Assessment of proliferation and toxicity of Cyanobacterial harmful algal bloom using gene expression profile

Funding period: 2020-2024
Lead: Sophie Crevecoeur
Total GRDI funding: $170,000

Cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms (cHABs) are a recurrent issue in the Laurentian Great Lakes, especially in Lake Erie where blooms impair water quality, prohibit recreational activities and, sometimes, produce toxins that constitute a threat to ecosystem and human health. Potentially toxic cyanobacteria can be studied by targeting toxin-producing genes, which is a useful tool to study bloom dynamics, but which does not predict toxin production. The goal of this project is to use gene expression profiling (transcriptomics) as a promising new approach to better predict cyanobacteria harmful algal bloom formation, proliferation and toxicity.