Paralytic shellfish toxin monitoring and testing for Southeast Alaska
Knowledge Warding Against Toxin Levels, Facility Core
This project runs a Sitka lab that tests local shellfish for paralytic toxins and shares results to help Alaska tribal and coastal communities stay safe.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sitka Tribe of Alaska NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Sitka, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11387539 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you or your family harvest or eat local shellfish, this Sitka Tribe lab analyzes weekly samples sent by 17 Tribal partners using two lab methods (RBA and HPLC). The team compares the two test methods, links toxin levels to local environmental conditions, and collects information about what and where people eat. The core manages the data and returns timely results so communities can respond to toxic events. Work is coordinated through the Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research consortium to protect subsistence and commercial harvesters.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are members of Southeast Alaska and Kodiak tribal or coastal communities who harvest or regularly eat locally sourced shellfish and can provide harvest location or consumption information.
Not a fit: People who do not eat locally harvested shellfish or who live outside the covered Alaska regions are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better, faster toxin testing could reduce cases of paralytic shellfish poisoning by informing safer harvesting and consumption choices.
How similar studies have performed: Other monitoring programs using receptor binding assay and HPLC have detected paralytic shellfish toxin events successfully, though combining method comparison with detailed consumption data is less common.
Where this research is happening
Sitka, United States
- Sitka Tribe of Alaska — Sitka, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Whitehead, Chris — Sitka Tribe of Alaska
- Study coordinator: Whitehead, Chris
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 below.