SPINAQUA diver E. Vernadou participated in the 6th European Conference on Scientific Diving organized by TU Bergakademie Freiberg, which was held in Freiberg (Germany) on 21 & 22 April 2021. In this assembly, Mrs. Vernadou had the opportunity to present online the first outcomes on “Contrasting sponge assemblages between distinct…
The SPINAQUA team performed a series of controlled, large-scale laboratory experiments at the Aqualabs facilities of IMBBC-HCMR (Crete), in order to assess the cleanup capacity of four sponge species against microalgae. Specific microalgae were selected as a model for the biological pollution typically encountered in fish aquaculture settings. Sponge fragments…
The first in vitro bioremediation experiment was performed by the SPINAQUA team. During this procedure, two sponge species previously placed in IMBBC experimental aquaria, were supplied with three microalgae species. Their clearance capacity was measured by fluorescence microplate reader analysis.
The sponge cultivation structures were installed in proximity to the fish cages, at 5-10 m depth in the aquaculture site (Chania, Crete) by the SPINAQUA diving team (Thanos Dailianis, Julius Glampedakis, Emmanouela Vernadou). Sponge species for experimental farming were selected according to surveys already conducted about their abundance, biomass and…
SPINAQUA coordinator M. Mandalakis gave an interview to “Patris” newspaper (a daily, local newspaper of Crete) and discussed about the exploitation of marine sponges as a means to reduce organic pollution in seawater and simultaneously produce high-valued natural products. The article is available online at https://www.patris.gr/2020/06/11/o-m-mandalakis-stin-p-oi-lagokefaloi-irthan-gia-na-meinoyn-stin-kriti/. Excerpt of the sponge-related…
A collection of 6 distinct sponge species from coastal sites in Crete was conducted by the SPINAQUA diving team (Thanos Dailianis, Julius Glampedakis, Emmanouela Vernadou) . The sponge fragments were transported and placed with the help of IMBBC aquaria expert Grigoris Skouradakis in experimental aquaria, in order to monitor the…
The first seawater samples for SPINAQUA project were collected by Manolis Mandalakis and Thekla Anastasiou in the aquaculture site (Chania, Crete) as part of the monitoring procedure. The sampling took place prior to sponge installation at the fish farm and aimed at assessing important water quality parameters (chlorophyll, organic content…
SPINAQUA coordinator participated in the Kick-off Conference and the Management Committee Meeting of Ocean4Biotech COST action (CA18238), which were held in Piran, Slovenia between 4 and 7 February 2020. Ocean4Biotech is a European transdisciplinary networking platform for marine biotechnology. Manolis Mandalakis had the opportunity to present the basic concept of…
The first field expedition for the SPINAQUA project took place on 12 December 2019 by the SPINAQUA diving team (Thanos Dailianis, Julius Glampedakis, Emmanouela Vernadou) in Akrotiri Peninsula (Chania, Crete). This dive marked the initiation of WP2 and aimed at the development and evaluation of the working protocol for the…
SPINAQUA coordinator participated in the kickoff meeting of Ocean4Biotech COST action (EU2020-funded project), which was held in Brussels on 28 October 2019. The overall aim of Ocean4Biotech is to bring together experts in the field of marine biotechnology, to provide a platform for sharing experience, knowledge and technologies, and to…
