Dr. Dimitri Deheyn is a Research Scientist at the Marine Biology Research Division of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego. He leads a cross-disciplinary research program rooted in biomimicry—the science of learning from nature to develop sustainable materials, biochemical processes, and innovations that promote circularity across industrial and societal systems. His work connects fundamental biological research with real-world applications, often in collaboration with industry, through his BEST Initiative (Biomimicry for Emerging Science and Technology), which he founded to support industry-driven sustainability solutions.

Dr. Deheyn’s scientific interests span a wide spectrum, from biophotonics (bioluminescence, fluorescence, and structural coloration) and bioadhesion/anti-biofouling, to UV protection and unusual biomaterials with potential for biotechnological, biomedical, and packaging applications. He studies the biological mechanisms behind these traits to develop biomimetic strategies for a more sustainable future.

A central and growing focus of his research is the ecotoxicology of emerging pollutants, especially plastics and textile microfibers, including their chemical additives. Dr. Deheyn investigates microfiber sources, degradation potential, distribution mechanisms, and impacts on ecosystem and public health, using samples collected globally—from polar to tropical regions, high alpine environments, to the deep sea, and from air, snow, rain, and organisms across Africa, Europe, and the United States. Dr. Deheyn sustains such research by involving a network of citizen scientists, from explorers and nature lovers to high school students.

In recent projects, he has applied biological light—such as fluorescence and bioluminescence—as biosensors to assess the toxicity of micropollutants, offering a novel perspective on contaminant impacts. His research not only addresses environmental pollution but also supports the development of circular fashion systems.

Born and raised in Africa and South America, Dr. Deheyn earned his Ph.D. at the Free-Thinking University of Brussels (ULB), Belgium, where he started his academic career in the late 1990s. His global upbringing and scientific journey inform a worldwide view of environmental challenges—particularly climate change and plastic pollution—and drive his mission to understand and protect ecosystems and their services as foundations for a healthy and sustainable future.

I’m a Staff Research Associate in the Deheyn Lab, where I’ve been since 2022, and a La Jolla native who has dreamed of working at Scripps Institution of Oceanography since childhood. I graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2022 with a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

My research focuses on microplastic and microfiber pollution — I collect and analyze samples from air, water, snow, marine life like whales and oarfish, and even human tissues. Through this work, I’m building a growing database that tracks and quantifies microplastic pollution across environments and species, helping us better understand patterns of contamination and exposure.  I aim to help develop practical, science-based solutions and encourage everyday changes that reduce plastic impact. Outside of the lab, I enjoy skiing, yoga, and cooking.

My name is Brooks and I'm an undergrad at Oregon State University studying marine biology. In the lab, I work on atmospheric water collection using biomimicry and am beginning a project exploring the relationship between microplastics in our ecosystems and tourism. Outside the lab, I enjoy scuba diving, skiing, kayaking, and keeping both freshwater and saltwater aquariums.

I’m Valeria Longhi, a PhD student at the Politecnico di Torino in Italy and a visiting scholar at Hubbs Hall at SIO. When I’m not diving into the world of marine ecosystems, you’ll find me hiking through mountains, wandering in forests, or enjoying good food around the world. But don’t worry, I’m still all about the sea – my research focuses on using geomatics to monitor Mediterranean ecosystems, especially Posidonia Oceanica. At my hometown university, we use advanced techniques like underwater hyperspectral imaging to capture details beyond visible light. Here at SIO, I am studying the spectral response of Zostera marina in controlled environments to see how it reacts to different light and temperature conditions.

My name is Dylan. I am a senior at Torrey Pines High School. I enjoy working on any project related to the environment and how we can improve it as well as finding more ways to coexist with it. I particularly enjoy studying biomimicry and the ways we can influence our world from solutions found in nature. Outside of the lab I really enjoy rock climbing with friends and playing soccer.

I’m Ludovica Rocca and I’m in the last year of high school in Italy. I worked in the Deheyn Lab for two months during the summer of 2024, thanks to a school project called Micromar Global that has a specific focus on microplastics and microfibres and how they pollute the environment. In the Deheyn Lab, I researched microplastics and microfibres in samples of water, air, fish and soil. I also thoroughly researched how different textiles degrade in various salinities of water.