Aline Acosta (she/her)
Aline Acosta
Who am I?
Greetings!
I am from Brazil, and I am currently an Adjunct Lecturer at the Department of Biological Sciences at UNCC. I teach Invertebrate Zoology and General Zoology at the undergraduate level. Before that, I worked as an Adjunct Lecturer at UNC Asheville for one semester, teaching Principles of Zoology (lab).
Background
I have a Master and PhD in Zoology and Parasitology, earned in Brazil at the Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Instituto de Biociências, Botucatu, São Paulo State. After finishing graduate school, I conducted a short-term postdoc at the Institute of Parasitology of the Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice. Subsequently, I conducted a second postdoc, for 40 months, at the North-West University, Potchefstroom campus, South Africa.
Research
I work with helminth parasites of fishes, more specifically addressing the taxonomy of monogeneans (Platyhelminthes). To this end, I integrate classic taxonomy with phylogenetic analyses in order to elucidate the relationships of several lineages, including marine and freshwater fishes. Research papers can be found in the following links:
Role at the Phyloinformatics Lab
I will be participating in the research project of the PhD candidate Giovanna Omura. I am looking forward to starting the journey in the new world (for me) of Malacology!