Raquel Xavier

Raquel Xavier is an Auxiliary Researcher at CIBIO/InBIO, University of Porto. Her research focuses on microbial dynamics in aquaculture and fisheries, with emphasis on bacterial interactions in fish microbiomes, host-parasite relationships, and the impact of anthropogenic stressors. She holds a PhD from the University of Porto (2011) and has conducted postdoctoral work on cleaner fish symbiosis and parasite spill-over.

Her work integrates molecular techniques and ecological modeling to address questions in marine microbiology, including how social behavior (e.g., cleaner fish interactions) affects microbial communities and disease transmission. Key affiliations include AquaGenPhy department and collaborations with institutions like Cardiff University and George Washington University.

Publications highlight studies on microbiome responses to antibiotics, coral reef symbiosis, and invasive species impacts. Xavier also explores the role of microbiome in social behavior through fish models, linking ecological processes to translational microbiome research.