BIOLOGY / MARINE BIOLOGY

Qualifications:
PhD Student, Biosciences (Evolution, Ecology and Conservation), University of Padova, 2025  – Ongoing

BSc Biological Science, University of Cyprus, 2016 – 2020
MSc Marine Biology, Bangor University, Wales, United Kingdom, 2020 – 2021

Christina Michail is a marine biologist and marine environmental researcher at Marine & Environmental Research (MER) Lab. She holds a BSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Cyprus and an MSc in Marine Biology from Bangor University, Wales. Christina joined MER in January 2022, where she has since been involved in a wide range of marine research, monitoring and conservation projects. In November 2025, after more than three years of working at MER, she began her PhD, which is being conducted through MER’s work on the LIFE PROMETHEUS project.

Her academic and research background spans benthic ecology, non-indigenous species, fisheries science, elasmobranch conservation and polar marine biology. During her undergraduate studies, Christina investigated the feeding habits of the alien Red Sea goatfish Parupeneus forsskali in Cyprus through stomach content analysis. For her Master’s thesis, conducted in collaboration with the British Antarctic Survey, she studied the reproduction of two Antarctic echinoderms: the sea star Odontaster validus and the brittle star Ophionotus victoriae.

At MER, Christina contributes to marine biodiversity monitoring, fish and macrofauna surveys, underwater sampling, environmental baseline assessments, fishery data collection, onboard surveys, and the monitoring of native and non-indigenous species. Over the years, her work has increasingly focused on elasmobranchs, particularly sharks and rays, combining field research, fisher engagement and citizen science to improve knowledge of threatened species in Cyprus and the eastern Mediterranean. She has become a key member of the MER team, coordinating projects and team members across a wide range of marine research and conservation projects.

Christina’s PhD research, developed as part of MER’s LIFE PROMETHEUS activities, focuses on the critically endangered blackchin guitarfish Glaucostegus cemiculus in Cyprus. Her work investigates the species’ ecology, habitat use and interactions with fisheries, using a combination of citizen science records, Local Ecological Knowledge, fisheries-dependent data, onboard surveys, Baited Remote Underwater Video systems (BRUVs), tagging approaches and bycatch mitigation trials, including the testing of magnetic deterrents. Through this research, Christina aims to generate scientific evidence that can support guitarfish conservation, reduce elasmobranch bycatch and contribute to more sustainable fisheries management.

Christina is also actively involved in public outreach and citizen science initiatives, particularly on alien species, marine litter and elasmobranchs. She contributes voluntarily to the “Sharks and Rays in Greece and Cyprus” project, under the Mediterranean Elasmobranch Citizen Science Observation (MECO) initiative, coordinating the Cyprus MECO since 2025. Through her work at MER and her PhD research, Christina is committed to improving knowledge of marine biodiversity and supporting practical conservation actions for vulnerable marine species and ecosystems.

Contact at cmichail@merresearch.com