Frada Miguel

Dr. Frada Miguel is a Researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Interuniversity Institute of Marine Sciences in Eilat, Israel. His work focuses on marine microbial eco-physiology, specifically investigating phytoplankton ecology, life cycle strategies, and host-virus interactions. He leads the Frada Group, which studies coccolithophores—calcifying algae critical to ocean biogeochemistry—and their responses to environmental changes.

• Affiliations: Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior) and Interuniversity Institute of Marine Sciences, Eilat
• Key Research Themes: Coccolithophore life cycles, viral dynamics in marine systems, calcification mechanisms, and climate change impacts on phytoplankton communities.

His research combines fieldwork in the Red Sea, Mediterranean, and other regions with laboratory-based physiological and molecular analyses. Recent studies explore how warming affects species distribution and survival in the Red Sea, particularly highlighting coccolithophores as early indicators of environmental shifts. Collaborative projects include transcriptome analysis of life phases in Emiliania huxleyi and viral resistance mechanisms in non-calcifying cells.

He advises research groups focused on microbial oceanography and contributes to global efforts understanding marine microbial diversity and climate resilience. Findings are disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and public outreach, such as explaining Red Sea ecosystem vulnerabilities to global warming.