Students

Violeta Cassandra Vera Cuevas

PhD in Science (Ecology), CIBNOR · Thesis committee member

Using environmental DNA to monitor biodiversity and its relationship with human impact in Cabo Pulmo National Park

Uses eDNA metabarcoding to monitor biodiversity on the Cabo Pulmo reef and to tell apart changes driven by local human pressures, extreme climate events or natural variation.

María Fernanda Fernández González

MSc in Science (Marine Biology), CIBNOR · Co-advisor, with Dr. Fausto Valenzuela Quiñonez

Variation of the epibiont microbiome of holopelagic Sargassum in the Mexican Caribbean

Studies the microbial communities living on sargassum along a latitudinal gradient, using 16S metabarcoding to separate the effects of the host and the ocean environment.

Estefanía Rodríguez Jacinto

MSc, CICIMAR-IPN · Co-advisor, with Dr. Francisco Javier García Rodríguez

Spatial and temporal composition of the fish fauna of the Ensenada de La Paz based on environmental DNA

Characterizes the fishes of the Ensenada de La Paz, a mangrove-fringed coastal lagoon and nursery area, using 12S metabarcoding along its environmental gradient.

Ninel Rivera Baxin

MSc, CIBNOR · Co-advisor

Thesis within the MAR-Gen Caribe project (metabarcoding on Mexican Caribbean reefs)

Sofía Fonseca Yépez

MSc in Science (Marine Biology), CIBNOR · Thesis committee member

Metagenomic analysis of microeukaryotes in the oxygen minimum zone of the Eastern Tropical North Pacific

Explores microeukaryote diversity in one of the largest oxygen minimum zones of the ocean and its relationship with environmental variables.

Rosa Icela Burciaga de la Rocha

Undergraduate, UABCS — social service and research stay (2026) · Advisor

Temporal and spatial patterns of vaquita (Phocoena sinus) acoustic activity in the Zero Tolerance Area, 2022–2026

Uses published data from the vaquita acoustic monitoring reports (2022–2026) to analyze how vaquita acoustic activity varies with time of day, tide and space within the Zero Tolerance Area. The results will help guide environmental DNA sampling design.

Gloria Cárdenas Pérez

Universidad Veracruzana, research stay at CIBNOR (September–November 2026) · Host advisor

Detecting the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) with eDNA and qPCR in the Gulf of Mexico

Designed and validated a species-specific qPCR assay (cytochrome b) to detect bottlenose dolphins in water samples from the Gulf of Mexico: in silico validation, standardization, standard curve, and limits of detection and quantification.

Leonel Benito Santiago Sánchez

MSc, Universidad del Mar (2026) · Host advisor

Fish eDNA metabarcoding with the MiFish marker (12S rRNA)

Trained in the full lab workflow for fish metabarcoding: eDNA extraction, amplification, and library preparation and quality control.

Martín Fernando Encinas Yánez

CICIMAR-IPN · Host advisor

Bacterial microbiome of the dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum

Characterizes the bacteria associated with this harmful-algal-bloom-forming dinoflagellate at different growth phases in culture.

Ángel Isidro Campa Molina

MSc, CIBNOR (2026) · Co-advisor, with Dr. Fausto Valenzuela Quiñonez

Development and validation of a molecular tool for detecting Totoaba macdonaldi (in Spanish)

Developed and validated an eDNA assay to detect the totoaba, an endemic species of the Gulf of California.