RESEARCH AT MOTE MARINE LABORATORY
That Was Mote Then... In 1955, one young woman, Dr. Genie Clark, opened a tiny research lab to study the marine world along Southwest Florida’s coast. News of her exploits with sharks and other fish quickly spread and her reputation as the “Shark Lady” was born.
This Is Mote Now. Mote Marine Laboratory is now one of the premier independent marine research laboratories in the world and a recognized leader among diverse scientific and education communities.
BREAKTHROUGHS IN BIOMEDICAL & HUMAN HEALTH RESEARCH A DECISIVE MOMENT FOR MOTE MARINE LABORATORY Every dollar that Mote spends on research is a dollar that has to be raised through grants or philanthropic funding. Over the past decade there have been seismic shifts in the funding landscape for science and research. It is more difficult to secure funding for marine and conservation-oriented scientific research now than it has ever been. Furthermore, available funding favors federal and state agencies and large universities, which stymies support for innovative independent nonprofit institutions and their scientists from exploring potentially transformative and/ or politically charged new areas of research. Mote has launched its 2020 Vision & Strategic Plan with the mandate to secure significant philanthropic sector support in order to increase its ability to conduct world-class research in spite of these cuts. True to its independent mission, a key element of the strategic plan is to ensure that sustainable sources of funding are available so that scientists can focus their energies on conducting research and developing breakthroughs.
SHARK RESEARCH AND CANCER TREATMENT Mote Marine Laboratory has a long history of contributions to the field of biomedical and human health. One of the most potentially impactful research programs being conducted at Mote today is our work with developing human cancer therapies. Through Mote’s extensive shark research endeavors scientists made groundbreaking discoveries that sharks have a unique immune system resistant to cancer. Mote Scientists painstakingly developed cultured media from shark cells, that when introduced to cancerous human cells, were found to cause a significant decrease in cancer cell viability and growth. Today Mote scientists are working tirelessly to isolate the exact proteins in the shark cells that are cancer inhibitory. With continued support, this scientific breakthrough has the potential to lead to an FDA approved treatment for several different forms of human cancer.
RED TIDE AND PUBLIC HEALTH
MARINE SPECIES AND WOUND HEALING Utilizing the information that Mote researchers gathered from marine species led to the discovery that many sharks, skates and rays have extraordinary wound healing capability through mucus they excrete from their skin. Mote scientists received generous philanthropic support and a grant from the Department of Defense to determine how this chemical can be used to treat our wounded warriors in the battlefield as well as fight the growing number of drugresistant microbes found in hospitals around the world.
Dr. Carl Luer, Senior Scientist, Marine Biomedical Program
Mote Marine Laboratory was the first to partner with U.S. National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct research on the effects of Red Tide on humans — previous research only studies the effects of Red Tide on marine species. Through their research, Mote scientists discovered that toxins found in the naturally occurring phenomenon of Red Tide can be released in aerosol form that can cause skin rashes and respiratory problems to humans. Mote researchers were able to identify the level of airborne toxins that are harmful to humans and continue to monitor Southwest Florida beaches regularly. This research has led to the publication of a ‘beach report’ that is
MOTE MARINE LABORATORY
made publicly available on-line and updated several times daily. The report alerts residents to when it is unsafe to visit local beaches, which has led to a decrease in emergency room visits during periods of Red Tide and serves as an example of how Mote scientists contribute to healthy communities.
UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY
By securing the funding needed to support its scientists, Mote Marine Laboratory will be in a position to attract and retain top talent and continue to distinguish itself as the premier independent marine research facility in the world. Establishing endowed continuously rotating competitive grant awards will foster an innovative research environment that will continue to differentiate Mote from its peers and attract scientists from around the globe to conduct groundbreaking research. This will ensure the sustainability of Mote’s research enterprise as scientists continue to make discoveries that impact human health and lead to healthy communities around the world.
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