Elena is a phycologist with a strong interest in the extraordinary biodiversity of algae. Her research focuses on understanding the morphological complexity, genetic diversity, and evolutionary patterns of these organisms. She specialises in seaweed biodiversity, algal taxonomy, and the genetic and genomic variation of algal taxa, using an integrative approach that combines traditional taxonomy with ecological, cytogenetic, and cutting-edge molecular methods.

Her work also explores the biogeography and evolutionary origins of algae, alongside applied research on “sea vegetables”—macroalgal species harvested or cultivated for commercial use. More recently, she has developed an interest in historical algal collections held in museums and universities, which provide valuable insight into the foundational work of early algal taxonomists.

Originally from Spain, Elena completed her undergraduate degree in Marine Science at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and her PhD in Marine Biology (Marine Phycology) at the University of Galway, Ireland. She has held postdoctoral positions at the University of Algarve (CCMAR, Portugal), the University of Las Palmas (Spain), and the University of Galway (Ireland).

Her research career has included international collaborations and research stays at institutions such as the University of Georgia (USA), the University of Barcelona (Spain), the University of Amsterdam (the Netherlands), the University of Coimbra (Portugal), and Meise Botanic Garden (Belgium). She has also participated in specialised training programmes, including courses at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), Woods Hole, USA.

Elena has secured competitive funding across Europe, including postdoctoral fellowships and research grants from national agencies in Portugal (FCT) and Spain (MECD), as well as a prestigious European Marie Curie Fellowship.

Since February 2025, she has been an E3 Teaching Fellow in the Department of Botany, School of Natural Sciences at Trinity College Dublin. In this role, she contributes to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in algal biology, diversity and systematics of algae and lower plants, algal agronomy, plant molecular biology, and scientific writing, while continuing to advance her research on algal biodiversity and molecular taxonomy.