Melissa Faria

I am a Biologist and currently a Ramón y Cajal (tenure‑track) Researcher at IDAEA‑CSIC, where I lead a research line focused on environmentally realistic exposure paradigms and mechanistic analysis of toxicity pathways to support the development of Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs). My goal is to refine chemical safety thresholds and improve the early detection of adverse effects. My mission is to contribute to solving environmental challenges related to surface‑water quality. My work centers on developing new methodologies to detect and decipher apical modes of action of environmental contaminants in aquatic organisms, linking these responses to cellular, metabolic, and molecular changes. My research areas include Environmental Chemistry, Systems Biology, Ecotoxicology, Stress Biology, and Animal Physiology. I have worked with a wide range of aquatic species, both in laboratory and field studies, including invertebrates (bivalves, crustaceans, insects) and vertebrates (fish).