Krystyna Ponikla

Curator – Microalgae Culture Collection

Role at Cawthron

Krystyna has been Curator of the Cawthron Institute Culture Collection of Microalgae (CICCM) since 1998. The collection is used as a database and source of cultures for the study of the species by researchers in New Zealand and internationally.

In her role, Krystyna maintains more than 450 live and cryopreserved cultures of microalgae contained in the collection. The collection supports research within Cawthron, particularly the study of harmful algal blooms, and is also used by other research institutes and universities within New Zealand and overseas.

Technical skills, experience and interests

  • Microalgae cultivation (over 20 years’ experience)
  • Cryobank maintenance
  • Distribution and sales of microalgae
  • Maintaining the algal database
  • Media preparation
  • Algal growth assessment
  • Administration

Qualifications

  • PostGrad Dip. (Occupational Medicine). Centre for Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland, 1979.
  • MBChB (Physician). Medical University of Warsaw, Poland, 1972.

Krystyna Ponikla