Speaker Biography: Dr. Sandra Elisabeth Shumway is currently a professor at the University of Connecticut, USA, and a world-renowned expert in aquaculture. Her primary research interests encompass aquaculture, physiological ecology of marine invertebrates, harmful algae, seafood safety, and the relationship between algae and aquatic animals. She has authored 15 books related to aquaculture and published over 300 papers in journals including Nature, with a total citation count exceeding 20,000, an H-index of 74, and an i10-index of 196 (Google Scholar). As an emerging class of pollutants, micro- and nanoplastics are garnering increasing attention regarding their pollution status in the marine environment and potential ecological risks, posing serious threats to the quality and safety of aquatic products, especially in mariculture areas. Professor Sandra Elisabeth Shumway is dedicated to researching the environmental behavior, bioaccumulation, and physiological effects of microplastics, with in-depth studies on the accumulation of microplastics in mollusks, revealing characteristics of microplastic bioaccumulation. She recently edited the book Plastics in the Sea: Occurrence and Impacts (Elsevier). Professor Shumway enjoys high international recognition and influence in the fields of shellfish aquaculture and ecophysiology, serving as Editor-in-Chief of Reviews in Fisheries Science & Aquaculture and the Journal of Shellfish Research.
Lecture 1: Physiological Defense Mechanisms and Metabolic Disorders of Bivalves Under Combined Stressors of Microplastics and Ocean Acidification
Speaker: Sandra Elisabeth Shumway
Time: October 15, 2025, 10:00-12:00
Location: Marine Science and Technology Building, Room 221
Content: The speaker will systematically introduce her team's findings regarding the synergistic effects of microplastic ingestion pathways and acidification stress, interactive damage to the immune-digestive systems (e.g., lysosomal stability, oxidative stress), and energy metabolic redistribution (e.g., glycogen depletion, protein degradation).
Lecture 2: From Ecosystem to Dining Table: Impacts of Microplastic-Acidification Coupling Effects on Nutritional Quality and Food Safety of Bivalves
Speaker: Sandra Elisabeth Shumway
Time: October 16, 2025, 10:00-12:00
Location: Marine Science and Technology Building, Room 221
Content: The speaker will analyze the accumulation of pollutants in tissues and nutrient loss (e.g., changes in protein, fatty acid content), and elucidate associated human health risks (e.g., microplastic vector effects, synergistic toxicity with heavy metals). Finally, based on her research team's findings, she will propose recommendations for aquaculture zone management and sustainable consumption.
Lecture 3: Multi-Omics Technologies and Ecological Engineering: Novel Health Regulation Strategies for Bivalves Under Combined Pollution
Speaker: Sandra Elisabeth Shumway
Time: October 17, 2025 (Friday), 10:00-12:00
Location: Marine Science and Technology Building, Room 221
Content: The speaker will focus on key pathways (e.g., apoptosis, osmoregulation) revealed by transcriptomic/metabolomic studies and propose ecological intervention strategies based on microbiome remediation. Finally, she will summarize developments in breeding stress-resistant varieties and intelligent aquaculture monitoring technologies.