Biodiversity Genomics Group

Maximilian Schrade, M.Sc.

Doctoral Researcher

maximilian.schrade@oulu.fi

ORCID iD ResearchGate
Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute

I am mainly focused on the use of environmental DNA in the assessments of biodiversity of aquatic environments, and the inclusion of citizen scientists is in this endeavor. Furthermore, I am interested in the ecology and taxonomy of deep-sea benthos and have been a part various of field operations ranging from archaeological excavations to marine research cruises.

Keywords

Biodiversity Monitoring
eDNA
DNA Metabarcoding
Polar Research
Aquatic Ecology
Archaeological Excavation
Functional Ecology
Taxonomy

Current Projects

eDNA for Diversity and Nature Awareness
eDNA for Diversity and Nature Awareness
NORTHDIVeRSITY
NORTHDIVeRSITY

Grants & Fundings

2025, Personal grant, Jenny ja Antti Wihuri Foundation
One year for conducting PhD studies awarded during the annual grant call

2024, Personal grant, Jenny ja Antti Wihuri Foundation
One year for conducting PhD studies awarded during the annual grant call

2024, travel grant, Nordplus
Travel grant for traveling to Svalbard and exploring joint teaching opportunities with UNIS

2024, Personal grant, Finnish Cultural Foundation
One year for conducting PhD studies awarded during the Northern Ostrobothnia regional call

About me

I studied (via a few detours 😉 ) Biology and Molecular Biology (both B.Sc.) at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and Ecology and Biodiversity (M.Sc.) at the University of Innsbruck. Over the course of my academic career, I have partaken in Arctic and sub-antarctic research cruises and worked as a documentation specialist at archeological excavations.

Outreach

Social Media

Online and Print Media

Press Release: de Paz, M. (2025). Carnivorous “Death-Ball” Sponge Among 30 New Deep-Sea Species from the Southern Ocean. Ocean Census,  29.10.2025. (English)
Online Article: Kiminki, T. (2025). Kan­sa­lais­tie­de avuksi vir­ta­ve­sien eliöi­den seu­ran­taan – Li­vo­joel­ta on kerätty ve­si­näyt­tei­tä sen koko pi­tuu­del­ta. Ijoki Seutu, 20.10.2025. (Finnish)
Press Release: Schmidt Ocean Institute (2025). New Coral Gardens and Hydrothermal Vents Found in the Icy Depths of the Remote South Sandwich Islands. Schmidt Ocean Institute, 15.05.2025. (English)
Online Announcement: de Paz, M. (2025). First Footage of Live Juvenile Colossal Squid – filmed on the Ocean Census expedition to the South Sandwich Islands. Ocean Census, 15.04.2025. (English)
Online Article: Haapala, A. (2024). Jännittävä tutkimusmatka vedenelävien maailmaan Kiiminkijoella. Rantapohja. 30.05.2024. (Finnish)

Publications

coming soon… I promise!