Upcoming Events
PhD Dissertation Defense - Sydney M. Stubler- Environmental Science & Policy
Nov 9, 2026, 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Potomac Science Center Room 3208
PhD Dissertation Defense
Department of Environmental Science and Policy
College of Science
George Mason University
Candidate: Sydney M. Stubler
Defense Date and Time: November 9, 2026 at 1:00pm
Defense Location: Potomac Science Center Room 3208
Title: Growth and Toxin Production of Cyanobacterium Microcoleus Under Varying Environmentally Relevant Conditions in Laboratory Settings
Dissertation Director: Dr. Rosalina Stancheva Christova
Committee: Dr. T. Reid Nelson, Dr. Jennifer Salerno, Dr. Pat Gillevett, Dr. Kalina Manoylov
ABSTRACT
Microcoleus is a common freshwater mat-forming benthic cyanobacterium proliferating globally. Representatives of Microcoleus pose ecological and public health risks through rapid growth and production of the potent neurotoxin, anatoxin-a. In this research, monoclonal, non-axenic strains of toxic and non-toxic Microcoleus strains from streams were used to investigate the energetic expense of toxin-production, as well as the effects of thiamine supplementation and varying nitrogen availability on growth, physiology, and anatoxin-a content under controlled, laboratory conditions. Biological data were collected in time-series to describe Microcoleus life histories and responses. This research contributes to our understanding of factors driving toxic proliferations of Microcoleus.
