Mussels are widely used organisms in pollution monitoring, primarily due to their distribution and that they are efficient filter-feeders, thus being exposed to large volumes of potentially polluted water. The blood cells of mussels, hemocytes, is a useful model for effect studies, both in vivo and in vitro. Cellular processes can be monitored over time and with different exposure conditions using fluorescent probes and a multiwell exposure design. The project can accept one or two students, who will be involved in collecting mussels, performing exposure experiments, sample, culture and exposure hemocytes, then finally measuring cellular responses using a range of probes. The project is a collaboration with the University of the Basque Country and students may have the opportunity to work at their field station in Plentzia for up to a month for additional analyses (metabolomics).
Contact Ketil Hylland (ketilhy@ibv.uio.no) if you are interested.