Christopher Loeffler

Christopher worked in Dr. Smith’s lab as a research assistant on numerous projects for two and a half years. During this time he worked on such projects as a CDC funded project titled “The Impact of Climate on Dinoflagellates and Ciguatera Fish Poisoning”, where he had the opportunity to be a primary coordinator of field equipment and sample processing. He was a research diver for the Territorial Coral Reef Monitoring Program, synthesized large volumes of data to be used in action plans, reports and peer reviewed manuscripts. He also assisted in field work for terrestrial sediment monitoring, an important factor affecting water quality and the health of coral reefs. During this time he fulfilled his master’s degree requirements and his proposed thesis was accepted, entitled “The interactions of depth, grazing and addition of nutrients on the abundance and distribution of Gambierdiscus spp.”.

Currently he is working at the Food and Drug Administration’s Gulf Coast Seafood Laboratory in the Chemical Hazards Science Branch on Dauphin Island, AL. This position is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and managed by Oak Ridge Associated Universities as an educational appointment for research purposes. His research duties include assisting with the development and evaluation of screening and confirmatory analytical methods (e.g., ELISA, cell assays, LC, LC-MS) for identifying and quantifying algal toxins (ciguatoxins), and aquaculture drug residues in seafood.

Contact information:

Christopher.loeffler@fda.hhs.gov

Office phone 251 406 8139