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News from the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience

About the Lab

Congratulations to Zain Khalid for Successfully Defending his Masters Thesis!

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Zain is a graduate student in the Strother Lab and his research examines how low-oxygen conditions affect neural activity in vertebrate animals using fishes as model organisms.

Whitney Lab Announces 2025 Center for Biological Imaging and Discovery Fellowships

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Congratulations to Raul Chavarria and Sue Xu for being named the Whitney Laboratory Center for Biological Imaging and Discovery (CBID) 2025 Fellows.

Dr. Emily Setton Receives Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology from the National Science Foundation

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Dr. Emily Setton recently received a three year Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology from the National Science Foundation.

Diving into Discovery: Dr. Christine Schnitzler's Journey in Marine Biology, Regeneration and Evolution

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

From the Integrative and Comparative Biology blog post by Lisa Mesrop

May 8 - Evenings at Whitney Lecture with Whitney History Display, Gift Shop

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

May 8th Event in Partnership with the St. Augustine History Festival - Whitney Laboratory History Display / Gift Shop, 5 p.m., Evenings at Whitney Public Lecture Series, 6 p.m. Nature’s Repair Kit: The Science of Sea Star Regeneration

Sea Turtle Hospital Patients Kaffeklubben and Charles Island Released

Monday, April 21, 2025

Sea Turtle Hospital patients Kaffeklubben and Charles Island returned to their ocean home on April 15 at Marineland Beach, directly across the street from the Whitney Laboratory.

Whitney Lab Welcomes Karen Romas

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

She joins the lab as our Senior Director of Advancement.

Dr. James Liao to Speak at TEDxUF 2025 Conference April 12

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

TEDxUF’s 16th annual conference will convene visionaries and changemakers from diverse fields to explore how we can actively shape a future in constant flux.

Whitney Scientists Participate in Girls Can Empowerment Event

Thursday, April 3, 2025

The Girls Can event aims to connect female high school students with accomplished women in a variety of professional fields, offering mentorship and support.

Whitney Scientists Develop New Approach for Drug Discovery

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

The scientists developed, tested, and verified a novel in vivo assay for analgesics (medications that relieve pain) using zebrafish larvae.

CANCELLED - Evenings at Whitney April 10

Thursday, March 27, 2025

Beyond the Skeleton: Modeling the Soft Tissues of Dinosaurs and Why We Should Care with Dr. Emma Schachner, Assistant Professor, Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida.

Liao Lab Welcomes Ruiheng Wu

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Ruiheng joins the Liao Lab as a Research Scholar.

Instrumental to Science - Martindale Lab

Thursday, March 20, 2025

This series, 'Instrumental to Science', gives a sampling of these 'high' and 'low' technologies that help Whitney biologists tease apart some of the most basic questions in biology research.

Liao Lab Welcomes Dr. Zihao Huang

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

He joins the Liao Lab as a Postdoctoral Research Associate working on fish schooling.

Liao Lab Welcomes Dr. Fan Yang

Thursday, March 13, 2025

She joins the Liao Lab as a Postdoctoral Research Associate working on unsteady fish behaviors.

Ibarra-Castro Lab Welcomes Geresa-Leigh Luke

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Geresa-Leigh joined the Ibarra-Castro Lab as an aquaculture technician.

Dr. David Duffy in NY Times Article about Precision Wildlife Medicine

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Whitney Laboratory Assistant Professor of Wildlife Disease Genomics Dr. David Duffy was interviewed and provided expertise for the article.

Martindale Lab Welcomes Dr. Claire Gabe

Monday, March 3, 2025

Please welcome Dr. Claire Gabe to the Whitney Lab! She joins the lab as a Postdoctoral Research Associate.

Evenings at Whitney March 13

Friday, February 28, 2025

“Origins of Animals, Brains and Minds” with Dr. Leonid Moroz, Distinguished Professor of Neuroscience, Genetics, Biology, and Chemistry, UF Whitney Laboratory

Evenings at Whitney YouTube Link - The Illusion of Reliable Brain Function - How Does the Brain Detect Mistakes and Corrects Them?

