The PhD Programme in
Evolution, Ecology and Environmental Health is characterised by a coherent, integrated scientific framework that brings together complementary perspectives on biological systems, environmental processes, on the effects on human health and the environment. Three broad research topics constitute the program, reflecting its interdisciplinary nature and favouring the development of doctoral research activities spanning multiple levels of biological organisation, from molecular and cellular processes to ecosystems and interactions between humans and the environment.
The Evolution topic comprises research lines committed to unravelling the mechanisms underlying the development and conservation of biological diversity across different timescales. Projects in this research field address processes such as adaptation, speciation, and population divergence using different approaches, including molecular genetics, genomics, phylogeography, and comparative methods. A wide range of taxa and systems are analysed, including contemporary and historical populations, which are often integrated with ecological data to reconstruct spatio-temporal dynamics, adaptive trajectories and long-term organism-environment crosstalk. This evolutionary perspective provides a critical foundation for interpreting present-day biodiversity patterns and for understanding biological responses to dynamic environmental changes.
The Ecology topic comprises a series of research projects spanning different levels of the biodiversity scale: populations, communities, and ecosystems across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments. Researches within this area examine ecological structure and function, the interactions among species and ecosystem processes, with particular focus on biodiversity patterns, community dynamics and ecosystem resilience. The dominant and transversal theme is the concept of Sustainable Development. The research projects, often highly applied and carried out in collaboration with public and private bodies, range from the marine to the coastal environment, through the study of benthic communities, seagrass meadows, phytoplankton assemblages, and human activities such as fishing. Ecological research programmes frequently interface with evolutionary and environmental health perspectives and, in this way, contribute to the implementation of conservation strategies and the sustainable management of natural ecosystems.
The Environmental Health topic investigates the intricate relationships among environmental conditions, biological systems, and human and animal health within a framework consistent with the One Health paradigm. Research lines include the study of chemical, biological and physical stressors, pathogens and parasites, microbiomes and organismal responses to environmental pressures. Most projects are committed to integrating molecular, physiological, and ecological approaches to assess environmental risk, vulnerability, and resilience, with the ultimate aim of developing monitoring tools and improving mitigation strategies. This research field also encompasses applied and biotechnological research aimed at environmental remediation, sustainable resource management, and the development of nature-based solutions to improve the translational dimension of the doctoral research activities.
The image gallery on this page offers an overview of the environments, organisms, and experimental approaches that characterise the programme's research projects.