CIRI-FRAME/Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolution of Marine Animals
Tinti & Cariani BEAM Lab
Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences – BiGeA
BEAM Lab is the marine zoogenetics laboratory dedicated to the study of biodiversity through biomolecular and bioinformatic analyses. Its activities include the study of tissues from marine animals, both modern and ancient/museum specimens, and the application of population genetics and genomics tools to reconstruct evolutionary relationships between species, the structure and connectivity of populations, and their changes over time and space.
The research concentrates on species considered a priority for sustainable fisheries management and marine biodiversity conservation. With this in mind, innovative tools are being developed for the traceability of species of commercial and conservation interest, with the aim of transferring research results to institutions and stakeholders committed to the blue transition and the protection of ecosystems.
The laboratory applies a suite of advanced methodologies, from genetic and genomic DNA markers (including those from ancient and museum samples), to geometric morphometry analysis and techniques based on the study of trace elements and radioisotopes. Research involves both iconic species, such as bluefin tuna and the great white shark, as well as numerous species that are lesser-known but essential for the balance of marine ecosystems, including hake, sole, and various rays and sharks from the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic.
MISSION
BEAM Lab’s mission is to understand the mechanisms that gave rise to marine diversity and to monitor how environmental changes are altering its future. The aim is not only to produce new scientific knowledge, but to turn it into real-world tools for a more responsible exploitation of the seas and to protect today’s most endangered species. Research that looks at the oceans as a common heritage to be understood, respected and passed on.
