The Great Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health at the University of Michigan leverages interdisciplinary collaboration and community engagement to better understand the increasing risks that cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHAB) pose to freshwater ecosystems and human health. The center is led by a multi-institutional team of biomedical scientists, limnologists and community engagement experts, and aims to characterize how climate change affects cyanobacterial harmful algal bloom growth and toxin production.

The Impact of Climate Change-driven Episodic Events on cHAB Growth and Secondary Metabolite Production

This project aims to identify how extreme weather events caused by climate change impact algal bloom growth, cyanotoxin production, and phycosphere processes.

Distribution and Discovery of Secondary Metabolites

Most research on cyanotoxins has focused on the production of microcystins and little is known about the bioactivity of other cyanotoxins, both individually and in mixtures. Researchers are conducting an in-depth study of cyanotoxin mixtures in western Lake Erie to assess their risk to human health.

Impacts of Changing Climate on Cyanobacterial Bloom Dissolved and Particulate Toxin, Aerosol Emissions, and Transport within Freshwater and the Atmosphere

In addition to direct exposure in the water, humans can be exposed to aerosolized cyanotoxins. This project examines toxin aerosolization and transport to assess the risk of human exposure to cyanotoxins through ingestion and inhalation.

Adverse Health Effects Following Exposure to Aerosolized Cyanotoxins

This project aims to assess the impact of aerosolized cyanotoxins on respiratory inflammation and asthma. Researchers are using model systems to determine inflammatory and immune responses to microcystins. Additionally, this project is establishing a prospective cohort study with participants who live and recreate in the Western Lake Erie basin to evaluate changes pulmonary function before, during, and after a cyanobacterial bloom event.

Community Engagement Core

The Center’s Community Engagement Core uses a multifaceted approach to engage a diverse audience of stakeholders to change behavior, inform management decisions, and identify policies that could be proposed to address the effects of climate change on cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms and human health in the Great Lakes region.