Research Labs and Vessels
Aquatic Ecology Lab
Location: GLRC 113, 117
Contact: Nancy Auer, Casey Huckins
Study threatened and endangered species ecology in both large-scale and small-scale wet-lab setups in the Aquatic Ecology Lab. This lab has large stream units, which allow us to rear and hold fishes—and other organisms—at a variety of temperatures and light conditions. Our large circular tank also enables us to study fish-group behavior.
The outdoor portion of our lab features mesocosms for studying larger fish—their growth, predator/prey interactions, and invasive species impacts.
Current projects include:
- The effect of varying concentrations of substances, like road salts, on aquatic organisms
- Organism interaction studies, like predator/prey densities
- Large-fish (lake sturgeon and coaster brook trout) life history studies
Analytical Laboratory for Great Lakes Exploration
Location: GLRC 219, 223
Contact: Michael Gretz
The Analytical Laboratory for Great Lakes Exploration (ALGE) allows researchers from a variety of fields to access an ever-growing collection of front-line analytical tools. ALGE provides separation technology, spectrometry, and spectroscopy for molecular and ionic species important to both basic and applied research.
The lab supports sample preparation and analysis in gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy, analytical microscopy, and protein and DNA analysis.
Current projects include:
- Transfer of heavy elements through food webs
- Transfer of organically bound silica, copper, and mercury from wetlands and rivers into lakes
- Biochemistry, metabolomics, eco-toxicity, and biomarkers in the geosphere and ambient environment
Cardiovascular and Electrophysiology Lab
This lab aims to understand how the central autonomic system regulates cardiovascular function and body fluid and sodium homeostasis. The focus of lab research is to identify the neural mechanisms of sympathetic activation in cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders. Multi-level approaches—ranging from the whole-animal study to ion-channel recordings, molecular biology and gene manipulation—are currently being applied to research projects.
Location: Dow 414
Contact: Qinghui Chen
Clinical and Applied Human Physiology Laboratory
The Clinical and Applied Human Physiology Laboratory is primarily focused on developing and implementing preventative lifestyle strategies for those with metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors such as visceral obesity, high triglycerides, low high-density lipoproteins, pre-hypertension, and pre-diabetes. These strategies may include interventions such as: specific exercise programs, dietary modification, stress reduction, and adequate sleep. The laboratory has a secondary focus on sport-specific exercise assessment and prescription for hockey players and endurance athletes.
Location: Dow 731
Contact: John Durocher
Environmental Bioremediation Lab
Research is focused on the application of plant biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology and microbiology in solving environmental problems using phytoremediation and plant-microbe interactions. Current research projects include: Phytoremediation of lead paint contaminated soil using vetiver grass, understanding the mechanism of lead tolerance by vetiver grass using proteomics and metabolomics, Role of vetiver and vetiver root-associated microorganisms in uptake and transformation of antibiotics, phytomremediation of heavy metals in mining- impacted soils, Use of vetiver grass for uptake and transformation of RDX, biofuel production from plants grown on marginal lands.
Location: Dow 511
Contact: Rupali Datta
Environmental Microbiology Lab
Research in the Environmental Microbiology lab deals with microbial-based treatment of air, soil and waterborne organic wastes, mutagenicity and toxicity of environmental pollutants, and microbial production of bio-based fuels and polymers. Current work focuses on the optimization of fermentation conditions (multi-scale) for conversion of biomass sugars from wood and forest products wastes to fuels, novel fuel additives, and other value-added products such as bio-polymers.
Locations: Dow 518, 518A, 518B
Contact: Susan Bagley
Invasive Species Lab
Location: GLRC 103
Contact: Charles Kerfoot
Explore the impacts of exotic species throughout the Great Lakes region in the Invasive Species Lab. The lab is named in honor of Dr. Lisa Drake, a distinguished physical scientist studying aquatic invasive species at the Center for Corrosion Science and Engineering in Key West, Florida.
As serious threats to the Great Lakes food web continue to mount, the Invasive Species Lab provides a first-rate facility for researchers to use to monitor, predict, and mitigate exotic invaders. Invasive species being studied in the lab include quagga mussels, zebra mussels, spiny water fleas, Daphnia, and other introduced micro-crustaceans.
Current projects include:
- Documenting food-web impacts of exotic species in the Great Lakes and inland lakes
- Determining effects of global climate change on the inter-related Great Lakes system
- Using sediment cores to examine long-term hypotheses of evolution
- Evaluating regional effects of mining on lake ecosystems
Primary Productivity and Plankton Ecology Lab
Location: GLRC 217
Contact: Gary Fahnenstiel
Deepen our understanding of carbon cycling processes or help monitor the Great Lakes’ waters in the Primary Productivity and Plankton Ecology Lab. With a powerful collection of analytical tools, Center researchers study the lower food web—from algae blooms to plankton lifecycles.
Together with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, lab members also keep tabs on the lakes’ health by monitoring levels of chlorophyll, phosphorous, phytoplankton, and soluble nutrients, among others.
Current projects include:
- Developing algorithms to model productivity in the Great Lakes from remote sensing equipment data
- Monitoring Great Lakes health
- Assessing the impact of harmful algae blooms in Saginaw Bay and in western Lake Erie
RV Agassiz
Situated along the banks of the Keweenaw Waterway—and connected to Lake Superior—Michigan Tech’s campus is a haven for freshwater science researchers. Providing ready access to the islands, open waters, and many embayments of Lake Superior, the RV Agassiz offers students, faculty, and staff from Michigan Tech, other universities, government laboratories, and industrial partners an opportunity to explore the science of this mighty natural resource.
Locations: Great Lakes Research Center
Contact: Jamey Anderson
