Malin Olofsson

I both lead and are involved in several projects related to phytoplankton including cyanobacteria of various types, here are a few examples:

• Local adaptation of filamentous cyanobacteria to salinity gradients in aquatic regions around the Baltic Sea (VR Establishing grant 2025-2028, main applicant).
• Nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria in the Baltic Sea including the use of stable isotope incubation experiments, biogeochemical models, and monitoring data (ÅForsk repatriation grant, main applicant).
• Two projects on monitoring and anlyses of algal toxins, both in freshwater and seawater, mainly focusing on cyanobacteria and assimilated in mussels (Board of Agriculture, 2023-2026, main applicant, 2024-2027, co-applicant).
• One project on how temperature will affect seasonality and toxin production and transfer in aquatic food webs, using the heated lake at Forsmark power plant (Oscar Lilli Lamm, 2024-2025). 

I am the course coordinator of seven Thesis courses in Biology and Environmental Sciences. 

I use many different methodological approaches in my research including metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, toxin analyses (ELISA; LC-MS), spatial modeling, and secondary ion mass sperometry S(IMS) for single cell stable isotope analyses.

I collaborate both within SLU but also with many affiliations outside of the Univeristy, including SMHI, Swedish Food Agency, SwAM, and municipalities. 

Bachelor students
Co-supervised Amanda Wise and William Fang, High School Internship, 2 weeks, May 2021
Supervision of Bachelor Thesis project by Freja Westermark March-June 2023
 
Master students
Co-supervised Rickard Stenow, Master student, GU (SE), 2017-2018
Co-supervision 3 MSc students within the Master Thesis Training Program (UU), Spring 2023
Co-supervision of MSc Thesis project by Sajani Hansana, spring 2025
 
PhD students
Co-supervised McKenzie Powers, PhD student, UGA (US), 2020-2021
PhD main supervisor, Manuela Seehauser, starting March 2024
Co-supervision of PhD student Manne Larsson, from December 2023
PhD main supervisor, to be decided, starting May 2025
 
Post docs
Supervision of Mihriban Ozen, 1 year, 2023-2024.
Supervision of Mohanad Abdelgadir, 4 months, 2024-2025

Peer-reviewed publications (601 citations, h-index 13, Google Scholar, February 10th, 2025). As first: 14, as corresponding: 12, and 20 independent of PhD supervisor. 
 
Submitted:
 
30. Olofsson M, Uchimiya M, Ferrer-González FX, Schreier JE, Powers MA, Smith CB, Edison AS, Moran MA. Metabolite profiling of temperature-acclimated diatoms and co-cultured heterotrophic bacteria. Re-submitted to ISME J Feb 2025. 
 
29. Olofsson M, et al. Seasonal dynamics of algal toxins and phytoplankton abundance in three Baltic Sea blue mussel farms. In revision for Harmful Algae.   
 
28. Fulweiler RW, Berberich M, Rinehart S, Taylor J, Kelly MC, Ray NE, Oczkowski A, Balint S, Geisser A, Mahoney C, Benavides M, Church M, Loeks B, Newell S, Olofsson M, et al. Global importance of Nitrogen Fixation Across Inland and Coastal Waters. In revision for Science. 
 
 
Published:
 
27.  Halbach L, Kitzinger K, Hansen M, Benning L, Littmann S, Bradley J, Whitehouse M, Olofsson M, Mourot R, Tranter M, Kuypers M, Ellegaard-Jensen L, Anesio A. (2025). Single-cell imaging reveals efficient nutrient uptake and growth of microalgae darkening the Greenland Ice Sheet. 2025. Nature Commun. In press.
 
26. Fulweiler RW, Berberich M, Rinehart S, Taylor J, Kelly MC, Ray NE, Oczkowski A, Balint S, Geisser A, Mahoney C, Benavides M, Church M, Loeks B, Newell S, Olofsson M, Oppong J, Roley SS, Vizza C, Wilson S, Groffman P, Thad Scott JT, Marcarelli A. (2025). A global dataset of nitrogen fixation rates across inland and coastal waters. Limnol Oceanogr Lett. In press.

25. Stenow R, Olofsson M, Whitehouse M, Ploug H. Chain forming diatoms use different strategies to avoid diffusion limited N assimilation. Limnol. Oceanogr. 69(10):2391-2405.
 
24. Wåhlström I, Almroth-Rosell, Edman M, Olofsson M, Eilola E, Fleming V, Gröger M, Arneborg L, Meier HEM. (2024) Increased nutrient retention and cyanobacterial bloom in a future coastal zone. Est. Coast. Shelf. Sci. 108728.

23. Uchimiya M, Olofsson M, Powers MA, Hopkinson BM, Moran MA, Edison AS. (2023) 13C NMR metabolomics: J-resolved STOCSY meets INADEQUATE. J. Magnetic Resonance. 347: 107365. 
 
22. Ferrer-González FX, Hamilton M, Smith CB, Schreier JE, Olofsson M, Moran MA. (2023). Bacterial transcriptional response to labile exometabolites from photosynthetic picoeucaryote Micromonas commoda. ISME Commun. 3: 5. 

21. Karlson B, Arneborg L, Johansson J, Linders J, Liu Y, Olofsson M. (2022) A suggested climate service for cyanobacteria blooms in the Baltic Sea – Comparing three monitoring methods. In press. 

