Andrea C. Alfaro

Biography

Professor Andrea C. Alfaro leads the Aquaculture Biotechnology Group within the Institute of Applied Research at the Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand. She holds a Bachelor degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology from the University California, Davis (USA), a Masters degree in Marine Sciences from the California State University, Northridge (USA), and a PhD from the University of Auckland (New Zealand). Professor Alfaro is an inter-disciplinary researcher with broad interests in Aquaculture Biotechnology. Her research centres on understanding the complex interactions between organisms and their environments, in both natural (field ecology) and controlled (aquaculture) settings.  Her research group is pioneering aquaculture research using innovative approaches, such as metabolomics and bioprospecting.  With strong industry alliances, this research team provides direct production benefits to companies in New Zealand and overseas.  Most notably, Alfaro has produced numerous publications on shellfish ecology and aquaculture, especially on the New Zealand green-lipped mussel.  She also has a strong focus on emerging new species such as abalone, scallops and geoduck, which are growing markets for New Zealand.  Within the international arena, Alfaro chairs the Global Aquaculture Alliance mussels section, where she works with leading mussel experts worldwide to deliver guidelines for sustainable mussel cultivation.  She routinely collaborates on international shellfish research projects, where she highlights New Zealand’s competitive advantage in aquaculture biotechnology.

Research Interest

His main research interests include Aquaculture Biotechnology and Marine Ecology