#GLADLab

Welcome! This is the research group for Great Lakes Algae @ Daemen (#GLADLab). We focus on the interaction of humans and the environment on algal characteristics. Please click around to find out more about what we do. If you are interested in joining the group, please contact Dr. Sarah Whorley

See yourself here!

In the GLAD Lab, we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment where all voices are heard and valued. Just as healthy freshwater ecosystems thrive with a diverse assemblage of species, we believe that the richness of diverse perspectives strengthens our scientific community and advances innovation. We’re proud to cultivate an inclusive lab culture where everyone can grow, contribute, and flourish—because diversity is the foundation of progress!

GLAD Lab in the News

Science in the Virtual Pub (Spring 2025)

Algae are among the most misunderstood, and yet critically important groups of organisms on the planet. These incredibly diverse organisms can be found in every corner of the earth, from soil, to rock faces, to more familiar water bodies like oceans, lakes, and rivers. Take a deep breath - every other breath you take is thanks to just diatoms in just the ocean! While multicellular seaweed algae tend to take the spotlight, my particular focus is on the microscopic freshwater types of algae. These tiny photosynthesizers form the base of all aquatic food webs - providing important sugars and high quality nutrients to everyone from zooplankton on up. However, these freshwater algae often garner a bad reputation in a few instances when they grow too much, causing harm to people and other animals. In this presentation, we'll cover some of the basics of what it takes to be considered an algae, an introduction to some of the major taxonomic groups, and finally talk about some of the ways that we encounter algae in our environment and what they can tell us about our world.

See the YouTube Live recording here.

Daemen Voice (Spring 2024)

Two Daemen University researchers will lead a consortium of institutions on a statewide survey of the year-long effects of winter road salt on stream organism biodiversity and biochemical properties. Dr. Sarah Whorley and Dr. Jeffrey Law, both associate professors of biology in the Natural Science Program, were awarded grants from the U.S. Geological Survey through the New York State Water Resources Institute, the Lake Erie Watershed Protection Alliance, and the Niagara County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Northeast Algal Society (Spring 2023)

Alex Hangen has been awarded the Ron Hoham Undergraduate Research Grant from the Northeast Algal Society. This award will fund his senior capstone research project to collect and measure phytoplankton from Lake Ontario waters and from fish gut contents in association with microplastics. This work aims to describe the ways that microplastics are interacting with and affecting several trophic levels of Great Lakes food webs.

Society for Freshwater Science (Summer 2021)

Satisfying our students’ need for intellectual stimulation after six months of remote interaction is important however difficult while following COVID-19 safety guidelines. Students must be ready to return to remote learning at a moment’s notice greatly limits research options, especially within the context of a course. Winogradsky columns make physically spaced research possible and allows for locational flexibility. Daemen College’s Ecotoxicology course created Winogradsky columns of local wetland materials and examined the effects of different concentrations of Round-Up (source of glyphosate) on benthic microbial development and habitat nutrient cycling. Round-Up significantly affects the microbial community by decreasing abundance and hampering their ability to process nutrient influxes resulting from glyphosate metabolism.

Making Waves Podcast - Society for Freshwater Science (Winter 2020)

Everyone loves a field trip, right? This episode is about why field trips are so important to college classes about freshwater science, and ways to get students in the field when class sizes are large or taught online.

Canisius College Conservation Conversations (Winter 2020)

I was invited by the students of Canisius College's Conservation Conversations podcast to come record an episode! Sierra and Gaby (now graduated!) were great hosts and their work with this podcast is fabulous!

Daemen Today - The Power of Research (Winter 2018)

“Algae plays an important role in an aquatic ecosystem, making up the base of the aquatic food web, including in streams all around Erie County,” explains Whorley, now in her third year as a professor of biology at Daemen. “For our Think Tank project, we collected algae to use as biological indicators in assessing water quality in local streams.”

GLAD Lab Projects

Important Links

Department of Natural Sciences

Daemen University

AlgaeBase.org

Not an official Daemen University website

Google Sites

Report abuse