Alexandra Duarte Silva

Alexandra Duarte Silva is a Senior Researcher at the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) and an Assistant Professor at the University of Porto's Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS). She serves as National delegate for multiple international organizations including EURL-HABWG, ICES-WGHABD, and IPHAB IOC/UNESCO, and chairs the IPHAB Task Team on Early Warning Systems for Harmful Algal Events.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD in Biology, specialization in Ecology, University of Lisbon (2009), with thesis "Coccolithophores in coastal waters: Lisbon bay, Portugal" (Distinction, honor and unanimity)
• Bachelor's degree in Applied Biology, specialization in Marine Resources, University of Lisbon (2000), with thesis "Characterization of three phytoplankton communities in three sectors of the Portuguese coast"

Dr. Silva's research focuses on marine phytoplankton ecology, particularly Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Her expertise spans phytoplankton taxonomy and physiology, ecology, oceanography, environmental assessment, and monitoring services. She has developed significant work in food safety related to marine toxins and capacity building through training. As Coordinator of the citizen science program FitoAvista, she engages the public in monitoring extreme phytoplankton events. Her research also contributes to international guidelines on monitoring best practices and early warning systems.

Her publication record demonstrates a strong interdisciplinary approach connecting fundamental phytoplankton ecology with practical applications for marine resource management and public health. Recent work shows increasing integration of emerging threats like SARS-CoV-2 into marine monitoring frameworks, while maintaining strong focus on traditional HAB concerns. Her research spans from cellular-level toxin mechanisms to ecosystem-scale dynamics, with particular emphasis on the Portuguese coast and Atlantic region.

Her scientific achievements have been recognized with several awards:

• Elsevier Reviewer Certificate on Outstanding Contribution in Reviewing (2017)
• Best Service Challenge, Copernicus Master (2013)
• Best work and oral communication by a young researcher (2004)

Dr. Silva actively supervises Master's students and coordinates multiple research projects including INTERREG_PRIMROSE, OBSERVA-FISH, and CIGUA. She plays a key role in the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive, particularly regarding Good Environmental Status assessment for Descriptor 5 (Eutrophication), and co-authored the FAO-IOC-IAEA technical guidance for early warning systems for harmful algal blooms.

As Head of the Phytoplankton Laboratory at IPMA since 2016, she leads a multidisciplinary team focused on marine phytoplankton monitoring and research. Her leadership extends to the Acidification and Deoxygenation program of National coastal waters, where she examines impacts on biological structures such as coccolithophores, and she serves on the editorial board of Toxins-MDPI for the Marine and Freshwater Toxins section.