Development of a DNA-based detection platform for marine toxic algal species
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Mueller matrix microscope and the schematics (Liu et al., Applied Optics 2020)

Local mariculture has an important role in maintaining a steady supply of live fish to fulfil increasing seafood demand in Hong Kong and China.  However, threats like toxic algal blooms have caused tremendous amount of economic loss, thereby discouraging development and investment into the industry. Therefore, the establishment of a rapid detection platform that offers identification and monitoring of toxic algae in the aquaculture environment has been proposed to provide early warning signs for the industry.  A detection platform is developed through collaboration between Hong Kong (SKLMP) and partner in Shenzhen (Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School).  Hong Kong researchers have generated a DNA database for various marine toxic algal species and strands.  This DNA information was used to cross validate the physical parameters obtained by polarization measurement from Shenzhen’s partner.  The consented species- and strand- specific physical parameters for each single species were further linked up and setup in the polarization measuring system.  The detection system will be further developed into a commercial product for field monitoring application.  Any update for the system can be simply made through enriching the database information.  We anticipate that this detection platform will be highly cost-effective and sustainable in its application.

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Morphology and merged Mueller matrix images of algal cells (Leung et al., ITC 2019)

 

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Mueller matrix images of a single algal cell (Li et al., Applied Optics 2017; Leung et al., ITC 2019)