Dr Vera Fonseca

Senior Molecular Ecologist

Vera is a senior molecular ecologist with 20 years’ experience in molecular ecology, environmental DNA (eDNA), marine biodiversity and environmental monitoring. Her work focuses on developing and applying molecular approaches to understand biodiversity, ecological change and human pressures, and on translating these approaches into robust evidence for marine monitoring and policy.

Vera completed her PhD at Bangor University, followed by postdoctoral research at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Before joining Cefas, she held a professorial position at Museum Koenig in Germany, where she led the Environmental Genomics team.

At Cefas, Vera leads the development of the organisation’s eDNA strategy and roadmap and leads and contributes to UK and international research programmes using eDNA, metabarcoding and other molecular approaches across marine habitats, fisheries, offshore wind, protected areas and environmental assessment. She works across multidisciplinary teams, supporting and supervising scientists, PhD students and placement students, and has led work for Defra, The Crown Estate and European research programmes. She also contributes to the Defra DNA Centre of Excellence (DNA CoE) and the wider development of molecular approaches for marine monitoring.

Vera is active in national and international scientific and policy networks. She is a former Co-Chair of the EuroGOOS Biology Working Group and contributes to expert groups of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and to FAO–Ocean Biomolecular Observing Network (FAO–OBON) initiatives, including work on fisheries, methods and policy. She regularly provides scientific advice on eDNA, biodiversity monitoring, method validation and the use of molecular evidence in environmental decision-making.

Email: vera.fonseca@cefas.gov.uk

Google Scholar: ‪Vera G Fonseca‬ - ‪Google Scholar‬‬‬