UPCOMING WORKSHOP

Exploring the Future of Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms Research – Webinar and Expert Panel Discussion

May 4 and 5, 2023

​At University of Montreal - Campus MIL
1375 Ave. Thérèse-Lavoie-Roux
Montreal, QC
H2V 0B3

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS'S PROFILES

David Fewer

David Fewer's research focuses on environmental microbiology and biotechnology of toxic cyanobacteria and the secondary metabolites they produce. The research uses a combination of environmental microbiology, genomics and microbial biotechnology. David is interested in understanding how these secondary metabolites are made and their application as pharmaceuticals and biomaterials in the emerging circular bio-economy.
Helen Baulch

Helen is a biogeochemist and limnologist whose work centers on freshwater problems, most notably, eutrophication and cyanobacterial blooms. She works from farm fields through to ponds and lakes to understand sources, fates and consequences of nutrient pollution, interactions with climate change, and opportunities to mitigate impacts. She has worked extensively to help support adaptation to bloom issues in the prairies, and is doubling down on her work to understand and support interventions that can yield improved water quality in cold regions. Helen works at the University of Saskatchewan, as a Centennial Enhancement Chair in the School of Environment and Sustainability and Global Institute for Water Security (GIWS) where she has won both research awards, and an outstanding teacher award.  
John Downing

Dr. John Downing is the Director of the Minnesota Sea Grant College Program, a research scientist at the Large Lakes Observatory on Lake Superior, and a professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. Dr. Downing holds a B.S. in Biology from Hamline University, an M.S. in Zoology from North Dakota State University, and a Ph.D. in Biology from McGill University. Dr. Downing was previously Regent's Excellence Professor of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology and Chair of the Environmental Science Graduate Program at Iowa State University. Downing was also formerly a professor at the Université de Montréal where he was Director of the Laurentian Biological Station and a founding member of the Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie.
​Dr. Downing is the former Chair of the Executive Board of the Council of Scientific Society Presidents (CSSP) and former President of ASLO. Reflected in >175 academic publications (H-index 81, i10 index 150, 33,000+ citations), his areas of expertise range from aquatic ecology and fisheries biology to whole ecosystem management, resource economics, mammalian ecology, biodiversity, and global carbon cycling. He is a sustaining fellow of ASLO, and a recipient of the Iowa State University (ISU) Research Excellence Award, the Thieneman-Naumann Medal for excellence in limnological research from SIL, Bruce Gardner Memorial Prize for Applied Policy Analysis from the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, the Regent’s Faculty Excellence Award from ISU, the Ruth Patrick Award from ASLO, co-recipient of the John H. Martin Award of ASLO, the Visionary Leader Award from CSSP, and an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, among others.

DETAILED PROGRAM

Here you will find a preliminary program focusing on our speakers and their subjects. Note that we will be uploading a detailed schedule in the upcoming days.
Thursday, May 4.
08:50
Opening Remarks
09:00 - 09:40
​Baulch, H.
​Keynote Speaker
The capacity gap: Opportunities and needs to build capacity in addressing bloom risks. ​
University of Saskatchewan
09:40 - 10:00
Zastepa, A.
Beyond total microcystins: Toxic and bioactive metabolites produced by cyanobacteria in Lake Erie’s western basin. ​
Environment and Climate Change Canada
10:00 - 10:20
Thomas, K.
Multi-Class analysis of Cyanobacterial Toxins using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.​
National Research Council Canada
Coffee Break
10:40 - 11:00
Gill, C.
Paper Spray Mass Spectrometry for high throughput Cyanotoxin measurements.
Vancouver Island University
11:00 - 11:20
Van Asten, M.
The development and challenges of a molecular qPCR assay for the detection of anatoxin and guanitioxin producing cyanobacteria in environmental samples.
Phytoxigene
11:20 - 11:40
Roy-Lachappelle, A.
Determination of cyanopeptides by targeted, suspect and non-target screening in the Lake Saint-Pierre watershed.
Environment and Climate Change Canada
11:40 - 12:00
Oehrle, S.
Targeted UPLC/MS/MS method for cyanobacterial toxins in recreational water: a comparison to metagenomics.
Northern Kentucky University
Lunch Break
13:00 - 13:40
Fewer, D.
​Keynote Speaker
Genomic insights into the biosynthesis of cyanobacterial toxins and bioinformatic methods for drinking-water quality control.
University of Helsinki
13:40 - 14:00
Lawrence, J.
Detailed study of anatoxins and anaC genes detected in Microcoleus-dominated mats along the Wolastoq.
University of New Brunswick
14:00 - 14:20
Tromas, N.
Predicting cyanotoxins concentrations in lakes and reservoirs using microbial community information.
McGill University
Coffee Break
14:40 - 15:00
Mohit, V.
Rapid on-site detection of potentially toxic cyanobacteria.​​
MELCCFP
15:00 - 15:20
Potvin, M.
Real-time on-site cyanobacteria identification using Oxford Nanopore sequencing.​
Université Laval
15:20 - 15:40
Ma, L.
Factors affecting the interpretation of online Phycocyanin Fluorescence to manage Cyanobacteria in drinking water sources.
Polytechnique Montreal
15:40 - 16:00
Ganegoda, S.
Off flavors as a by - product of harmful algal blooms; A green approach to remove Geosmin and 2-MIB from water using native bacteria.​
Auburn University
16:00 - 17:20
Posters Session
18:20+
Social 
Friday, May 5.
08:50 
Welcome Back!
09:00 - 09:20
MacKeigan, P.
Biotic and abiotic predictors explain significant variation in cyanobacteria biomass across lakes from temperate to subarctic zones.
McGill University
09:20 - 09:40
Crevecoeur, S.
Link between microbes involved in nutrient cycling and cHABs in Lake Erie watershed.
Environment and Climate Change Canada
09:40 - 10:00
Valadez-Cano, C.
Closely related cyanophages from geographically distant North American rivers are predicted to infect anatoxin-producing Microcoleus species.
University of New Brunswick
10:00 - 10:20
Nurnberg, G.
Cyanobacteria response to climate-affected internal phosphorus loading in two drinking water reservoirs.
Freshwater Research
Coffee Break
10:40 - 11:00
Errat, K.
Climate change amplifies the risk of potentially toxigenic cyanobacteria.
University of Toronto ​
11:00 - 11:20
Hatton, D.
Elucidating the drivers of shallow lake cyanobacteria bloom events from sediment core records.
Queen’s University Belfast
11:20 - 11:40
Trigui, H.
Impact of oxidation and stagnation on the diversity of cyanobacteria in drinking water treatment plant sludge.
Polytechnique ​Montreal
11:40 - 12:00
Lachapelle, M.
Does lake browning and eutrophication affect cyanobacterial communities and the presence of cyanotoxins? ​
​University of Saskatchewan
Lunch Break
13:00 - 13:20
Bansal, A.
Impact of Cyanobacteria on the pelagic phosphorus cycle.
​University of Saskatchewan
13:20 - 13:40
Varga, E.
Understanding the effects of environmental drivers of phytoplankton community succession and toxin production in Canadian waters of Lake St. Clair.
​Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research
13:40 - 14:00
Gasman, R.
A Pan-Canadian comparison of cyanobacteria bloom management policies, programs, and practices.
​York University
14:00 - 14:40
Downing, J.
​Keynote Speaker
Cyanobacteria in the anthropocene: their past is a key to our future.
 University of Minnesota
14:40 - 15:00
Closing Remarks
15:00 - 15:20
Snacks and Networking!

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