20. Olofsson M, Ferrer-González FX, Uchimiya M, Holderman N, Schreier JE, Smith CB, Edison AS, Moran MA. 2022. Growth-related shifts in phytoplankton metabolome triggered by the presence of heterotrophic bacterial. ISME Commun. 2, 28. 

19. Moran MA, Ferrer-González F, Fu H, Nowinski B, Olofsson M, Powers M, Schreier J, Schroer W, Smith C, Uchimiya M. 2022. The Ocean´s labile DOC supply chain. Limnol. Oceanogr. Doi: 10.1002/lno.12053.

18. Olofsson M, Almén A-K, Jaatinen K, Scheinin M. Temporal escape – adaptation to eutrophication by Skeletonema marinoi. Accepted for FEMS Microb Lett. 2022.

17. Uchimiya M, Schroer W, Olofsson M, Edison AS, Moran MA. Diel investments in metabolite production and consumption in a model microbial system. In print for ISME J 2022.

16. Hieronymus J, Eilola K, Olofsson M, Hense I, Meier MEM, Almroth-Rosell E. Modeling cyanobacteria life cycle dynamics and historical nitrogen fixation in the Baltic Sea. Accepted for Biogeosciences October 2021.

15. Olofsson M, Power M, Stahl DA, Vadeboncoeur YM, Brett MT. (2021) Cryptic constituents: The paradox of high flux – low concentration constituents in aquatic ecosystems. Water 13(16): 2301. 

14. Olofsson M and Wulff A. (2021) Looking back to the future - Phytoplankton diversity and productivity in the Arctic. Marine Biodiversity 51: 61.

13. Olofsson M*, Hagan J*, Karlson B, Gamfeldt L (2020) Large seasonal and spatial variation in nano- and microphytoplankton diversity along a Baltic Sea – North Sea salinity gradient. Scientific Reports 10: 17666. * = contributed equally

12. Olofsson M, Klawonn I, Karlson B (2021) Nitrogen fixation estimates for the Baltic Sea indicate high rates for the previously overlooked Bothnian Sea. Ambio 50(1): 203-214.

11. Stenow R, Olofsson M, Robertson EK, Kourtchenko O, Whitehouse MJ, Ploug H, Godhe A. (2020) Resting stages of Skeletonema marinoi assimilate nitrogen from the ambient environment under dark, anoxic conditions. J. Phycology. Doi: 10.1111/jpy.12975.

10. Olofsson M, Suikkanen S, Kobos J, Wasmund N, Karlson B (2020) Basin-specific changes in filamentous cyanobacteria community composition across four decades in the Baltic Sea. In press for Harmful Algae 91: 101685.

9.  Olofsson M,Robertson EK, Edler L, Arneborg L, Whitehouse MJ, Ploug H (2019) Nitrate and ammonium fluxes to diatoms and dinoflagellates at a single cell level in mixed field communities in the sea. Sci Rep. 9: 1424
 
8.  Olofsson M, Kourtchenko O, Zetsche E-M, Marchant H, Whitehouse MJ, Godhe A, Ploug H (2019) High single-cell diversity in carbon and nitrogen assimilations by a chain-forming diatom across a century. Environ Microbiol. 21(1): 142-151
 
7.  Olofsson M, Torstensson A, Karlberg M, Steinhoff SF, Dinasquet J, Riemann L, Chierici M, Wulff A (2019) Limited response of a spring bloom community inoculated with filamentous cyanobacteria to elevated temperature and pCO2. Bot Mar. 62(1): 3-16.
 
6.  Wulff A, Karlberg M, Olofsson M, Torstensson A, Riemann L, Steinhoff SF, Mohlin M, Ekstrand N, Chierici M (2018) Ocean acidification and desalination: climate-driven change in a Baltic Sea summer microplanktonic community. Mar Biol 165: 63.
 
5.  Olofsson M, Karlberg M, Lage S, Ploug H (2017) Phytoplankton community composition and primary production in the tropical tidal ecosystem, Maputo Bay (the Indian Ocean). J Sea Res. 125: 18-25.
 
4.  Olofsson M, Egardt J, Singh A, Ploug H (2016) Inorganic phosphorus enrichments in Baltic Sea water have large effects on growth, carbon fixation and N2 fixation by Nodularia spumigena. Aquat Microb Ecol 77:111-123.
 
3.  Klawonn I, Nahar N, Walve J, Andersson B, Olofsson M,Svedén BJ, Littmann S, Whitehouse MJ, Kuypers MMM, Ploug H (2016) Cell-specific nitrogen- and carbon-fixation of cyanobacteria in a temperate marine system (Baltic Sea) Environ Microb 18(12): 4596-4609.
 
2.  Eriander L, Infantes E, Olofsson M, Olsen J, Moksnes P-O (2016) Assessing methods for restoration of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) in a cold temperate region. J Exp Mar Bio Ecol 479: 76-88.
 
1.  Olofsson M, Asplund M E, Karunasagar I, Rehnstam-Holm A-S, Godhe A (2013) Prorocentrum micanspromote and Skeletonema tropicum disfavours persistence of the pathogenic bacteria Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences 42: 729-733.

Popular Science papers

2. Malin Olofsson & Helle Ploug (2019) Kiselalgen – livsviktig överlevnadsexpert. Havsutsikt nr 2.

1. Malin Olofsson & Helle Ploug (2017) Nya metoder avslöjar cyanobakteriernas roll i Östersjön. Havsutsikt nr 1.

https://www.slu.se/algtox

https://olofssonresearch.com