnia to increased salinisation through space and time. Building on existing knowledge, my research will identify the role of nutrition in adapting to salinization of freshwater ecosystems.
Master Students
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Yihong Wang
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David Sørensen
Microalgae offer some of the most promising solutions to the development of biofuels, carbon capture, biofertilizers, and environmentally sustainable foods. Biotechnology relies heavily on evolving organisms to produce different products. For biofuel production, for example, maximizing the expression of specific traits (i.e., lipid content) is of interest. These traits are often also of ecological importance and can, for example, impact intra- and interspecific interactions. In my thesis, I will explore how selection on lipid production alters allelopathic interactions.
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Rakib Abdullah
In my thesis project I will experimentally explore short-term and physiological and ecological responses of key phytoplankton groups to anthropogenic threats. I want to answer the following questions: (1) Do phytoplankton groups differ systematically in their plasticity of key ecological traits to different environmental conditions? (2) How do differential plastic responses alter inter-specific interactions? With my research I want to contribute to understand the differential response of key phytoplankton groups to anthropogenic threats and its implications for lake ecosystems.
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Célia Wotling
Célia joined us for one of her master projects from the University École Normale Supérieure de Lyon in France, where she is pursuing a Master of Science degree in Biology.
In my project I will work on the impacts of anthropogenic environmental stressors on phytoplankton and consequences on future lake communities. I will focus on three environmental anthropogenic stressors that currently impact and can be expected to influence life in lakes in the future: temperature, elemental imbalances and salinisation.
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Søren Gade
Together with Sofie, I am assessing how different cyanobacteria species found in low-saline environments (soil and freshwater systems) might be impacted by rising salinity concentrations. Climate models predict an overall increase of cyanobacteria in the future due to several factors, but very little literature assess how a key trait of cyanobacteria- N2 fixation- might be affected by rising salinity. Biological nitrogen fixation is a major regulator of the global N-cycle. It is thus important to study in a future world affected by climate change, where soil and freshwater systems might be affected by rising sea levels, more frequent storm surges and anthropogenic sources such as de-icing road salt.
Søren is co-supervised by Kathrin Rousk and Danillo Alvarenga.
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Sofie Thøger
Together with Søren, I am assessing how different cyanobacteria species found in low-saline environments (soil and freshwater systems) might be impacted by rising salinity concentrations. Climate models predict an overall increase of cyanobacteria in the future due to several factors, but very little literature assess how a key trait of cyanobacteria- N2 fixation- might be affected by rising salinity. Biological nitrogen fixation is a major regulator of the global N-cycle. It is thus important to study in a future world affected by climate change, where soil and freshwater systems might be affected by rising sea levels, more frequent storm surges and anthropogenic sources such as de-icing road salt.
Sofie is co-supervised by Kathrin Rousk and Danillo Alvarenga.
Bachelor Students and Interns
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Lotta Heckroth
Lotta finished high school last year in Germany and is eager to pursue studies in the field of biology. Lotta is currently conducting an internship with us and we are excited to pass on our fascination for aquatic ecology.
I have always been very interested in our environment and its changes, I find almost all ecological areas very fascinating. I am particularly interested in the areas of marine and freshwater biology, as I am now more specifically interested in the changes these ecosystems experience, living organisms, food chains, etc.