CICEET Progress Report for the period 9/16/06 Through 3/15/07
Project Title: Automated Imaging and Classification System for Harmful Algal Bloom Detection
Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Robert J. Olson
Additional Investigator(s): Dr. Heidi Sosik, Dr. Lisa Campbell
Project Start Date: 9/01/06
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Objectives
Our objective for this reporting period was to construct an Imaging FlowCytobot at WHOI for use in Texas coastal waters by Lisa Campbell’s laboratory at Texas A&M University. This included delivering the instrument to Texas and beginning laboratory testing and operator training in preparation for deployment at the U. Texas-Marine Sciences Institute (UTMSI) at Port Aransas (at the entry to the Mission-Aransas NERR site) in summer 2007. Tasks to meet these objectives included actual construction of the instrument, familiarization of the new operators with it, and testing it in the laboratory.
Progress on Tasks
The instrument has been completed and delivered to Texas A&M by Olson (See Figure 2), and operator training has been initiated. Lisa Campbell and her Research Assistant are conducting laboratory analyses of cultures of several species of Karenia (see Figure 1). Campbell and Olson also visited the UT pier, where the Imaging FlowCytobot will be deployed in summer 2007. During this visit we discussed with Dr. Dong-Ha Min (who is the necessary preparations for deployment.
Have the results/data gathered during this reporting period changed the project objectives when compared to your original proposal?
The results and data gathered during this reporting period have not changed the project objectives of the original proposal.
Dissemination activities during this reporting period
Dissemination activities during this reporting period included a presentation by Olson at a meeting for new CICEET PIs (17 January 2007, Mobile, Alabama; ~30 participants), and initiation of an Operator’s Manual for Imaging FlowCytobot by Olson and Campbell.
Provisional patent applications were recorded on 25 October 2006 for Imaging FlowCytoBot: A Submersible Imaging-in-Flow Analytical Instrument, and for an Automated Taxonomic Classification of Phytoplankton.
Difficulties
No unforeseen difficulties were encountered so far.
Data Generated to date
Project Objectives for Next Reporting Period
Objectives
The project objectives for the next reporting period include the manual generation of training sets of Karenia images in the laboratory (for training the automated classification system to recognize Karenia), and deployment of Imaging FlowCytobot at UTMSI in summer 2007.
Work plan to Meet Objectives
Our work plan to meet these objectives is the following:
- Campbell will analyze Karenia cultures and manually classify images (> 300 for each species);
- Sosik will test recognition of Karenia by the automated classification system and modify if necessary.
- Campbell and Olson will deploy Imaging FlowCytobot at UTMSI in summer 2007 and initiate data collection.
- Analysis and dissemination of results will be carried out by all three PI’s, posting data and images on a web site. Campbell plans presentations about the project at TexHAB and at Rookery Bay during the next reporting period.
Overall Project Timeline Update
No changes are necessary to the overall project timeline.
Expenditures
Expenditures to date are in the range anticipated.
End User Advisor Feedback
Producer Advisor: Andrew Barnard (VP of Research and Development)
Organization: WET Labs, Inc.
Location: Philomath, OR 97370
Phone number: 541-929-5650
E-mail: andrew@wetlabs.com
Currently, in situ imaging flow cytometry potentially provides an effective means towards rapid, real-time identification of phytoplankton species link to harmful algal blooms (HABs). The Imaging FlowCytoBot developed by Drs. Sosik and Olson has shown remarkable promise towards real time, in situ phytoplankton identification over extended field deployments. As such, WET Labs, Inc has been interested in potentially commercializing this technology. A key step towards this is demonstrating the reproducibility of the prototype sensor and evaluating the potential applications. Through this CICEET project both areas will be evaluated, and thus represent a valuable pathway towards potential commercialization of the sensor. Their accomplishment of building another Imaging FlowCytoBot for this project demonstrates that the technology is understood and can potentially be replicated. Work underway to develop a training set for the identification of Karenia will also provide information as to the potential application of the sensor for HAB detection as well as the necessary user knowledge and understanding required to use the system. We are impressed with the progress to date, and will be interested in seeing the results of the Karenia training set.
PI Response to End User Advisor Feedback
We are pleased with the response of our Producer Advisor; our response in turn is to continue with the project as planned, including provision of the results of the automated classification tests as we obtain them.