Marine Immunology REU
Internship Mentor: Dr. Cathy Walsh
As manager of Mote’s Marine Immunology Program, Dr. Walsh conducts basic research related to innate and acquired immune function in marine organisms as well as cell line development with fish and invertebrate species. Past NSF REU students have worked on projects related to effects of algal toxin exposure on immune function in marine vertebrates (Florida manatee, sea turtles, sharks, fish). Other projects have also investigated cellular effects of proteins isolated from shark immune cells on target tumor cells. Research projects are primarily laboratory-based and focus on cellular effects of algal toxins, growth of cell lines, or cellular assays of bioactivity from cell cultures from various marine species. Other research projects may include various cell culture approaches to establishing cell lines from various marine species. Successful students exhibit a desire to learn more about laboratory-based research related to marine science. Laboratory techniques students may learn include cell culture, electrophoresis, western blotting, microplate based assays, qPCR, and cell flow cytometry, etc.
