Psychrophilic green algae

Psychrophiles are extremophiles that thrive in the cold but can not survive at moderate temperatures. The study of psychrophiles is an exciting new field and these unusual organisms can help us understand how life evolves and adapts to some of the most extreme environments on our planet. Psychrophiles are alsoan important source of novel genes, metabolites, and enzymes that contribute to survival at low temperatures and can even provide clues to possible life on other planets (exobiology). Antarctic and Arctic green algae are excellent models for investigating the evolution, physiology and biochemistry of photosynthesis at frigid conditions. Read more here: Cvetkovska et al, 2017 and Hüner et al, 2022
Current projects:

Environmental stress
Polar algae are exceptionally well adapted for life at extreme conditions but are sensitive to environmental stress, and are particularly threatened by global climate change patterns. In our lab we study how environmental stress affects the biology of psychrophilic algae, from the effect on individual protein activity and stability to whole organismal physiology. We investigate how psychrophilic algae respond to a changing climate and whether polar species can adapt to new conditions in their cold habitats. Read more here: Cvetkovska et al, 2022 and Cvetkovska, Vakulenko et al, 2022
Polar algae are exceptionally well adapted for life at extreme conditions but are sensitive to environmental stress, and are particularly threatened by global climate change patterns. In our lab we study how environmental stress affects the biology of psychrophilic algae, from the effect on individual protein activity and stability to whole organismal physiology. We investigate how psychrophilic algae respond to a changing climate and whether polar species can adapt to new conditions in their cold habitats. Read more here: Cvetkovska et al, 2022 and Cvetkovska, Vakulenko et al, 2022

Adaptations to extreme conditions
Polar algae are often exposed to multiple extreme conditions in addition to year-long frigid temperatures: high salinity, nutrient deficiencies, low light under the polar ice, and continuous darkness during the winter. We examine the molecular, biochemical and physiological basis of adaptation to multiple extreme conditions. Our goal is to discover key features that lie at the crux of photosynthetic adaptations to life on the edge . Read more about our recent efforts on examining motility under low light (Poirier et al, 2023) and adaptations to high salinity (Kalra et al, 2020).
Polar algae are often exposed to multiple extreme conditions in addition to year-long frigid temperatures: high salinity, nutrient deficiencies, low light under the polar ice, and continuous darkness during the winter. We examine the molecular, biochemical and physiological basis of adaptation to multiple extreme conditions. Our goal is to discover key features that lie at the crux of photosynthetic adaptations to life on the edge . Read more about our recent efforts on examining motility under low light (Poirier et al, 2023) and adaptations to high salinity (Kalra et al, 2020).
Plants and the Environment

Plants are rooted in their environment and subject to many different changes in their surrounding . We aim to understand how plants interact with their environment at the physiological and molecular level. We are particularly interested in how plants respond to multiple changing conditions, and whether acclimation to one stressors can be beneficial and protect the plant from subsequent environmental challenges. We currently work with several model and economically important species: Cannabis sativa (hemp, marijuana), strawberries and tobacco. Read more about our motivation behind cannabis research here: Payment and Cvetkovska, 2023