This project is a partnership between ATU and the Marine Institute who is providing financial support by means of a CULLEN fellowship (CS/21/007) held by Ms Nicole Caputo and supervised by Dr Luca Mirimin (ATU), Dr Fiona Kavanagh (ATU) and Dave Clarke (Marine Institute).
The primary aim is to validate and implement DNA-based methods for the detection and quantification of Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) species in Irish coastal waters and sediments into a routine monitoring programme. Species of interest include Pseudo-nitzschia spp., Azadinium spp., Alexandrium minutum, Vulcanodinium rugrosum, Ostreopsis spp., Gambierdiscus spp..
To pursue the above aim, the primary objectives of the project include a global review of existing molecular approaches, comparison of field and laboratory protocols encompassing both species-specific qPCR/dPCR assays and metabarcoding in conjunction with direct methods such as microscopy (light, epi-fluorescence, SEM), and develop appropriate DNA-based tools for their integration into monitoring programmes of HAB species in Ireland.
