Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship awarded
Dr. Chris Miles.
Photo: Gro Elden
Dr Chris Miles from New Zealand started on a 2 year Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship at the National Veterinary Institute (NVI) in June 2008, working on algal toxin research. Dr Miles is an internationally recognised chemist who has worked for many years on isolation and identification of algal toxins in shellfish.
He will spend 50% of the time in the laboratories at the Marine Institute in Galway, Ireland (MI). Dr. Miles has previously worked at NVI and was involved in the development of the Institute’s algal toxin group.
Certain types of algae produce substances that can be toxic to humans. During blooms of such algae, the toxins are taken up and concentrated in shellfish. It can take a long time for the shellfish to get rid of the toxins. There can therefore be toxin in the seafood long after the algae have disappeared from the water.
The goal of this project is to isolate and identify important algal toxins in the azaspiracids, okadaic acid, pectenotoxin and yessotoxin groups. In addition, Dr Miles will study how the shellfish metabolise and excrete the algal toxins. In collaboration with Norwegian and international researchers, he will also study how the various algal toxins function at the cellular and molecular levels, in order to understand their toxic effects. Another important goal of the project is to develop robust chemical analysis methods to facilitate detection of the various algal toxins in shellfish.
The project (ALGETOX) is financed through the EU’s 7th Framework Programme for research and technology. This programme contributes to increased researcher mobility and collaboration in Europe. The Framework Programme also makes it possible for top researchers from other parts of the world to come to Europe and contribute to the improvement of European research. The Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship is a targeted instrument that gives international researchers just such an opportunity to work in Europe for a period. So far, this is the only Norwegian application for a Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship in FP7 that has been funded.
Factsheet on algae toxins in shellfish
Contacts at the National Veterinary Institute
Chris. O Miles, researcher, Section for Chemistry
Telephone: +47 23 21 62 32
E-mail: chris.miles@vetinst.no
Arne Flåøyen, Head of Department, Dep. of Feed and Foodsafety
Telephone:+47 2321 6270/+47 4822 4286
E-mail: arne.flaoyen@vetinst.no
