Dr Sara Da Silva Pires Marques Barrento

Dr Sara Da Silva Pires Marques Barrento

Honorary Lecturer, Science and Engineering
Staff Office - 022
Ground Floor
Margam Building
Singleton Campus
Available For Postgraduate Supervision

Research Links

About

I am a highly motivated professional in marine science with 9 years’ experience. I have worked mainly with seaweeds – kelps, and marine invertebrates - crustaceans and bivalves. I have worked in different Universities in collaboration with companies from Europe, New Zealand and Chile in a range of subjects: aquaculture, biotechnology, biochemistry, and physiology. 

 

Areas Of Expertise

  • Marine Invertebrates Physiology
  • Food safety and security
  • Sustainable Supply Chains
  • Sustainable Marine Production (seaweeds and marine invertebrates; Integrated Multi Trophic Aquaculture)
  • Kelp Ecology

Career Highlights

Research

I have been involved in 5 Research Projects funded by the European FP6, FP7 and Horizon2020 funding schemes, and 4 projects funded by Research Councils in Portugal and the UK. I have collaborated with 11 research institutions, 24 companies and 9 associations from 11 countries globally. My research mainly focuses on food safety and security, and the blue economy. I have authored 18 scientific publications.

Presently I am interested on the development of sustainable production systems for marine macroalgae and animals. I am mostly interested in integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA). The basic concept of IMTA is the farming of several species at different trophic levels, that is species that occupy different positions in a food chain. This allows one species’ uneaten feed and wastes, nutrients and by-products to be recaptured and converted into fertilizer, feed and energy for the other crops (Chopin, 2012). As an example we can combine, the cultivation of fed species (finfish or shrimp) with inorganic extractive species (seaweeds or aquatic plants) and organic extractive species (oysters, mussels and other invertebrates). You can learn more about IMTA on my TedEd lesson here (http://ed.ted.com/on/H7rUYhKF)