"I am a PhD student part of the CBE Arctic research team at the Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Deep Sea Research, University of Bergen, Norway @centredeepsea @unibergen." (Image: Brenda smiling in front of a body of water.)

"My PhD project focuses on the distribution and population connectivity of snails of the family Rissoidae from Arctic chemosynthesis-based ecosystems (CBEs) including hydrothermal vents, cold seeps, colonization experiments using wood and bone substrates, and a natural whale fall." (Image: Brenda in boating gear and a hard-hat aboard the exterior of a ship holding a piece of wood.)

"For this, I am using phylogenetics and Restriction-site associated DNA (RAD) sequencing. I will also study the microbiome associated with these gastropods to get insights into their ability to inhabit different CBEs." (Image: Brenda smiling while rinsing a sieve in a lab.)

Meet Brenda Lizbeth Esteban Vázquez, a PhD student researching #Rissoidae snails from #Arctic ecosystems like #HydrothermalVents and #WhaleFalls. She uses phylogenetics, RAD sequencing, and microbiome analysis to understand their connectivity, distributions, and habitat adaptations.