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

If you missed our February Evenings at Whitney, "The Illusion of Reliable Brain Function - How Does the Brain Detect Mistakes and Corrects Them?” with Dr. Carlos Lois, Research Professor of Biology, California Institute of Technology, the YouTube link is below.

Students Win Awards at the Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting

Monday, February 24, 2025

Congratulations to graduate student Emily Skinner for winning the Best Poster Presentation award at the 2025 Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting! The meeting had 420 attendees, with Emily taking the top award out of 80 presented posters.

Martindale Lab Paper Reveals Insights into Ctenophore Development

Friday, February 21, 2025

To study this protein in the ctenophore species Mnemiopsis leidyi, Lucas Guttieres, Mayline Goëb and Mark Martindale with their collaborators at the University of Miami generated an antibody specifically targeting β-catenin in M. leidyi.

Cup o’ Joe: The Road Trip Episode - to Whitney Laboratory!

Friday, February 21, 2025

Join University of Florida Interim Provost Joe Glover, Ph.D., on a frigid road trip to the beach to see what’s happening at the Whitney Lab!

Stand Up & Holler, It's Gator Nation Giving Day!

Thursday, February 20, 2025

Join together with the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience on Giving Day – your gift can directly impact our areas of greatest need. 2 Bits, 4 Bits, Every Bit Counts!

Lucas Guttieres Recipient of the Cynthia A. Melnick Memorial Fund Award

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Lucas' research is focused on the ancestral role of the protein ß-catenin in the metazoan evolution as viewed through the lens of embryogenesis in the ctenophore species Mnemiopsis leidyi.

Join us for the Whitney Lab 5K on April 13!

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Lace up your shoes for marine science and join us for this year’s Whitney Lab 5K!

Schnitzler Lab Welcomes Martin Winn

Monday, February 17, 2025

Please welcome Martin Winn to the Whitney Lab! He joins the as an Undergraduate Researcher.

Bailey-Niblett Family Endowment Helps Fund Trip to Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) Conference

Friday, February 14, 2025

The Bailey-Niblett Family Endowment recently helped fund Dr. Ishani Mukherjee's trip to the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) Conference.

Sea Turtle Hospital Patient Adrift Released

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Sea Turtle Hospital patient Adrift returned to their ocean home on February 3. They were released at River to Sea Preserve (Marineland Beach), directly across the street from the Whitney Laboratory.

Research In the News: Devil ray feeding inspires innovative filtration technologies

Monday, February 10, 2025

Congratulations to Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. James Strother and Professor of Biology Dr. James Liao and colleagues whose publication “Filter feeding in devil rays is highly sensitive to morphology” in Proceedings of the Royal Society B was featured in Oceanographic Magazine.

Travel Awards Help Fund Trip to Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) Conference

Friday, February 7, 2025

Congratulations to Alicia Boyd for receiving travel awards to fund her recent trip to the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) Conference.

Kevin Silva Named to Whitney Laboratory Board of Trustees

Monday, February 3, 2025

Whitney Laboratory is pleased to announce that Kevin Silva has joined its Board of Trustees.

Evenings at Whitney February 13

Thursday, January 30, 2025

The Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series continues Thursday, February 13, 2025, at 6 p.m. with the program titled “The Illusion of Reliable Brain Function - How Does the Brain Detect Mistakes and Corrects Them?”. Dr. Carlos Lois, Research Professor of Biology, California Institute of Technology, will be the speaker.

Evenings at Whitney YouTube Link - From the Wilderness to the Research Laboratory: My Quest to Uncover the Mysterious Healing Properties of Plants

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

If you missed our January Evenings at Whitney, "From the Wilderness to the Research Laboratory: My Quest to Uncover the Mysterious Healing Properties of Plants” with Dr. Nadja B. Cech, Patricia A. Sullivan Professor of Chemistry, University of North Carolina Greensboro, the YouTube link is below.

