NC State Receives Major Grant to Establish Center Addressing Ocean Health Issues

North Carolina State University has been awarded a significant grant of $6.9 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to launch the North Carolina Center for Coastal Algae, People, and Environment (NC C-CAPE). Our center is dedicated to investigating the human health impacts of harmful cyanobacterial algal blooms that increasingly affect our coastal waters.

Under the direction of Astrid Schnetzer and co-direction of Scott Belcher, our multidisciplinary team will collaborate across five colleges combining expertise in ocean and climate science, toxicology, and public health. Our primary focus will be to enhance the understanding of how environmental changes contribute to harmful algal blooms, monitor toxins produced by cyanobacteria, and develop predictive tools for assessing toxin exposure in water and seafood.

A core element of our mission is community engagement. We are committed to effectively communicating our research findings to local stakeholders and integrating their knowledge into our work. By doing so, we aim to develop practical solutions that enhance public health safety and environmental protection.

Through NC C-CAPE, we are excited to address the critical intersections of ocean health and human well-being, making a positive impact on our communities and coastal ecosystems.

Read the full announcement on the NC State College of Sciences website here.