MARYLAND SCIENTISTS OVERVIEW

The mission of the University of Maryland's Center of Marine Biotechnology, located on the Chesapeake Bay in Baltimore, is to apply the tools of modern biology and biotechnology to studies aimed at protecting and enhancing marine and estuarine resources. Yonathan Zohar, the center's director, gives an overview of the research projects now underway there, ranging from aquaculture to biomedicine. He also describes his own work to improve captive fish spawning techniques and to develop methods for raising blue crabs for release to enhance threatened wild populations.

Robert Belas studies the way bacterial cells communicate, with applications ranging from helping to explain fish kills to biosensor development to disease treatment.

Frank Robb's research focuses on the proteins that allow extremophile bacteria living in temperatures as high as 100°C in hydrothermal vents and elsewhere to thrive and also some potential beneficial uses of these proteins, such as hydrogen production or stabilization of vaccines.

Shil DasSarma studies extremophiles of the salt-loving, or halophilic, variety, which can be found in a variety of environments around the planet such as the Dead Sea and salt marshes. His focus is basic research, however, the lab also explores potential applications stemming from improved understanding of the halophiles, such as the development of new vaccines.

Russell Hill describes extensive work to zero in on the microorganisms that produce important biomedical compounds initially discovered in host organisms such as sponges, work that could help open the door to sustainable, economical production of certain marine-derived drugs.

Kevin Sowers's interest is in anaerobic microbes from the marine environment with work aimed at better basic understanding of these organisms as well as applications such as harnessing them for use in PCB decontamination.

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