Research Foci

Bioinformatics/Modeling
Use of modern computational techniques to interpret the data from genomics, proteomics and to develop predictive models (Chapman, Naylor, Strand)

Ecotoxicology
Use of chemistry and molecular biology to explore the basis for environmental/marine contaminants (e.g. trichlorethylene, lead, uranium, etc.) to exert their toxic effects on organisms including marine mammals and humans including the molecular basis of environmentally induced pathologies. (K. Burnett, L. Burnett, Greenfield,Guillette, Hamlin, Kucklick, Kohno, Scott, Rice, Christopher, Bain,Bearden, Becker, Fulton, May, Newman, Norman, Ramsdell, Wargovich)

Epidemiolgy
The incidence, distribution, and control of disease in a marine population and the transmission of diseases between human and marine populations.(Hulsey, Schwacke)

Marine Biotoxins
Focus is on harmful algal blooms; their molecular dynamics including triggers for toxin production, interrelationships of commensalate microbes, and effects on marine mammals and humans.(Baatz, Van Dolah, Moeller, Kindy, Ramsdell, Schwacke)

Marine Functional Genomics
Using modern techniques in genomics science to explore the control of gene expression in relation to environmental stressors, “ecogenomics”.(K. Burnett, L. Burnett, Chapman, Van Dolah,  Bain,  Janech, Guillette, Hamlin,  Kohno, Norman)

Marine Immunology
The cellular and molecular basis which organisms use to defend themselves against invading micro-organisms - bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.( K. Burnett, L. Burnett, Leong, Rice, Kindy, Mount)

Marine Mammal Health
Using marine mammals as sentinels for human health by comparing molecular biology of these animals’ defense systems In pristine and compromised environments. (Baatz, Bossart, Kindy, Rice, Kucklick, Mancia, Christopher)

Marine Microbiology
The study of microbes and their relationship to environmental contaminants and as vectors of disease.( Fulton, May, Ditullio, Leong, Norman)

Marine Molecular Process
Using Molecular techniques to study cellular process unique to marine eukaryotes. (Fitzgibbon,Guillette, Hamlin, Kohno, Ramsdell, Burnett K., Mount, Ploth, Spyropoulos)

Marine Natural Products
"Drugs from the Sea" research focuses on isolation, characterization and functionality of molecules isolated from marine organisms. (Moeller, Wright, Bearden, Wargovich)

Proteomics
Identification of proteins (peptides etc.) which have biological activities. This group works closely with functional genomics, structural biology and bioinformatics. (Baatz, Moeller, Bearden, Bullesbach, Naylor)

Structural Biology
Use of nuclear magnetic resonance, MALDI-TOF (time of flight) and other technologies to identify marine contaminants, and molecules produced by marine organisms. (Bearden, Bullesbach, Baatz, Christopher, Kucklick, Moeller, Wright)

Note: Not all MBES faculty fall into one of the research foci described above. Potential students should view the list of full members of the MBES graduate faculty to gain an appreciation of the full range of research within MBES and potential mentors.

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