UMaine Joins International Toxic Algal Detection Initiative
Contact: Laurie Connell, (207) 581- 2470; Rosemary Smith, (207) 581-3361
ORONO — The University of Maine recently became one of the first to receive an international research partnership award, designed to link U.S. scientists and engineers with counterparts in Ireland to study environmental and seafood contaminants.
The BEACONS (biosafety for environmental contaminants using novel sensors) project aims to develop strategies for isolating and detecting algal toxins of significant concern as environmental and food contaminants.
The project has received more than $1 million in joint funding from the Science Foundation Ireland, Invest Northern Ireland Department for Employment and Learning, and the National Science Foundation.
UMaine is receiving about a third of the funding for its portion of the project. Research partners in the project include UMaine marine researcher Laurie Connell and electrical engineer Rosemary Smith, along with scientists from Dublin City and Queens universities, and NOAA.