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Sea Lettuce – Importance of giant individuals

Research

Sea lettuce, Ulva fenestrata, is increasingly being highlighted as a promising crop for future algae cultivation. In this lecture, postdoctoral researcher Inga Hellige presents her research on how particularly fast-growing individuals – known as “giants” – can be identified and used to develop stable cultivation strains.

Seminar
Date
16 Apr 2026
Time
15:15 - 16:15
Location
Lasselab, Tjärnö Marine Laboratory
Additional info
Zoom link to the seminar
Participants
Inga Hellige, post doc, Department of Marine Sciences
Good to know
The seminar is held in English and will also be broadcasted digitally, see link above. No registration is required, and the seminar is free and open to everyone.
Organizer
Department of Marine Sciences

Inga Hellige, postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Marine Sciences, presents research on fast-growing individuals (“giants”) of the macroalgae Ulva fenestrata, a species that has been highlighted as a promising future crop for algae farming in northern Europe.

The study investigates whether these particularly fast-growing individuals occur randomly or whether their characteristics are related to polyploidy – a genetic condition in which cells contain more than two sets of chromosomes.

By collecting individuals along the Swedish west coast and establishing clonal generations from isolated cells, both the growth and heritability of these “giants” are being studied. In parallel, analyses are being carried out to determine whether polyploidy can contribute to stable morphological characteristics and high growth.

The results may provide important knowledge for the future selection and development of robust sea lettuce strains for the aquaculture industry. 

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