MBL Annualreport 2002
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MBL annual report 2002 MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY Woods Hole, Massachusetts The Marine does not in Biological Laboratory discriminate employment or in access to any of its activities or programs on the basis of race, color, sexual religion, sex, orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, or mental or veteran In pregnancy, physical disability, status. addition, the MBL is committed to the prevention and elimination of sexual harassment, as well as other forms of unlawful in harassment, the workplace. Through training programs and disseminated MBL strives to its information, educate employees, students, faculty, and visitors on these important issues. ! ON THE COVER: Alpha ganglion cell retina, Peter Koulen The MBL Annual Report 2002 is the Marine published by Biological Laboratory. Although the greatest possible care has been taken in the of this record, the Marine preparation Biological Laboratory recognizes the possibility of omissions or inaccuracies. If are any noted, please accept our apology and advise us of any corrections to be made. Office of Communications and Public Affa rs Marine Biological Laboratory 7 MBL Street Woods Hole, MA 02543 Phone: (508) 289-7423 Fax (508) 289-7934 www mbl.edu Rl TABLE OF CONTENTS R2 REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS CEO R7 RESEARCH R44 EDUCATION R63 MBL/WHOI LIBRARY R66 FINANCIAL INFORMATION Dogfish thrombocytes, R69 GIFTS Kyeng-Gea Lee R85 GOVERNANCE & ADMINISTRATION R2 report of the director and CEO I am to share with you pleased Developing the Laboratory's first strategic plan from the Marine highlights has been an exciting and illuminating process Biological for the Laboratory involving participation at all levels of the 2002. I've now served as year organization. I'm most grateful to everyone Director and CEO of the MBL who has contributed to the experience. for nearly three years. I continue to be impressed with the breadth of the science Establishing the Program in Global being done here, the impact that our basic Infectious Diseases research continues to have on human health as well as the environment, and the remark- One of the highlights of the year was establish able commitment our scientists, faculty, and ing our newest resident research program in staff have to their work and to the Marine Global Infectious Diseases. Funded by a Biological Laboratory itself. $5 million grant from the Ellison Medical Foundation, the Program links scientists who study disease-causing organisms with experts a Plan (Developing Strategic in molecular biology, phylogenetics, and environmental microbiology and creates a Much of my time in 2002 was devoted to one-of-a-kind international center for research with MBL President John directing, Dowling and training dedicated to studying pathogens and the aid of the firm & consulting McKinsey and the complex relationships they have with Company, a planning effort aimed at devel- their hosts. oping a strategic roadmap for the Laboratory over the next five to ten This years. process, We were fortunate to recruit leading parasi- and the recommendations to date, emerging tologist and molecular biologist Stephen L. are outlined in detail on our web site Hajduk to direct the Program. Steve comes to (www.mbl.edu/inside/what/planning/ the MBL from the University of Alabama at we continue to fine- index.html). Although Birmingham where he was a Professor in the tune the the initial of the plan, phases Department of Biochemistry and Molecular are process largely complete. Genetics and Senior Scientist in the AIDS Center and the Comprehensive Cancer Center. As a result of this we are effort, already Steve brings with him a number of students, a number of initiatives. undertaking key postdocs, and technicians. In addition, we These include developing a graduate welcomed two new Assistant Scientists program with Brown University, hiring a Chief Robert Sabatini and Andrew McArthur to the Academic and Scientific Officer, establishing Program in early 2003. a new resident research program in Cellular and the Board Dynamics Imaging, expanding Steve's research program is broadly based in of Trustees, preparing for major renovations the area of molecular and biochemical basis of of the Whitman for summer and Building pathogenesis. Many of his studies focus on and with a site visiting research, working African trypanosomes, which cause human to us further and planner help reconfigure sleeping sickness, a fatal disease that has renovate to meet the needs space emerging reemerged as a major health problem in of the strategic plan. sub-Saharan Africa. R3 The importance of research in infectious disease The MBL has a rich history in studying the basic cannot be overstated. No single reason can science of parasitism and infectious disease. explain our inability to eradicate or minimize Twenty years ago, the laboratory launched the the global impact of infectious agents on field of molecular parasitology with the estab- human health. In total, 25% of all deaths lishment of its Biology of Parasitism course, worldwide are caused by