Duffy Lab welcomes Emily Skinner

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Please welcome Emily Skinner to the Whitney Laboratory! Emily is a Ph.D. student in the Duffy Lab.

Sponsor the Care of our Winter Turtles

Thursday, January 16, 2025

This time of year can be particularly challenging for our flippered friends. Cold air temperatures and offshore winds often push weakened sea turtles ashore.

Instrumental to Science - Seaver Lab

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

This series, 'Instrumental to Science', gives a sampling of these 'high' and 'low' technologies that help Whitney biologists tease apart some of the most basic questions in biology research.

Evenings at Whitney January 9

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

The Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series continues Thursday, January 9, 2025, at 6 p.m. with the program titled “From the Wilderness to the Research Laboratory: My Quest to Uncover the Mysterious Healing Properties of Plants”. Dr. Nadja B. Cech, Patricia A. Sullivan Professor of Chemistry, University of North Carolina Greensboro, will be the speaker.

Epibiosis by Florida Crown Conch on Green Sea Turtles in a Northern Florida Estuary

Friday, December 27, 2024

We report the first observations of Melongena corona (Florida Crown Conch) as an epibiont attached to the carapace of juvenile Chelonia mydas (Green Sea Turtle).

Evenings at Whitney YouTube Link - From Jellyfish to Sharks: Ocean Swimmers Provide the Blueprints for Next-Gen Underwater Vehicles

Monday, December 23, 2024

If you missed our December Evenings at Whitney, "From Jellyfish to Sharks: Ocean Swimmers Provide the Blueprints for Next-Gen Underwater Vehicles” with Dr. Brad Gemmell, Associate Professor, Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, the YouTube link is below.

Ph.D. Defense Success for Justin Waletich!

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Dr. Justin Waletich, a Ph.D. student from the Schnitzler lab, successfully defended his dissertation on November 5th. His work focused on describing the organization of stem cells in the colonial cnidarian Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus.

Bailey Steinworth Defends her PhD with Flying Colors!

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Dr. Steinworth became interested in the biology of animals that have alternative methods of generating adult body plans. She chose to study the “upside down jellyfish” Cassiopea, an animal that can develop into a polyp from a fertilized egg OR from an asexual bud generated from an existing polyp.

Duffy Lab in Science News eDNA Article

Thursday, December 5, 2024

Plants and animals constantly shed DNA into the environment. Studying eDNA can help answer many different conservation questions. Congratulations to the Duffy Lab who was recently featured in the Science News article: Stray DNA is all around us. It could revolutionize conservation.

Sea Turtle Hospital Patient Releases

Tuesday, December 3, 2024

During complete veterinary exams with Dr. Brooke, we announced that some of the Sea Turtle Hospital's fan favorites — Baywatch, Goldfinger, and Birdcage — were all cleared for release after receiving a clean bill of health.

Evenings at Whitney December 12

Friday, November 29, 2024

The Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series continues Thursday, December 12, 2024, at 6 p.m. with the program titled “From Jellyfish to Sharks: Ocean Swimmers Provide the Blueprints for Next-Gen Underwater Vehicles”. Dr. Brad Gemmell, Associate Professor, Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, will be the speaker.

Evenings at Whitney YouTube Link - Florida Loves Manatees: A Cultural History of Manatees in Florida

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

If you missed our November Evenings at Whitney, "Florida Loves Manatees: A Cultural History of Manatees in Florida” with Dr. Steven Noll, Instructional Professor, Department of History at the University of Florida, the YouTube link is below.

Join us December 13 for Whitney Magnified - Art of Science

Friday, November 22, 2024

This event, benefitting Whitney's Graduate Student Association, is a silent auction fundraiser showcasing original art created by marine researchers at UF Whitney Laboratory.

Ibarra Castro Lab welcomes Josue Cardiel

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Please welcome Josue Cardiel to the Whitney Laboratory! Josue joined the Ibarra Castro Lab as a visiting research scholar.

