From the lab to Lima: Exploring vibrio and climate change

Franco Forlano pictured at the conference

In this latest blog post, Franco Forlano from Deltares reflects on his journey as a PhD student researching Vibrio, a bacteria with significant ecological and health implications. Initially uncertain about how his work would be received, he attended the International Meeting on the Biology of Vibrio in Lima, Peru, to share his findings and engage with leading experts in the field.

“Will my research have a place in between the experts in the Vibrio field? This is a question I have asked myself many times during the first two years of PhD. Although I made extensive reviews and read hundreds of papers nothing is better than talking and discussing your ideas with colleagues.

With big luggage and some nerves I took a 12-hour flight to Lima in Peru to share my research with some of the biggest authors in the field, as well as learn from them. On Sunday the conference started with a small session followed by some Pisco sours (typical Peruvian drink). There I started to meet a variety of colleagues in different points of their careers and I especially connected with fellow PhD students. All of us had very different research lines and backgrounds, but sharing ideas between us was so enriching.

The following three days were very intense with sessions from 8 – 6 pm and a range of talks on physiology, epidemiology, ecology, genomics. So much research on only one type of bacteria, it was truly fascinating! I was mostly interested in those talks on ecology and climate change where I learned so much listening to authors that I admire like Craig Baker-Austin and Jaime Martínez Urtaza.

The most important moment during those three days for me was to present my research during the poster sessions. For almost two hours I explained my poster more than 8 times to PhDs, PostDocs, professors and scientists, getting supportive feedback on my work. After so much effort it was a moral boost to find out that so many colleagues are interested in my research.

Franco stands in front of his research poster

So, did I answer my question? Did I find what I was looking for at the conference? The answer is absolutely yes.

My takeaway from all the sessions is that we are very vulnerable to climate change effects. We have seen extreme weather events such as the DANA in Valencia and the increase of tropical storms in the Caribbean and south-east Asia. These events and warming temperatures will increase our exposure to harmful bacteria and viruses like Vibrio. But I think it’s never too late to adapt, we can still harness research like in BlueAdapt to monitor and mitigate the risks.

Ecological understanding is the foundation to creating predictive systems, and we still have a lot to understand about Vibrio in the wild. That is the reason I think my research fits and my hope is that it can contribute a small part to making the world more blue adapted.”

Visit Franco Forlano‘s profile to find out more about his work, and watch his recent video below.

 

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