bacterial, viral, fungal, which continuously reinvents itself as it trains and parasitic pathogens. Every year, one to new investigators in this ever-expanding field. three million people die from malaria, a disease The Global Infectious Diseases Program caused by the organism Plasmodium. Tubercu- includes a strong training component that will losis infects one person every second, and over allow tropical health and infectious disease the coming decade, at least 30 million will die scientists from the world to conduct research from the disease. they would be unable to do at their home Heliozoan, Linda Amaral institutions. The lie Program's unique strengths Zettler and Erik Zettler The Global Infectious Disease Program is part within its capability to integrate visiting of the MBL's Josephine Bay Paul Center for scientists into the lab and give them access to Comparative Molecular Biology and Evolution. instruments and technology that would Directed by Mitchell Sogin, the Bay Paul Center otherwise be unavailable to them. The broad has an active research program with strong ties impact that the training component will have on to infectious disease. Bay Paul Center scientists the field of infectious diseases globally is very have contributed many important insights exciting. about the evolution of parasitic protists using modern genomic approaches. Recently they embarked the of the Other Resident Research upon sequence analysis | Highlights G/ard/a genome. Excluding bacterial patho- The MBL's resident research in gens, Giardia is a principal cause of diarrheal program grew disease in children and adults and therapeutic other areas during 2002 as well. We welcomed Frederick in he the treatments for the parasite are almost as Goetz January, when joined devastating as the disease itself. The availabil- staff of the Marine Resources Center (MRC) as Director of the in Scientific ity of the Giardia genome may lead to the Program Aquacul- identification of novel treatments that have ture. Through exploring factors such as an minimal side effects. organism's nutritional and water quality requirements, physiological characteristics, The technology necessary to sequence entire reproductive biology, diseases, and genetic the MBL's Scientific genomes is found at very few institutions. background, Aquaculture The MBL's Global Infectious Diseases Program Program is developing novel research tech- Clam egg, Robert Palazzo and faced both will build on the unique expertise of the Bay niques addressing problems by scientific commercial interests. Paul Center to provide more traditional and aquaculture Rick is the efforts to parasitologists the opportunity to expand their spearheading Program's as a tool to understand research and better apply genomics to their use DNA technology research areas. This blending of genomics the growth, reproduction, and disease resis- in fish and and parasitology will create a uniquely produc- tance commercially important shellfish. is on tive research environment and provide the He also focusing enhancing the MRC's culture and of biomedical catalyst for exciting new discoveries on the husbandry such as important pathogens. models squid, clams, toadfish, and zebrafish. Continued... R4 Woods Ho/e aerial, Doug Weisman Pigment cells on the surface of the cunner spinal cord, Steven Zottoli The MBL's summer and research Gabriele Gerlach also joined the staff of the MRC visiting program was further strengthened in 2002 with in 2002 as an Associate Scientist. A specialist in a remarkable and farsighted gift of $2.3 million behavioral ecology and population genetics, from long-time summer investigators Laura and Gabby is using the zebrafish facilities at the MRC Arthur Colwin. Their established the Laura to explore the genetic basis of behavior. gift and Arthur Colwin Endowed Summer Research Fund, which, when mature, will Scientists at The Ecosystems Center received Fellowship full for 10 strong support from the National Science provide support approximately investigators conducting research Foundation through the competitive peer-review independent in the fields of cell and developmental biology grant process again this year. Of special note is at the MBL for a minimum of two months during the $2.7 million, multi-year award in support of the summer. The MBL is committed to ensuring the Long-Term Ecological Research project at that the best scientists have the Plum Island Sound, a research site located north very opportu- to conduct research here each summer. We of Boston. Here scientists are studying the nity can do this financial effects of land-use change on watersheds. The help by providing support in the form of like these. Center also received $850,000 from the Andrew fellowships W. Mellon Foundation to support research on On the recommendation of the Science nitrogen transformation in terrestrial landscapes. Council, the Laboratory reinstated the MBL Awards for outstanding presentations at the annual General Scientific in 2002. [Summer and Visiting Research Meetings During the meeting, which was held in the Lillie Auditorium 12 to 14, 56 During a typical Woods Hole summer, MBL August presentations were made.