Algal toxins in oysters and blue crabs in coastal North Carolina waters
Official title: Examining Linkages among Microcystins, Shellfish Contamination, and Toxin Transfer in Oysters and Blue Crabs across a Coastal North Carolina Sound
Funded at North Carolina State University Raleigh · NIH-11371086 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how algal poisons called microcystins get into oysters and blue crabs so people who eat local seafood can be safer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | North Carolina State University Raleigh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Raleigh, United States) |
| Project start | February 21, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $183,406 |
| NIH project number | 5P01ES035542-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11371086 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants would be people who live near or regularly eat or harvest oysters and blue crabs from Pamlico Sound and other coastal North Carolina waters.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not eat local shellfish or who live far from the affected estuaries are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
Scientists will monitor Pamlico Sound with real-time water sensors and routine and event-driven sampling, especially after storms, to track cyanobacteria and toxin levels. They will collect and test oysters and blue crabs for microcystins and mixtures of related toxins. The team will map where and when toxins appear and how they move through the estuary to better understand seafood contamination. Results will be used to inform safer harvesting practices and public health guidance for coastal communities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to clearer seafood safety warnings and actions that reduce people's risk of liver poisoning from contaminated shellfish.
How similar studies have gone: Previous monitoring has detected microcystins in North Carolina shellfish, but this project expands on past work with more detailed, real-time sampling and toxin-mixture analysis.
Where this research is happening
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North Carolina State University Raleigh
Raleigh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schnetzer, Astrid — North Carolina State University Raleigh
- Study coordinator: Schnetzer, Astrid
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.