MARINE BIOTECH EXPEDITIONS

This page contains a collection of marine biotech-related research expeditions whose events were chronicled for online publication targeting a general readership. The missions are briefly described below. Clicking on an expedition title or thumbnail image will take you to the online mission archive. There, you can read daily dispatches from scientists and correspondents and explore extensive related multimedia resources.

New marine biotech research projects and expeditions will be posted here as they become available.

Florida's Deepwater Oases

Expedition Dates: May 31, 2006 - June 9, 2006 (at-sea.org Feature Mission)

Mission Description: A multi-disciplinary approach is used to provide a preliminary assessment of the biodiversity and relative abundance of the benthic, fish and zooplankton communities; geological features; physical processes within this ecosystem; and biochemical compounds of interest for drug discovery.

Florida Coast Deep Corals 2005

Expedition Dates: November 04, 2005 - November 21, 2005 (NOAA Ocean Explorer Feature Mission)

Mission Description: Unlike shallow water tropical reefs, deep-water reefs are not well known. The data gathered during the Florida Coast Deep Corals 2005 expedition provided a strong foundation of information on the deep-water coral ecosystems off the Florida coast. Studies of marine microbial communities and marine chemical ecology were among several included in the mission plan.

Crossing the Florida Straits

Expedition Dates: April 04, 2005 - April 16, 2005 (at-sea.org Feature Mission)

Mission Description: The Harbor Branch drug discovery group embarks on a 2-week expedition aboard the R/V Seward Johnson to explore the Straits of Florida in search of organisms that produce chemicals with the potential to cure diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's.

Florida Frontiers

Expedition Dates: May 20, 2004 - June 02, 2004 (at-sea.org Feature Mission)

Scientists from the new state-funded Center of Excellence in Biomedical and Marine Biotechnology spend two weeks exploring never before seen sections of deepwater coral reefs rich with life off Florida's east coast and the Keys.

Bahamas Journey

Expedition Dates: October 09, 2003 - October 21, 2003 (at-sea.org Feature Mission)

Scientists from the HARBOR BRANCH Division of Biomedical Marine Research explore the depths of the oceans off the Bahamian coast to search for new deep-sea marine organisms that may contain powerful chemicals with the potential to cure human disease.

Medicines from the Deep Sea: Exploration of the Gulf of Mexico

Expedition Dates: September 8, 2003 - September 19, 2003 (NOAA Ocean Explorer Feature Mission)

The primary mission objective is the search for novel bioactive compounds from marine organisms with potential as pharmaceutical products or biomedical research tools. A second objective is documentation of the biodiversity of the deep-water habitats.

Fathoming the Gulf Stream

Expedition Dates: August 18, 2002 - August 31, 2002 (at-sea.org Feature Mission)

A multi-disiplinary team studying Marine Biomedical Organisms, Visual Ecology, and Bioluminescence as part the NOAA funded Ocean Exploration initative explore for the first time ever a chain of deep-water coral reefs 150 miles off the southeast US coast.

Discovery in the Bahamas

Expedition Dates: October 19, 2000 - October 24, 2000 (at-sea.org Feature Mission)

Follow a team of leading biomedical scientists into deep Bahamian waters. Scuba teams, submersibles and advanced research vessel are used to seek out new cures for human disease.

Quest for Cures

Expedition Dates: May 06, 2000 - May 21, 2000 (at-sea.org Feature Mission)

Swim along brilliant reefs and dive into the shadowy depths of the Caribbean. Join a team of leading biomedical scientists as they investigate the corals and sponges of this diver's paradise, hoping to discover powerful new medicines.

Keys to Cures: Biomedical and Biodiversity Research in the Florida Keys and Gulf of Mexico

Expedition Dates: August 05, 1999 - August 25, 1999 (at-sea.org Feature Mission)

Daily dispatches from this 20-day mission will chronicle the work of a diverse team of scientists searching the depths for new species and cures for human diseases.