Dr Natasha Franklin: investigating nanomaterials in aquatic ecosystems

Dr Natasha Franklin's primary research area is the impact of contaminants in aquatic environments.

• 12 April 2010 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Current activities
• Background
• Academic qualifications
• Achievements
• Professional activities

Current activities

Dr Natasha Franklin is an ecotoxicologist within the Environmental Biogeochemistry Program of CSIRO Land and Water. 

Her research on the bioavailablity and toxicity of manufactured nanomaterials to aquatic organisms, formerly as Postdoctoral Fellow within the Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research, is currently delivered through the Future Manufacturing Flagship, Nanosafety Theme.

Research topics of special interest have included:

• bioavailability and toxicity of manufactured nanoparticles to aquatic organisms
• characterisation of nanoparticles in aqueous systems using physical and chemical techniques
• development of biochemical and physiological markers suitable for assessing nanoparticle risks appropriate for aquatic ecosystems
• exploring potential mechanisms of nanoparticle toxicity, including the role played by reactive oxygen species.

Background

Dr Franklin has over 10 years' experience in ecotoxicology with her primary focus on understanding how various biotic and abiotic factors influence the bioavailability and toxicity of metals to marine and freshwater organisms.

Dr Franklin obtained her Doctor of Philosophy within CSIRO (supervised by Dr Jenny Stauber) on the development of novel microalgal bioassays using flow cytometry.

This was followed by postdoctoral training for over two years at McMaster University, Canada, in the laboratory of Dr Chris Wood.

She has considerable expertise in the design and application of acute and chronic toxicity tests for a range of species, including a variety of fish, invertebrates, and microalgae and has used a variety of biochemical, cellular, and whole organism approaches to assess contaminant toxicity.

Her particular interests/capabilities have included: 

• development of predictive models such as the Biotic Ligand Model for assessing site-specific metal bioavailability and toxicity in aquatic ecosystems
• mechanisms of uptake, toxicity of metals in freshwater fish, via the water using radiotracer techniques
• development and application of novel bioassay with microalgae using flow cytometry
• speciation, bioavailability and toxicity of metals to microalgae.

Academic qualifications

Natasha has been awarded a:

• Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology (First Class Honours) from the University of Technology (UTS), Sydney, Australia, 1997
• Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Biology from UTS, 2002.

Achievements

Dr Franklin is an author of 17 peer-reviewed journal articles (eight first author, 312 citations), two peer-reviewed book chapters, and four non-refereed publications.

Dr Franklin has given 11 presentations at scientific conferences both in Australia and overseas.

Natasha has won several awards including:

• CSIRO Land and Water Publication Award, 2008
• Australasian Society for Ecotoxicology Student Prize for the Best Oral Presentation at Interact, Sydney. 2000
• Australasian Flow Cytometry Group Travel Scholarship, 1999, 2000
• Vice-Chancellor's Postgraduate Student Conference Award, 2000, 2002
• Honours thesis (First Class) awarded highest thesis mark at UTS, 1997.

Professional activities

Dr Franklin is a member of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

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