Brian Sutton-Quaid

Student in the Trick Lab

Project
My research focuses on the harmful algal species Heterosigma akashiwo, which blooms regularly on the West coast of North America and in temperate marine environments around the world. This species has been responsible for devastating losses at fish farming operations, but blooms have also been observed that exhibited little or no toxicity. Satisfactory answers to what may drive these dramatic changes in toxicity have not yet been discovered, despite numerous studies on the standard suite of physiologically-linked environmental factors. My research has taken a novel look at toxicity, exploring the role of physical forces such as environmental shear stress.

Specialized skills
Flowcytometry

Cell culture, both uni-algal and RTgill-W1

Toxicity bioassays