Services

CIIMAR is a leading research and advanced training institution working on the frontier of knowledge and innovation. The centre uses knowledge-based approaches to promote the natural capital and the sustained management of marine resources through monitoring of ecosystems health, optimisation of aquaculture, and biotechnological exploitation of the resources for environmental and human health applications. CIIMAR brings together 380 researchers, of which 180 holding a PhD degree, covering an extensive diversity of scientific and technological skills and expertise. CIIMAR´s new state-of-the-art facilities for research, training and services are located at the heart of the maritime industry and services in the Northern region of Portugal (Leixões harbour).

CIIMAR offers ecosystem access to intertidal and subtidal areas and estuarine ecosystems (access on foot, boat and scuba diving), buoys equipped with sensors for environmental monitoring, GPS-equipped drifters, CTD and other means used to study coastal and estuarine dynamics, and associated time-series biological and environmental data. CIIMAR Scientific Diving Center is fully equipped to support research underwater with tools and equipment for observational surveys, manipulative experiments, biCentreological and non-biological sample collection, and image collection.

Bioresources available

• Culture collections (On-site service)

  • LEGE culture collection (400 Cyanobacterial strains);

  • Access to cultures of Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes and bacteria from different phyla (Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes)

• Species collected upon request (On-site service)

  • Species from the Atlantic Western coast of Portugal and adjacent estuaries

• Marine model organisms (On-site service)

  • A range of aquaculture fish species, invertebrates, macroalgae and model organisms can be provided, e.g.:

    • Dicentrarchus labrax,

    • Spaurus aurata,

    • Diplodus sargos,

    • Lipophrys pholis,

    • Solea senegalensis,

    • Psetta maxima,

    • Anguilla anguilla,

    • Cyprinus carpio,

    • Salmo trutta fario,

    • Onchorhynchus mykiss,

    • Danio rerio,

    • Torpedo marmorata,

    • Scyliorhinus canicula,

    • Paracentritus lividus,

    • Gammarus locusta,

    • Artemia salina,

    • Laminaria ochroleuca,

    • Laminaria hyperborea,

    • Saccharina latissima,

    • Saccorhiza polyschides.

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 licence from National authorities (DGAV) must be required in advance. Typical access consists in finalising the planning (generally initiated remotely), the setting up and the monitoring of experiments. Longer experiments may be set up by the service provider and the visit will be for monitoring and finalising experiments, preparation of storage or other materials, collection of samples for various purposes, storage in appropriate media.

Some samples may need to be initially locally analysed in laboratories and platforms. Paperwork and shipment costs of special materials, reagents or equipment will be the responsibility of the users. Costs related to shipment of samples may be covered by the TA and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The scientific atmosphere of the centre is international and informal. Regular seminars and conferences provide excellent opportunities for users to share and take part in ongoing research activities, expecting future collaborations.

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

Modality of access

Actual Costs will be the method used for CIIMAR Laboratories and Technological Platforms, CIIMAR Ecosystem Access Platform, CIIMAR Aquaculture and Animal Experimentation Platform.

Unit of access: tank/week for aquarium, aquaculture and animal experimentation facilities, user/day for laboratories and platforms user-group.day for ecosystem access, boats, scientific dive and telemetry. Duration of work: Typically, one or two users stay for 20-30 days depending on the type of work. A typical project consists of approx. 48 units of access for aquaria facilities, 20 units of access of laboratories and platforms, 3 days for ecosystem access, boat, scientific dive support and telemetry.

Expected output/deliverables for users: Users will be able to carry out their projects according to prearranged planning and they can do at least some of the analysis in situ. If requested, users can benefit from interaction with a local group. Users are expected to test new methodologies, obtain samples and data from different kinds of experiments, e.g., nutrition, growth and physiology, behaviour.

Users are expected to provide a seminar and a report of the visit. Scientific papers, patents and/or other outputs are expected from the visit.