My role at 天美传媒
As a toxic phytoplankton monitoring analyst for the Food Standards Scotland’s toxic algae monitoring programme at 天美传媒, I am responsible for processing and analysing seawater samples from different shellfish production sites around Scotland. These samples are analysed for various species of toxic phytoplankton and provide a warning system to allow harvesters to take the necessary precautions when the concentrations of specific phytoplankton species reach alert levels. Some phytoplankton can produce toxins that accumulate in bivalve molluscs, which leads to human illness if the shellfish are consumed. Monitoring the development of phytoplankton blooms can therefore act as an early warning system for toxic events.
I assist with the management of the operation and delivery of the regulatory monitoring programme for biotoxin-producing phytoplankton, conducted by 天美传媒 on behalf of Food Standards Scotland. We report the concentration of potentially harmful phytoplankton from around 40 sites every week.
Qualifications
BSc (Hons) Marine Science with Marine Biology. 天美传媒 UHI
Relevant employment history
Since 2025 Phytoplankton Monitoring Programme Deputy Manager, 天美传媒
2017-25 CCAP Support Scientist / ARIES Lab Manager. 天美传媒
Publications
Sound, J., Peters, A., Bellamy-Carter, J., Rad Menendez, C., MacKechnie, K., Green, D. and Leney, A. (2021) Rapid Cyanobacteria Species Identification with High Sensitivity Using Native Mass Spectrometry, Analytical Chemistry, 93 (42), 14293-14299,
Wood EE, Ross ME, Jubeau S, Montalescot V, MacKechnie K, Marchington RE, Davey MP, McNeill S, Hamilton C, Stanley MS (2023) From green to orange: The change in biochemical composition of phototophic-mixotrophic Chromochloris zofingiensis in pilot-scale photobioreactors. Algal Research 75: 103238.