Ana M. Palacio-Castro

Assistant Scientist at University of Miami - CIMAS

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NOAA/AOML

4301 Rickenbacker Cswy

Miami, Fl 33149

Hi, I’m Ana. I am a biologist interested in the future of our oceans. My main focus of research has been how ocean warming, acidification, diseases, and pollution affect corals and disrupt the coral-algal symbiosis, causing coral bleaching and mortality. I also aim to identify environmental and genetic factors that enhance corals resistance increasing their survivorship in our fast changing world.

I use a combination of fieldwork and laboratory experiments to better understand corals’ susceptibility and tolerance to these stressors. I collect small coral samples during my expeditions and experiments, which then I analyze with molecular techniques and bioinformatic tools.

I am currently an Assistant Scientist at the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) and NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML). I got a Ph.D. from the University of Miami with the Coral Futures Lab, and a B.S. degree from Universidad de Antioquia (Colombia). I am also a member of the Coral Reefs Ecology research group at Universidad del Valle.

latest posts

selected publications

  1. pnas.2023.png
    Increased dominance of heat-tolerant symbionts creates resilient coral reefs in near-term ocean warming
    Ana M Palacio-Castro , Tyler B Smith , Viktor Brandtneris , Grace A Snyder , and 6 more authors
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2023
  2. 2023_GBC.jpeg
    Coral Reef Carbonate Chemistry Reveals Interannual, Seasonal, and Spatial Impacts on Ocean Acidification Off Florida
    A M Palacio-Castro , I C Enochs , A Boyd N. Besemer , M Jankulak , and 7 more authors
    Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 2023