Dr. Lira Gaysina is an Associate Professor of Bioecology and Biological Education. She began studying algae in 1993 as an undergraduate student. In Russia, traditions of terrestrial algae research are very strong, which is why Lira decided to become a phycologist. In 2000, she defended her PhD thesis on the “Biology and ecology of Xanthonema exile (Klebs) Silva (Xanthophyceae)”. In 2006, she won a grant from the Russian Ministry of Science and spent three months at John Carroll University (USA) in Jeff Johansen’s laboratory. In the period 2010–2012, Lira conducted research on the molecular taxonomy of terrestrial green and eustigmatophycean algae in the phycological labs of Charles University in Prague and the University of Ostrava in collaboration with Marek Eliáš. In 2013, she defended her DSc thesis. She is interested in taxonomy, biology, ecology, and the geographic distribution of terrestrial algae. For her, algae is not only an object of scientific study but her passion and a great part of her life.