- Room 406, Davy Building, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA
- +44 1752 587885
- manuela.truebanogarcia@plymouth.ac.uk

Profiles
Dr Manuela Truebano
Lecturer in Marine Molecular Biology
School of Biological and Marine Sciences (Faculty of Science and Engineering)
Biography
Biography
Qualifications
- 2014. PG Cert Academic Practice, University of Plymouth.
- 2010. PhD. Swansea University & British Antarctic Survey.
- 2005. MSc Shellfish Biology, Fisheries and Culture. Bangor University.
- 2003. BSc Hons. Marine Biology. University of Liverpool
Professional membership
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (since 2015)
- Member of:
- Genetics Society
- Cell Stress Society International
- Society of Experimental Biology
Roles on external bodies
- Senior editor: Cell Stress and Chaperones (official journal of the Cell Stress Society International, Springer-Nature)
Teaching
Teaching
Teaching interests
- Marine Molecular Biology (module leader)
- Ecophysiology of Marine Animals (module leader)
- Conservation Physiology
- Marine Biology field courses (module leader of stage 2 Experimental Marine Biology field course)
- Truebano M. & C. Munn. 2015. An Evaluation of the Use of Video Tutorials as Supporting Tools for Teaching Laboratory Skills in Biology. Practice and Evidence of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education 10(2):121-135.
2015. SoMSE. Technology enhanced learning: Video tutorials as part of a blended approach to teaching practical skills. PI.
Research
Research
Research interests
I am a marine biologist with a broad interest in ecophysiology and evolution. My research integrates whole organismal physiology and -omic approaches to investigate the mechanisms underpinning physiological responses to changes in environmental drivers, mainly temperature and oxygen, over different timescales. Much of my research is therefore framed under the context of global climate change and addresses whether aquatic animals have the capacity to cope with and adapt to the current rapid changes in their environment.
Current postdoctoral researchers:
Current PhD students:
- Caitlin McAndry (DoS) "Adapting to climate change: transgenerational acclimation as a mechanism of rapid evolution"
- Ahmed Abbas (DoS) "The challenge of securing future food production for aquaculture species: maternal, developmental and adaptational responses to multistressors"
- Chris Dwane (DoS) “Assessing the vulnerability of aquatic invertebrates to climate change”
- Ziad Ibbini (2nd supervisor) "Assessing Sensitivity to Fluctuating Temperatures in Marine Animals"
- Eleanor Gilbert (2nd supervisor) "Characterising the function of the apical organ in the early diverging metazoan Nematostella vectensis"
- Ali Noth (4th supervisor) "Mitigating the impacts of climate change, emerging disease and invasive species on native amphibian populations in the UK"
- Ellis Moloney (3rd supervisor) "Extremophiles in a changing world: the mechanistic bases of stress resistance in rotifers and tardigrades"
Other research
I have supervised >60 undergraduate and masters students. Examples of project supervision include the following topics:
- Transgenerational plasticity and its role in responding to environmental change
- Responses to thermal stress over different time scales
- Ontogeny of the cellular stress response
- Thermal adaptation across intertidal gradients
- Mechanisms of cross-tolerance between stressors
- Environmental factors influencing hybrid zone dynamics
- The role of parental and developmental environments in transgenerational plasticity
- Thermal adaptation across latitudes
- Molecular mechanisms underpinning responses to moderate and severe stress
Research degrees awarded to supervised students
- Michael Collins, PhD (2019). "Effect on temperature on hypoxia thresholds in aquatic invertebrates"
- George Mason, ResM (2021). "The role of environmental temperature in immunocompetence and disease susceptibility in bivalves"
Grants & contracts
2021. A Pack Atmosphere Support System for Live Crabs/Shellfish Species During Road Transported and Air-freighted Distribution. Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science. PI (contract).
2020. Adapting to climate change: transgenerational acclimation as a mechanism of rapid evolution. ARIES Doctoral Training Partnership. PI.
2020. Understanding the function of the apical organ in early branching metazoans. ARIES Doctoral Training Partnership. Co-PI.
2019. Is fine-scale, local adaptation linked to thermal stress physiology? A test using insitu transplant experiments. Association of European Marine Biological Laboratories Transnational Access Fund. Co-PI.
2019. Mitigating the effects of climate change, emerging disease and invasive species on native amphibian populations in the UK. ARIES Doctoral Training Partnership. Co-PI
2018. Epigenetic control of developmental robustness via endoplasmic reticulum chaperones. Royal Society. IEC\R3\170091. PI.
2015. The role of additive and non-additive genetic effects during animal contests in the beadlet sea anemone Actinia equina. Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. BB/M019772/1. Co-PI.
2014. The effect of in situ acclimatization to chronic hypoxia on the metabolome of the commercially important shrimp Pandalus borealis. Natural Environment Research Council. NBAF867. PI.
2013. Transcriptome analysis of developmental stages in the amphipod Gammarus chevreuxi. Natural Environment Research Council. NBAF622. Co- PI
2013. The Effect of in situ Acclimatization to Hypoxia on the Physiological and Molecular Plasticity of the Commercially Important Shrimp Pandalus borealis. Association of European Marine Biological Laboratories Transnational Access Fund. PI.
Publications
Publications
Key publications
Key publications are highlighted
Journals
Personal
Personal
Reports & invited lectures
- Responses to environmental stress across timescales: an ecophysiology approach. British Ecological Society Aquatic Ecology group meeting, September 2021.
Conferences organised
- Session in International Conference. Technology enabled approaches in ecophysiology. Society of Experimental Biology. 29 June-8 July, virtual conference.
- Session in International Conference. The ecology-physiology-life-history nexus: integrating ecophysiology in evolving life history syndromes. BES/NECOV/GFO/EEF joint annual meeting: Ecology across borders. 11-14 December 2017, Ghent, Belgium.
- Session in International Conference. Change and aquatic life: effects of multiple drivers, from molecules to ecosystems. Society of Experimental Biology Conference. 3-6 July 2017. Gothenburg, Sweden.