Nicola Wannicke

Nicola Wannicke, marine biologist at Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research in Warnemünde (IOW) investigates winners of ocean acidification: Cyanobacteria benefit from eutrophication as well as rises in temperature and carbon dioxide concentrations. When the Baltic Sea warms in Summer and much carbon dioxide dissolves in the sea water, the algae thrive especially well. Since they release toxins that are dangerous for humans and animals, beaches need to be closed off from time to time.

But there are not just negative aspects to cyanobacteria, Nicola Wannicke points out: They can also be seen as factories for different substances that could contain potential antibiotics or other active substances which may be applied in cancer treatments.