Bigelow Laboratory gets $298K NSF grant
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in East Boothbay was awarded a $298,674 National Science Foundation grant to study the interactions between viruses and the parasites that cause Dermo disease in oysters, clams and other bivalve organisms.
The announcement came via U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King Wednesday. The laboratory has won several NSF awards in the past.
“Understanding the function and balance of Maine’s ecosystem can help preserve our state’s diverse habitats and shellfish fisheries,” Sens. Collins and King said in a joint statement. “The innovative study of viruses and parasites at Bigelow Lab is significant in advancing our knowledge of Maine’s marine ecology, and this funding will support the lab’s dedicated and comprehensive research.”
Dermo disease has recently extended into Maine from the southeastern United States and the Gulf of Mexico, where it has existed for decades, as a result of climate change.
The disease slows growth in infected bivalves and increases the likelihood of death.
Most studies of the disease focus on the interaction between the Perkinsus parasite and the host bivalve, but the Bigelow scientists will study the relationship between viruses and parasites as an innovative strategy to better understand and prevent the disease.
The grant came through the NSF’s Division of Integrative Organismal Systems.
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