Dr. Aydeé Cornejo
About me
Aquatic ecologist and ecotoxicologist from Panama working on the impacts of pesticides, climate change and emerging contaminants on tropical freshwater ecosystems. Research focuses on biomonitoring, aquatic macroinvertebrates, ecosystem functioning and ecological risk assessment under a One Health approach. Leads the Aquatic Ecology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory (Lab-ECOTOX) at the Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies (ICGES), contributing to research, environmental monitoring and capacity building in Panama.
Aydeé Cornejo is a Panamanian researcher specializing in tropical freshwater ecology, aquatic ecotoxicology and environmental health. Her work focuses on understanding how multiple stressors, including pesticides, climate change, habitat alteration and emerging contaminants, affect biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in tropical streams and watersheds.
She leads the Aquatic Ecology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory (Lab-ECOTOX) at the Center for Research on Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases of the Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies (ICGES) in Panama. Her research integrates biomonitoring, ecological risk assessment, experimental microcosms and ecosystem functioning indicators such as leaf litter decomposition and aquatic macroinvertebrate responses.
Her work has contributed to the development of biomonitoring tools, protocols and ecological quality indices used in environmental monitoring and regulatory processes in Panama. She also collaborates with governmental institutions, local communities and academic networks to strengthen water quality assessment, watershed management and environmental surveillance under a One Health perspective.
In addition to research, she is actively involved in training students and professionals in aquatic biomonitoring, freshwater ecology and ecotoxicology, promoting interdisciplinary approaches linking environmental integrity, public health and sustainable watershed management.