C
R-P
atalina
Integrated SciEdCom designer
Photography, research &
travel
enthusiast
[
]
A bit about
myself
As an emerging researcher, my academic journey has been fueled by an unwavering passion for unraveling ocean mysteries and a strong commitment to integrating science, education, and communication to explore and preserve the awe-inspiring biota that inhabits our marine environments. Through extensive research, I have delved into the intricacies of coral reefs, gaining profound insights into their functioning and addressing critical challenges for their conservation.
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However, my perspective on the role of science has evolved over the years. While the marine realm continues to captivate my heart, I firmly believe that the true significance of science lies in its ability to transcend the depths of the sea and its shorelines. Science encompasses a broader mission that involves not only answering diverse questions but also advancing education and enhancing science communication to drive positive change globally.
This conviction has led me to the realization that my purpose lies in advocating for the dissemination of scientific knowledge. With a PhD. degree in Biological sciences and more than ten years of research and scientific design experience, I believe I am well-equipped to contribute to the scientific communication field. I trust I can help make science accessible and thus expedite the progress of scientific discovery and enhance comprehension through what I like to call SciEdCom design.
CV summary
EDUCATION
2017 - 2023
PhD. in Sciences
Unit of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Université libre de Bruxelles (Bruxelles, BE)
Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus-Liebig-Universität (Gießen, DE)
Dissertation: Delineating species boundaries in the speciose Acropora coral genus
Advisors (joint Ph. D.): Prof. Jean-François Flot (Ecological & Evolutionary Genomics - EEG)
Prof. Thomas Wilke (Systematics and Biodiversity Lab - SB)
2012 - 2015
MSc. Biological Sciences
Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá, CO)
Thesis: Assembling the genome of Pacifigorgia irene: The quest for genomic landmarks in gorgonian octocorals. Advisors: Juan A. Sánchez (Molecular Marine Biology Group - BIOMMAR)
Alejandro Reyes (Computational Biology and Microbial Ecology Group - BCEM)
2005 - 2010
B. Sc. Environmental & Industrial Microbiology
Escuela de Microbiología, Universidad de Antioquia (Medellín, CO)
Thesis: Genetic and metabolic bacterial diversity in thermal springs of the Nevado del Ruíz volcano.
Advisor: Juan P. Niño (Environmental Microbiology Group - GMA)
Academic high school Diploma
2005
Colegio Filipense, Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza (Pasto, CO)
2012-2014
Assistant professor
TEACHING EXPERIENCE​​
Undergraduate Cell Biology course
Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá, CO)
August 2012 – January 2014 & August 2014 – November 2014
Academic assistant of projects
2014
Teaching support and educational research
Decanatura de Ciencias, Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá, CO)
February 2014 – July 2014
Teaching and Lab assistant
2008-2009
Undergraduate teaching support in Microbial Physiology and Ecology courses
Escuela de Microbiología, Universidad de Antioquia (Medellín, CO)
June 2008 – June 2009
Research intern
2016
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE​​
Coral genomics and bioinformatics
Systematics and Biodiversity Group, Justus-Liebig Universität (Gießen, DE)
April 2016 – September 2017
2016
Visiting researcher
Species delimitation in stony corals
Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics Group (Jean-François Flot's Lab)
Université Libre de Bruxelles (Bruxelles, BE)
November 2016
2016
Graduate MSc. researcher
Octocoral genomics and bioinformatics
Molecular Marine Biology Group (BIOMMAR) & Computational Biology and Microbial Ecology Group (BCEM)
Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá, CO)
February 2015 – February 2016
Research assistant
2010-2011
Genetic, metabolic and physiologic characterization of yeasts
Fábrica de Licores de Antioquia (FLA) & Environmental Microbiology Group (GMA)
Escuela de Microbiología, Universidad de Antioquia (Medellín, CO)
June 2010 – June 2011
2009-2010
Research assistant
Molecular approaches to fingerprint bacterial communities associated to rhizospheric soils of wax palm
Microbial Biogeography of aquatic sources in volcanic systems at the mountain ranges of Colombian Andes​
Cenipalma & Environmental Microbiology Group (GMA)
Escuela de Microbiología, Universidad de Antioquia (Medellín, CO)
September 2009 – December 2010
2009-2010
Co-researcher
Genetic and metabolic bacterial diversity in thermal springs of the Volcán – Nevado del Ruíz, Colombia
Environmental Microbiology Group (GMA)
Escuela de Microbiología, Universidad de Antioquia (Medellín, CO)
March 2009 – March 2010
Awards, scholarships and fellowships
2017-2021
Research Aspirant Fellowship
F.R.S.-FNRS Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique, Bruxelles (BE), Doctorate in Biological Sciences
