Linda Lawton

Biography

ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-7840-5310

Professor Linda Lawton is an internationally renowned researcher with over 35 years’ experience in the study of toxic cyanobacteria. Linda has been a Professor at Robert Gordon University since 2007, was granted Fellow of Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) in 2021. Linda has outstanding success in international research collaboration and the award of major research grants have facilitated the establishment of a research group that is world leading in cyanotoxin detection and treatment. Linda's principal outstanding contribution has been developing the seminal detection method for blue-green algal (cyanobacterial) toxins in drinking water which is now used worldwide. Reliable detection of the key class of toxin, the microcystins, has enabled the WHO to introduce guideline values for acceptable levels in drinking water. Furthermore, the development of mass culturing and isolation procedures to ensure the global availability of analytical standards for a wide panel of cyanotoxins has grown into a significant commercial venture with a US-based biochemical company. A further significant achievement resulting from this work is the availability of robust techniques allowing for the replacement of animal testing in toxin detection. Linda has been invited to give over 50 lectures worldwide for international professional bodies, her research has resulted in over 100 refereed publications in international journals, and she has published over 20 book chapters.

RSC affiliations

• Editorial board, Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology