Services

About CCMAR:

Centre of Marine Sciences of the Algarve (CCMAR) is a non-profit research organisation located in the Gambelas Campus of the University of Algarve. The Ramalhete Marine Station is a facility dedicated to experimentation with marine organisms, including fish (seabass, seabream, sole), macroalgae, and bivalves. It is located in the Ria Formosa National Park, a unique coastal mesotidal lagoon, separated from the ocean by a system of barrier islands and inlets. It can offer tailored experimental setups with indoor/outdoor tanks of various sizes and a controlled environment. A variety of experiments with larvae and juveniles of several fish species, such as nutrition, behaviour, general and specific physiology, including acidification, can be performed.

Research laboratories and technology platforms are located in the Gambelas Campus of the University of Algarve. Transport between the Gambelas Campus and Ramalhete Marine Station is available during working days. The infrastructure receives approximately 100 external users per year. A bioinformatics computational cluster offers software for genome assembly and transcriptomics studies. Complementary services include molecular biology (sequencing and proteomics) and analytical and structural chemistry. Approximately 15 projects are run on the station annually, and more than 50 projects use the laboratories and platforms.

Among recent scientific achievements, the development of sea cucumber aquaculture, the demonstration of fish olfactory impairment under ocean acidification conditions, sequenced genomes of sea bass, sea bream and sardine, development of novel fish feeds. Users carrying out procedures with live fish must hold a Felasa animal experimentation certification and a project license from the Directorate General for Food and Veterinary (DGAV) to be requested in advance.

Telemetry

Telemetry supported by a permanent network of acoustic receivers - 10 acoustic receivers spread along the Algarve coast (from the Guadiana Estuary to Portimão), and an array in the Arrábida Marine Park and nearby areas, including the Sado estuary, consisting of >40 receivers with areas with overlapping ranges.

Support offered

Technical and scientific support will be assigned to the visitors according to the specific objectives of the TA. Visitors will be provided their own office and lab space, and they will have full independence and will receive required logistical (reception, integration into infrastructure through the Liaison Officer), technical (labs and platforms dedicated technical staff) or scientific support (if in-house expertise is required). Users carrying out procedures with live animals must hold an animal experimentation certificate and a license from the National authorities (DGAV) must be required in advance.

A typical access consists of planning (generally initiated remotely), setting up and monitoring of experiments. Longer experiments may be set up by the service provider, and the visit consists of monitoring and finalising experiments, collection of samples, storage and preparation for transport.

Some samples may be locally analysed in the laboratories and technical platforms. Technical and scientific support will be assigned to the visitors according to the specific objectives of the TA.

Visitors will be provided their own desk and lab space. During their visit, they will have full independence and will receive, as required, logistical, technical or scientific support through the liaison officer and other staff.

Local accommodation can be booked by CCMAR. Costs related to the shipment of samples may be covered by the TA and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Paperwork and shipment costs of special materials, reagents or equipment will be the responsibility of the users.

There is a weekly seminar program, complemented by visitor and invitation conferences. Visitors will be given access to the general services: administrative services, internet access, accommodation, documentation and communication, and access to laboratories.

Pre-flight cancellation insurance and full health/work/travel insurance covering pre-existing medical conditions, world-wide travel assistance and emergency air transportation services covering the full period of access from departure to return are required. This is a private cost not covered by the TA.