Felix Javier Berrios Ortega

About

I am a PhD student at the Bernot Lab at the University of Connecticut Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department. I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Puerto Rico - Humacao with a major in Wildlife Management. I am a Doris Duke Conservation Scholars (DDCSP) Alumni at the University of California Santa Cruz and I am passionate about mentoring and DEI.

Committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in STEM, I have taken on leadership roles such as Founding President of the SACNAS UPRH Chapter and participation in initiatives like the UNIDE Student Advisory Board. Through endeavors like the LGBTQ+ STEM Cast podcast I cultivated supportive communities within academia that values diverse perspectives. I am passionate about supporting students, especially those coming from underrepresented backgrounds.

Research

Current Research

I am currently interested in studying the evolution of parasitic copepods using a combination of taxonomy and systematics with the newest technologies in evolutionary biology and phylogenetics.

Various body plans of parasitic copepods. Image Source: Bernot et al. (2021) PeerJ.

Interactive Lepeophtheirus Identification Key

This interactive key is designed to streamline the identification of species within the genus Lepeophtheirus. The genus contains 122 species, and there is currently no comprehensive identification resource. The resulting identification key will be hosted on the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). The key is built upon a morphological character matrix based on the original species descriptions and direct specimen examinations. This key will be useful for taxonomists, copepod biologists, and aquaculture managers. By having an interactive framework and images to support accurate trait identification this key will lower the barrier of entry to copepod taxonomy.

Copepod Genomics and Evolution

This research leverages high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatic pipelines to unravel the evolutionary history of parasitic copepods. By developing the first reference genomes for key lineages, we aim to understand the molecular mechanisms driving host-parasite interactions and the deep evolutionary transitions within these organisms.

Taxonomy and Natural History Collections

A significant portion of my work involves the study of natural history collections to clarify the taxonomy of parasitic copepods. By utilizing museum specimens, I focus on detailed redescriptions of species to resolve historical ambiguities and provide a stable foundation for evolutionary studies. This work emphasizes the critical role of biological collections in documenting biodiversity and tracking host-parasite associations over time.

i = 0;

while (!deck.isInOrder()) {
    print 'Iteration ' + i;
    deck.shuffle();
    i++;
}

print 'It took ' + i + ' iterations to sort the deck.';