Research Experience for Undergraduates

Don Anderson

Biology Department

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole, MA.

The overall focus of research in my laboratory is toxic or harmful algae - the species responsible for the phenomena commonly called "red tides" (for more details, see www.whoi.edu/redtide/labweb/). Our work spans the spectrum from mesoscale investigations of algal bloom dynamics to studies at the cellular and molecular levels. The "system" we work with the most is the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium, the genus responsible for poisonous red tides in many countries throughout the world. Alexandrium is perhaps the most important of all toxic dinoflagellates, and serves as an excellent model for many other red tide species. General project topics include:

Biogeography and population genetics of harmful algal blooms
Mating interactions and mating incompatibility in Alexandrium dinoflagellates
Distribution of the toxic diatom Pseudo-nitzschia in the northeastern U.S.
Development of molecular probes for the enumeration of harmful algal species

Nutrient and toxin physiology of toxic dinoflagellates

Mitigation strategies for suppressing harmful algal blooms

Dinoflagellate cyst dynamics

Molecular probe-based detection of harmful algal bloom species

To learn more about my research, please visit my website at: http://www.whoi.edu/redtide/labweb/

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