Erik

Zhivkoplias

Msc

PhD candidate

+46 72 014 1310

RSS-link

Profile summary

  • Ocean governance
  • Biotechnology
  • Biodiversity
  • Digital sequence information
  • Social-ecological systems
  • Political science
  • Data science

Erik Zhivkoplias studies how and why marine genetics is important for the functioning of socio-ecological systems by combining a data-driven approach with analysis of rapidly emerging regulatory and governance policy.

Natural products derived from the ocean, including medicines, pharmaceutical products, and biochemical enzymes, are encoded in the genetic sequences found in marine organisms’ genomes. These genes are shaped by the flow of biological evolution, making the formation of genetic sequences a more complex process than that of other natural resources, such as fossils or minerals.

To fully understand the unprecedented value of the ocean as a vast library of genetic information for the entire biosphere, we need to develop a new approach. This value should be in the context of cooperation between the marine biotechnology sector (users) and socio-economic communities (providers), highlighting the importance of fair access and transparent governance. Zhivkoplias’ research focuses on understanding the significance of genetic sequences originating from the ocean, and moving towards solutions for establishing equitable and fair access to such information.

Zhivkoplias holds an MSc in Bioinformatics from Uppsala University and has a BA in Biology from St. Petersburg State University. He also took machine learning and statistical modelling courses at the University of Groningen.

Before joining Stockholm Resilience Centre, Zhivkoplias worked at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) studying the molecular evolution of viruses, and the Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab) modelling gene regulatory networks based on motif composition.

Zhivkoplias is part of iDSI - an independent group of interdisciplinary researchers working on digital sequence information, focusing on integrating ethical, social, and legal principles into responsible and equitable data governance frameworks.

Supervisor:
Robert Blasiak

Key publications

Growing prominence of deep-sea life in marine bioprospecting. Zhivkoplias, E., Jouffray, JB., Dunshirn, P. et al. Growing prominence of deep-sea life in marine bioprospecting. Nat Sustain 7, 1027–1037 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-024-01392-w

How transdisciplinarity can help biotech-driven biodiversity research. https://www.cell.com/trends/biotechnology/fulltext/S0167-7799(25)00135-0

Dunshirn, P., Zhivkoplias, E. Conducting marine genetic research for whom? Mapping knowledge flows from science to patents. npj Ocean Sustain 3, 50 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-024-00088-0

Blasiak, R., Jouffray, JB., Amon, D.J., ... Zhivkoplias, E., et al. Making marine biotechnology work for people and nature. Nat Ecol Evol 7, 482–485 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01976-9

Generation of realistic gene regulatory networks by enriching for feed-forward loops. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2022.815692/full

Publications by Zhivkoplias, Erik