Study Highlights Rising Threat of Tumor Disease in Sea Turtles

Monday, November 18, 2024

A published study by the Research and Hospital Team (Whilde et al. 2024) sheds light on the growing threat of fibropapillomatosis (FP), a tumor disease affecting sea turtles around the world, particularly green turtles.

Bailey-Niblett Family Endowment Helps Fund Trip to Cell and Developmental Biology Conference

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

The Bailey-Niblett Family Endowment recently helped fund Lucas Guttieres' trip to the conference “From Cells to Organism: When Cell Biology Meets Development” in Paris, France.

Hitchhiking bryozoans on sea turtles from southeastern United States to Honduras

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Congratulations to Sea Turtle Hospital Program Manager Cat Eastman and colleagues who published an article in Bulletin of Marine Science - "Hitchhiking bryozoans (Gymnolaemata) on sea turtles (Cheloniidae) from southeastern United States to Honduras".

Support the Sea Turtle Hospital - Adopt a Washback Sea Turtle until October 31

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Thank you to all who have joined us to support washback sea turtles cared for by the Sea Turtle Hospital staff each year by Adopting a Washback, each symbolically named! We are getting closer to our goal, and adoptions are only available until October 31, so don't delay!

Seaver Lab Paper selected for Cover Image

Saturday, October 26, 2024

The Seaver Lab's summer paper, that characterizes chaetal formation in the segmented worm Capitella teleta, made the cover image of the Journal of Morphology!

Adopt a Washback Sea Turtle!

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Join the Sea Turtle Hospital at UF Whitney Laboratory to help support hundreds of washback turtles cared for by hospital staff each season by symbolically adopting a washback this fall, named* by you! When a gift of $20 or more is made to support the Sea Turtle Hospital, you will receive an email with your personalized washback adoption certificate.

Sea Turtle Patient Aquamarine Released

Monday, October 21, 2024

Ahead of Hurricane Milton a staff favorite and one of our sponsorship patients Aquamarine was released at Butler Beach.

Dr. Leonid Moroz in NY Times article about far-reaching importance of ctenophore research for biomedicine

Thursday, October 17, 2024

Dr. Leonid Moroz was interviewed and provided expertise for the NY Times Science Article When Two Sea Aliens Become One - Primitive animals called comb jellies can fuse their bodies and nervous systems together

Evenings at Whitney November 14

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

The Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series continues Thursday, November 14, 2024, at 6 p.m. with the program titled “Florida Loves Manatees: A Cultural History of Manatees in Florida”. Dr. Steven Noll, Instructional Professor, Department of History at the University of Florida, will be the speaker.

Evenings at Whitney YouTube Link - A Journey Around the Globe –How Microbes Can Provide Drugs to Combat Diseases

Friday, October 11, 2024

If you missed our September Evenings at Whitney, "A Journey Around the Globe – How Microbes Can Provide Drugs to Combat Diseases” with Dr. Sandra Loesgen, Associate Professor of Chemistry at the University of Florida Whitney Laboratory, the YouTube link is below.

Liao Lab welcomes Circiumariu Dragos

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

He joins the Liao Lab as a research scholar, funded by the European project 'iNavigate'. During his stay, he is interested in developing hardware and software to remotely monitor the movement of fishes.

Seaver Lab welcomes Dr. Emily Setton

Monday, October 7, 2024

Dr. Setton recently joined the Seaver Lab as a Postdoctoral Associate. In Dr. Seaver's laboratory, she will be working on characterizing the putative multipotent stem cell cluster of this marine annelid using classical embryological, next generation sequencing, and gene manipulation techniques.

Dr. Brooke Burkhalter presents at Sea Turtle Medicine Workshop

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

This workshop allowed a platform for veterinary care professionals to gather and discuss the daily struggles and successes of sea turtle medicine. Licensed DVM’s, certified veterinary technicians, and rehab staff across the southeast network joined to workshop challenges, techniques, and new solutions in sea turtle medicine.

