Mike McKay

Beyond the bloom, UWindsor researchers investigate hidden health risks of toxic algae

Harmful algae bloom water sample grabSteve Simpson Sr., Senior Water Guardian from Caldwell First Nation gathers a water sample during a 2025 Harmful Algae Bloom Grab in Lake St. Clair. (PHOTO COURTESY OF GLIER/University of Windsor)

By John-Paul Bonadonna

Could harmful algal blooms pose greater risks to human health than current testing methods can detect?

A University of Windsor research team is using human cells and miniature laboratory-grown models of organs to investigate whether existing approaches to measuring algal toxins capture their potential health effects.

The findings could eventually inform how drinking water and recreational water safety are assessed, with implications for communities across Canada.

What makes a lake turn toxic? UWindsor is part of a global team trying to find out

View of algal bloomUniversity of Windsor researchers have partnered with global experts to write a five-year action plan aimed at understanding the risk of highly toxic blue-green algae blooms. (Photo: David Hamilton, Griffith University/University of Windsor)

By Sara Elliott 

University of Windsor researchers have partnered with global experts to write a five-year action plan aimed at understanding the risk of highly toxic blue-green algae blooms.  

The five-year research plan outlines priorities to address the threats these blooms pose to freshwater resources worldwide, including the Great Lakes.  

Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker supports UWindsor research during rare Lake Erie deep freeze

Dr. Mike McKay to the right talking to two Coast Guard cadets on the leftDr. Mike McKay (right) explains how to use collection kits to Canada Coast Guard officer cadets Raphaël Cere (left) and Jack Hogan (middle). (MIKE WILKINS/University of Windsor)

By Sara Elliott 

With Lake Erie locked in its heaviest ice cover in more than two decades, a Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker has become an unlikely research platform for University of Windsor scientists. 

As the CCGS Vincent Massey breaks through thick ice, its crew is collecting water samples to help researchers understand how winter conditions shape the lake’s ecosystem.