Portrait photo outdoors.
Aquatic biologist Malin Olofsson, who received SLU's career support in 2025. Photo: Ulrika Jansson Klintberg.

SLU’s Career grant for Aquatic Biologist Malin Olofsson

News published:  17/11/2025

The ecological aspects behind algal blooms have long fascinated researcher Malin Olofsson. With a career grant from SLU, she now has the opportunity to continue focusing on her favourite subject.

The forecast that so-called algal blooms – often cyanobacteria during the summer – may become more common in a warmer climate worries many people. Partly because the bloom makes swimming less pleasant, but also because they can contribute to further oxygen depletion and dead sea floors, complicate drinking water production, and create problems for aquaculture.

Ecologist Perspective on Algal Blooms

For Malin, the ecological perspective is particularly intriguing, with the interplay between organisms playing a central role. It is therefore perhaps not surprising that she has chosen to dive deeper into the interactions between cyanobacteria and their nutrient flows.

It is important to understand the bigger picture if we are to tackle the issue; we need to understand what induces the blooms, says Malin Olofsson.

Malin also highlights the positive aspects of algal blooms, even those dominated by cyanobacteria, as they serve as food for animals living in the water. They are the foundation of all life in the sea, and without phytoplankton and algae, we would not, for example, have any fish.

Future Research

Malin has worked at SLU for six years and now looks forward to further opportunities for in-depth study while also looking into the future: what will cyanobacterial blooms look like then?

We can probably expect blooms to become more common in summer and sustain later into autumn as a result of warmer water and eutrophication. But, where, when and how large the blooms will be is very difficult to predict, says Malin.

Algae and cyanobacteria can in some cases produce toxins that negatively affect aquatic organisms and may also pose health risks to humans. Will these toxins also become more common?

That is a more difficult question to answer. For many species, it is not entirely clear when and where the toxins are produced – or even why – and we want to learn more so that we can find the answers to what we can expect, says Malin.

Career Grant Supports Malin’s Research Idea

The research environment at the Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment at SLU has enabled Malin to move closer to her research goals, and now the career grant will work as a spring board to reach even further. 

I want to map which species of cyanobacteria occur in Swedish waters and which toxins they produce, in order to better protect both our bathing waters and drinking water. With the career grant, I can build a stable foundation with staff in the lab and more funded time for myself to pursue larger applications and more ambitious research questions, Malin explains.

Through her work, Malin hopes to contribute to a future in which our lakes and seas are healthier – and where we understand nature’s delicate balance a little better.

Malin is one of five researchers at SLU to recieve the grant.

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