October 2017 - September 2021
2015-2016
Young researcher scholarship
Administrative Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation in Colombia (Colciencias)
February 2015 – February 2016
International student participant
2013
29th Annual Edwin W. Pauley Summer Program, Advancing tools for Biodiversity studies: genomics and Bioinformatics of Cnidarians with a focus on Corals. Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB),
University of Hawai’i (Oahu, US)
June 2013 – July 2013
2010
Best Graduate Award
Program: Environmental and Industrial Microbiology
Universidad de Antioquia (Medellín, CO)
2008
2009
2010
Best Advanced student by program
Program: Environmental and Industrial Microbiology
Universidad de Antioquia (Medellín, CO)
Presentations and publications
Selected peer-reviewed publications
Ramírez-Portilla C and Quattrini AM (2023) Perspectives on species delimitation with notes on invertebrates in the marine environment. Bulletin of the Society of Systematic Biologists, Accepted
Ramírez-Portilla C, Bieger IM, Belleman RG, et al. (2022) Quantitative three-dimensional morphological analysis supports species discrimination in complex-shaped and taxonomically challenging corals. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9:955582. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.955582
Ramírez-Portilla C, Baird AH, Cowman PF, et al. (2022) Solving the coral species delimitation conundrum. Systematic Biology, 71: 461-475. doi: 10.1093/sysbio/syab077
Baird AH, Edwards AJ, Guest JR, et al. (2022) A coral spawning calendar for Sesoko Station, Okinawa, Japan. Galaxea, Journal of Coral Reef Studies, 24: 41-49. doi: 10.3755/galaxea. G2021_S10O
Baird AH, Guest JR, Edwards AJ, et al. (2021) An Indo-Pacific coral spawning database. Scientific Data, 8: 35. doi: 10.1038/s41597-020-00793-8
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Quintanilla E, Ramírez-Portilla C, Adu-Oppong B, et al. (2018) Local confinement of diseaserelated microbiome facilitates recovery of gorgonian sea fans from necrotic-patch disease. Scientific Reports, 8: 14636. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-33007-8
Celis JS, Wibberg D, Ramírez-Portilla C, et al. (2018) Binning enables efficient host genome reconstruction in cnidarian holobionts. GigaScience, 7:1–12. doi: 10.1093/gigascience/giy075
Gonzalez-Zapata FL, Bongaerts P, Ramírez-Portilla C, et al. (2018) Holobiont diversity in a reefbuilding coral over its entire depth range in the mesophotic zone. Frontiers in Marine Science, 5: 29. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00029
Quattrini AM, Faircloth BC, Dueñas LF, et al. (2017) Universal target-enrichment baits for anthozoan (Cnidaria) phylogenomics: new approaches to long-standing problems. Molecular Ecology Resources, 18: 281-295. doi: 10.1111/1755-0998.12736
Quintanilla E, Wilke T, Ramírez-Portilla C, et al. (2017) Taking a detour: invasion of an octocoral into the Tropical Eastern Pacific. Biological Invasions, 19: 2583-2597. doi: 10.1007/s10530- 017-1469-2
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Reyes-Bermudez A, Villar-Briones A, Ramírez-Portilla C, et al. (2016) Developmental progression in the coral Acropora digitifera is controlled by differential expression of distinct regulatory gene networks. Genome Biology and Evolution, 8: 851-70. doi: 10.1093/gbe/evw042
Ramírez-Portilla C (2021) Delineating species boundaries in Acropora corals: a case study. Workshop on species delimitation, National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Smithsonian Institution (SI), Washington, D.C. (US) - virtual
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Ramírez-Portilla C, Baird AH, Cowman PF, Quattrini AM, Harii S, Sinniger F, Flot J-F (2021) An integrated approach to delineating species boundaries in tabular Acropora. 14th International Coral Reef Symposium, Bremen (DE) - virtual
Ramírez-Portilla C, Baird A, Flot J-F (2018) Treading thin lines: delineating species boundaries in the speciose Acropora coral genus. 5th Young Reef Scientists Meeting, Munich (DE)
Ramírez-Portilla C, Isomura N, Flot J-F (2017) Species delimitation and hybrid detection in tropical Acropora coral species. European Coral Reef Symposium, Oxford (UK)
Ramírez-Portilla C, Flot J-F (2017) Species delimitation and hybrid detection in tropical Acropora coral species. European Conference of Tropical Ecology, Brussels (Belgium)
Ramírez-Portilla C, Reyes A, Sánchez JA (2014) The quest for immune signals in basal metazoans: genomic level screening of immune response in gorgonian octocorals. IV Congreso Colombiano de Zoología, Cartagena de Indias (CO)
Selected presentations
Ramírez-Portilla C, Casas F, Sarmiento A, et al. (2013). En busca de los colores ocultos del arrecife. Hipótesis: Apuntes científicos uniandinos, 14: 58–65.
Divulgation paper
Travel
Either if it is through a book or other mean, travelling has definitely shaped my life so here you will find some of my favourite books and places. Hopefully, soon it will be more than just a list, but for now here you have.
