Simone D’Alessandro

I am a marine biologist with a background in population genetics, applied within the context of marine management. My research focuses on understanding the evolutionary processes that shape population structure in marine invertebrates, and how this knowledge can inform conservation and management strategies in a changing ocean.

I am currently a postdoctoral researcher jointly based in the Changing Ocean Research Group (School of Geosciences) and the Conservation Genetics Group (Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies) at the University of Edinburgh. As part of the REDRESS European project, my postdoctoral work focuses on restoring deep-sea cold-water coral reefs damaged by bottom trawling. I lead the translocation of cold-water corals from decommissioned oil platforms in the North Sea to the Faroe-Shetland Sponge Belt MPA. In parallel, I use Next Generation Sequencing to (1) ensure that translocated populations provide sufficient genetic diversity for the restoration site and (2) investigate the population genetic structure and connectivity of cold-water corals across their range to identify the barriers and pathways that have shaped their distribution.

I completed my PhD at Heriot-Watt University, where I examined the marine connectivity of the king scallop to refine stock assessment areas in the UK. During this time, I was also a visiting researcher with the Conservation Genetics Group at University of Edinburgh and a member of the ICES Scallop Assessment Working Group, contributing research to improve our understanding of scallop populations and fisheries management.

Please send me an email if you'd like to get in touch.

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