CALIFORNIA SCIENTISTS OVERVIEW

Not surprisingly, given its size, location, and reputation as a general biotech hub, California is home to a wide range of leaders in both academic and commercial marine biotechnology. The scientists profiled here are but a sampling of the diversity of research now underway in the state.

Eric Mathur and Jay Short from the Diversa Corporation, which focuses largely on ocean environments, describe some of the company's innovative efforts to scour the globe in search of potential drugs and enzymes with commercial applications from marine organisms.

David Myles reveals marine-focused research at Kosan Biosciences aimed at developing analogs of promising marine-derived drugs with improved disease-fighting effects and reduced side effects relative to the natural products.

William Fenical at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Robert Jacobs from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Phil Crews of the University of California, Santa Cruz, all share both memories of their pioneering work in the early days of the modern marine biotechnology field as well as information about their ongoing cutting-edge research programs.

Rounding out the California view, Allison Butler of the University of California at Santa Barbara, explains some of her laboratory's work to elucidate how seaweeds and other organisms produce certain important natural products, with a focus on the role metals play in these processes.

Please select from the list of California MBT scientists to explore their research in more detail.