Toxic topics, beneficial research
Photo: Dr. Aileen Maldonado speaks during a career panel event. Credit: Carlos Matthews/Mote Marine Laboratory
Marine ecotoxicologists investigate some of the toughest challenges we must overcome to protect the ocean—in particular, how toxic substances harm marine animals and the ecosystem. Today we meet Dr. Aileen Maldonado, a Mote Postdoctoral Research Fellow who studies natural toxins and human-produced toxicants in the marine environment. In this episode, Dr. Maldonado gives hosts Joe and Hayley insight into toxic substances that concern scientists, environmental regulators and communities, and she discusses her Mote research focused on mitigation of the toxin-producing Florida red tide and on improving methods to assess the health of corals at risk from pollution and many other stressors.