Anaïs Remili

I was born and raised in the French Alps but developed a fascination with the marine world, particularly marine mammals when I was a little kid. My marine research journey began with an internship studying whales and dolphins in Italy. Witnessing the impact of heavy pollution in the Mediterranean Sea inspired me to focus my research on ecotoxicology.

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I traveled the world, gained experience through various internships, and even grew my own whale cells in Kentucky! For my master's thesis, I investigated the feeding ecology and contaminant accumulation in humpback whales from Antarctica. This work led me to Canada, where I conducted my PhD research on the feeding ecology and contaminant threats of North Atlantic killer whales at McGill University.

During my PhD, I spent multiple summers in Iceland, collecting samples from killer whales. I developed a model to estimate their diets and linked it to contaminant exposures. One of my most impactful findings revealed that killer whales on the Canadian side of the Atlantic face high risks to their immune and reproductive health due to industrial contaminants, pesticides, and flame retardants. Following this, I undertook a short postdoc project at McGill to apply the technique I developed to estimate the diets of critically endangered Southern Resident killer whales.

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My current postdoc at the Brown Lab focuses on a new aspect of ecotoxicology: understanding the impact of contaminants on the health of killer whales. I will apply metabolomic and steroid hormone assays to multiple populations of killer whales. My research aims to understand how contaminants affect our oceans' top predators, inform decision-makers, and better protect our marine environments.

Outside of the lab, I am a dedicated science communicator, TEDx speaker, and amateur science illustrator.

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Check out my personal website for more information on my current work.