Avanthika Prasad

PhD Student (National University of Singapore)
Main supervisor: Associate Professor Darren CJ Yeo
Email: avanthika.prasad@u.nus.edu
MSc Indian Institute of Science Education and Research | BSc (Hons) Indian Institute of Science Education and Research

Background and current projects

I graduated with an integrated Bachelor of Science and Master of Science from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, in May 2025. I am currently a PhD student at the Freshwater and Invasion Biology (FIB) Lab, National University of Singapore.

During my undergraduate studies, I conducted projects on paleoecology and marine ecology. My research included investigating the impact of mass extinctions on bivalve and brachiopod associations using paleobiological data. During my master’s thesis, I explored marine trophic dynamics by studying the feeding ecology of elasmobranchs along the east coast of India, employing both stomach content and stable isotope analysis.

For my PhD, I am venturing into the realm of freshwater ecology. I wish to focus on understanding the impact of eutrophication on invasive species in tropical freshwater ecosystems. Eutrophication and biological invasions are significant threats to freshwater biodiversity, yet their interactions, particularly concerning invertebrates, remain critically understudied in tropical regions. Specifically, I plan to understand how these stressors impact invasive molluscs and whether they act synergistically to affect ecosystem function.

Research Interests

• Eutrophication and Ecosystem Function
• Biological Invasions
• Freshwater Molluscs
• Tropical Aquatic Ecology