Overview

ECIMAT is the University of Vigo´s Marine Research Centre. It was inaugurated in 2006 to fullfill the marine vocation of the University of Vigo, one of the leading institutions in marine research in Spain. Since its inepction, ECIMAT has grown from a research support facility to a research centre that consolidates all the capacities of marine science of the University of Vigo. These capacities, complemented by ECIMAT´s technical and management structure, provides the perfect environment to promote excellent research, transfer knowledge to society and to internationally project the marine research carried out in the University of Vigo. ECIMAT is one of the 5 research centres from all fields of knowledge funded by the Galician Regional Government through its program for strategic research centres.

ECIMAT hosts 18 research teams, its research priorities relate to:

• Biodiversity and ecology
• Ocean observation and global change
• Marine environmental quality and marine pollution
• Sustainable use of marine resources
• Integral management of the coastal zone

 

These five lines are complemented by the following transversal technologies

• Omic Technologies
• Modelling of Complex Systems
• Marine Model Organisms

 

Main Services

Provision of Biological resources and culture collections

• Culture collection of microalgae
• Culture of local species from diverse groups
• Collection of specimens from coastal ecosystems in Galicia

 

Access to ecosystems

• 7.5 m inboard cruiser equipped with light marine sampling equipment (dredges, CTD, side-scan Sonar, Niskin flasks, plankton nets) to access marine coastal areas.
• 5.5 m rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) to access coastal ecosystems.
• Pick-up truck with trailer for road transport of the RHIB
• Field laboratory
• Support to under water activities by proffessional divers
• Full diving equipment for up to 10 divers
• Acces to the Southern Galician Rías ecosystem (nutrient-rich upwelling area)

 

Technology platforms

• Cryopreservation platform speciallised in the development of cryopreservation methodologies for marine cell types
• Marine environmental biomonitoring & bioassay platform using marine model organisms
• Light & fluorescent microscopy & image analysis, material preparation and histological sample processing.
• Remote Sensing, electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), confocal microscopy, mass spectrometry, proteomics, genomics, DNA sequencing, molecular biology, flow citometry (all located next to the marine science faculty 15 minutes away from the station)

 

Experimental facilities

• PL2 biosecurity facility for with marine specimens (pathogens, GMO, exotic species) with a microbiology laboratory and two flowthrough (2 m³/h) animal holding facilities
• Large-scale land-based and sea-based floating mesocosms in a nutrient-rich upwelling area
• Research laboratories with dry and wet areas
• Experimental aquaria
• Controlled environment rooms (photoperiod and temperature)
• 400 m² floating raft

 

Training and education

Uvigo hosts and/or participates in different academic programmes related to marine science. Researchers from ECIMAT have a significant participation in the following

• University degree in Marine Science
• Interuniversity Master in Oceanography
• Interuniversity Master in Aquaculture
• Interuniversity Master in Marine Biology
• Interuniversity Master in Advanced Biotechnology
• Marine Science, Technology and Management (DOMAR) PhD Program

 

E-infrastructures and associate services

• Environmental continuous monitoring station
• HF Radar for the monitoring of surface currents

 

Supporting facilities

• Office space for visiting researchers
• On-site kitchen and dining room for 10 people
• Conference room for 45 people
• Access to University Network (Internet, online journals)
• Meeting room