Dr Lim Po Teen is an associate professor at the Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Universiti Malaya. He specialises in researching Harmful Algal Bloom, or HAB for short. His work has led to the discovery of novel harmful algae species and the understanding of HAB mechanisms in Malaysia. Dr Lim holds leadership roles in international HAB networks and has been recognised with prestigious fellowships. Members of the audience, Dr Lim has had three harmful algae species named after him. In this FAScinate series, Dr Lim Po Teen will present his research on Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning, exploring the mechanisms behind toxic algae blooms in tropical estuaries. He will also discuss benthic toxic algae in Pulau Perhentian and the increased risk of ciguatera fish poisoning due to coral reef degradation. His talk will emphasise the use of eDNA and metabarcoding for improved monitoring and risk assessment in HAB research. To date, Dr Lim’s research team has discovered no less than 15 novel harmful algae species from Malaysian waters.
