Michele Lima
Life Sciences
Michele Lima, a dedicated biologist with a passion for coral conservation, began her scientific journey with a degree in biological sciences from the Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense. She furthered her expertise with a master’s and PhD in biological chemistry from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro and deepened her knowledge of the coral world during her post-doctoral studies. This research, focused on understanding the effects of stress on coral organisms, led her to a research experience at the Ocean University of China. Currently, she is dedicated to understanding coral resilience, studying how certain corals withstand environmental damage to reproduce these resilient species and contribute to their conservation.
Away from the lab, Michele enjoys her family’s company in Petrópolis, where home-cooked meals and playful moments with her nephews combine with the simple pleasures of life. A nature lover, she balances the demands of city life with hikes and quiet moments by the sea. In her busy schedule, Michele finds time for spiritual reflection at church and expresses her artistic side through dance. Her diverse interests include a fascination with archaeology and architectural documentaries and an ardent passion for the Flamengo football club.
Projects
Who hasn’t walked along a beach, been mesmerized by the vibrant “rock structures” that decorate the seafloor, and started to name them? Maybe you’ve even playfully compared their shapes to familiar objects – a brain, deer antlers – or their colors. These intriguing formations are, of course, corals! These organisms live in association with microorganisms (forming a holobiont) and are extremely important for the maintenance and health of the oceans. They are also responsible for providing jobs and food for thousands of people. Some corals can tolerate drastic environmental changes (e.g., pollution and warming waters). Not all corals get sick or die during stress episodes (bleaching), so this work investigates how the coral holobiont (host + zooxanthellae + microorganisms) could acclimatize and survive environmental changes. We will focus on three response fronts: i) immunological, ii) genetic, and iii) physiological. Resistant individuals will be selected, and we will breed them in the laboratory and reintroduce them to the environment to restore degraded areas. In addition, our studies will show how human activities affect the health of coral symbionts, providing data that will help inform coral conservation studies and integrate different fields of knowledge.
