Overview

The Institute of Marine Science (ISMAR) is part of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR), the largest research body in Italy, which is distributed all over the territory through a network of Institutes. ISMAR is among the leading marine research institutions in Italy. With its headquarter in Venice and six regional sections spread across the Italian peninsula, it hosts a staff of 180 marine scientists with permanent position, and 60 people in training (PhD students, postdoctoral research assistants).

Researchers at ISMAR conduct studies in Mediterranean, oceanic and polar regions on a wide range of topics dealing with biogeochemical cycles and ocean productivity, habitat mapping and marine ecology, marine pollution and human impacts on coastal and lagoon ecosystems, fisheries, microbial ecology, physical oceanography and modelling, natural processes and hazards

Main Services

Marine ecosystems
Rocky and soft-bottom benthic and pelagic Adriatic ecosystems, including lagoons and Mediterranean tidal mudflats and polluted sites (Venice-Mestre) near pristine sites for comparative impact studies

Provision of Biological resources and culture collections
Model organisms include: microalgae (Skeletonema costatum, Dunaliella tertiolecta, Tetraselmis seucica and Ostreopsis cf. ovata), Crustaceans (Amphibalanus amphitrite and Tigropius fulvus), Cnidarians (Aurelia aurita), Echinoderms (Paracentrotus lividus) and marine bacteria

Access to ecosystems

• A number of small research vessels for coastal sampling and SCUBA diving
• Access to large oceanographic research vessels granting access to the deep sea and several experimental stations
• Fixed-point observatories, among which the oceanographic tower “Acqua Alta” (an offshore facility equipped with autonomous instrumentation and laboratories, that can accommodate scientists at sea for days), the PALOMA platform, and meteoceanographic buoys
• Equipment for collecting water and sediment samples across a range of marine habitats (grab samplers, box-corers, multiparametric probes, phytoplankon and zooplankton nets)

Technology platforms
Modern laboratories and facilities are available for research in marine ecology, biogeochemistry, ecotoxicology, molecular biology, metagenomics and bioinformatics. A number of microscopes is available (epi-fluorescence with image analysis, stereo, light, inverted, Custom build Atomic Force Microscope, SEM).

Experimental facilities
Modern laboratories and facilities, including aquaria and mesocosms

Training and education
Staff will provide training in the use of the platforms and technologies and assist, when needed, with experimental design and troubleshooting. Staff provides specialist courses for experts as well as consultancy

E-infrastructures and associate services
CNR-ISMAR has its own library network, and an IT service connected with those of the other CNR Institutes

Supporting facilities
Amenities include lunch restaurants and conference and lecture facilities. ISMAR provides no in-house lodging, but numerous restaurants, hotels and B&Bs are in walking distance. Administration assists with hotel reservations.