Hello! I’m Dr. Alex Veglia, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez and the Principal Investigator at the Virus Diversity and Bioinformatics (ViDaB) Lab. My environmental virology journey began with marine viruses during my undergraduate studies at Roger Williams University.

My Masters in Marine Science at UPRM, focusing on cyanophages in coral reef invertebrates, and my Ph.D. at Rice University, where I explored the roles of viruses in coral reefs, have set the foundation for my current research.

At ViDaB Lab, we extend our research to extreme environments and astrovirology, while maintaining a strong focus on coral reefs. We blend field research, laboratory work, and computational analysis to understand virus-host interactions in various ecosystems and develop tools for ecosystem management. Our goal is to enhance knowledge in environmental virology and contribute to the sustainability of diverse habitats.

Join us at the ViDaB Lab as we venture into the varied landscapes of virology, aiming to make significant contributions to environmental understanding and conservation.