Each year inland waterways can be plagued by microalgae such as Prymnesium that produce toxins which kill fish, negatively impacting fish stocks, local biodiversity and tourism.

This is a prominent problem in the Norfolk Broads – a site of natural beauty, diversity, recreational fishing and tourism.

We develop robust molecular tools to monitor and predict the early onset of these harmful algal blooms, study the toxins they produce, and investigate the environmental causes of blooms, and the impacts of climate change and agricultural practices. We use this information to find innovative solutions to prevent or mitigate the damage of these algal blooms to the environment. We also study the complex metabolism in these algae, how they impact biogeochemical cycling and their interactions with microorganisms in their holobiome.