CANCELLED - Evenings at Whitney October 10

Monday, September 30, 2024

Due to weather projections for Hurricane Milton, the Evenings at Whitney lecture planned for this Thursday, October 10 will be rescheduled for a later date.

Whitney Lab Hosts 8th Annual Science by the Shore Symposium

Friday, September 27, 2024

Undergraduate students, Graduate students, Postdoctoral Research Associates and other trainees joined us at the Whitney Laboratory Center for Marine Studies building for a day filled with scientific exploration and networking opportunities.

A Call for Action Sea Turtle Hospital Endowment Launch

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

A new endowment has been launched to support the conservation of sea turtles by sustaining operations at the Sea Turtle Hospital at Whitney Laboratory.

Sea Turtle Hospital Welcomes Fall Intern Jori Geib

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Welcome to our newest team member fall intern, Jori Geib!

Dr. James Liao Wins 2024 Ig Nobel Prize in Physics!

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Congratulations to Whitney Laboratory Professor of Biology Dr. James Liao for winning the 2024 Ig Nobel Prize in Physics at a ceremony at MIT! Dr. Liao accepted the physics prize for his study demonstrating and explaining the swimming abilities of a dead trout.

Martindale Lab welcomes Carrie Foelber Holmes

Monday, September 16, 2024

She will be supporting Dr. Martindale’s lab as a research technician, studying biomineralization with Nematostella vectensis sp. as hosts.

Dr. Leonid Moroz Awarded $1M National Science Foundation Grant

Thursday, September 12, 2024

Congratulations to Whitney Distinguished Professor of Neuroscience, Genetics, Biology and Chemistry Dr. Leonid Moroz for being awarded a five-year research grant to study ctenophores and their nervous systems from the National Science Foundation (NSF)!

Dr. James Liao Receives Grant from the National Institutes of Health NIDCD

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Dr. Liao is collaborating with colleagues at Case Western, University of Washington, and National Institutes of Health (NIH) to understand the role that important proteins play in how humans, fish and other vertebrates maintain healthy hearing and balance.

Schnitzler Lab welcomes Kent Winata

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

Please welcome Kent Winata to the Whitney Laboratory! Kent joined the Schnitzler Lab as a Ph.D. student.

Whitney Lab Celebrates Building Topping out Milestone

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

On Thursday, August 22, 2024, Whitney Laboratory celebrated the Topping Out Milestone for the new Marine Research Institute Building and the Sea Turtle Research Center and Hospital!

Education Department welcomes Madeline McDonald

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Madeline McDonald has joined The Whitney Laboratory as the Education Program Coordinator.

Loesgen Lab Welcomes Johanna Bodenburg

Monday, August 19, 2024

Please welcome Johanna Bodenburg to the Whitney Laboratory! Johanna joined the as a student intern, investigating fungal natural products for the next six months.

Whitney Welcomes Jacob Pitcock to Facilities Team

Thursday, August 15, 2024

Please welcome Jacob Pitcock to Whitney Laboratory! He recently joined the facilities team as a maintenance professional.

Evenings at Whitney September 12

Monday, August 12, 2024

The Whitney Laboratory Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series returns for the fall on Thursday, September 12, 2024, at 6 p.m. with the program titled “A Journey Around the Globe –How Microbes Can Provide Drugs to Combat Diseases”. Dr. Sandra Loesgen, Associate Professor of Chemistry at the University of Florida Whitney Laboratory, will be the speaker.

Travel Awards Help Fund Trip to International Congress on Natural Products Research

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Congratulations to Erin Marshall for receiving travel awards to fund her recent trip to the International Congress on Natural Products Research in Krakow, Poland. Erin received the 2024 American Society of Pharmacognosy (ASP) Kenneth Rinehart Jr. travel award, UF GSC travel award and funding support from the Bailey-Niblett Family Endowment to attend and represent the Whitney Laboratory.

Martindale Lab Awarded $1M National Science Foundation Grant

Friday, August 2, 2024

A big Whitney shout-out to the for their recent $1M National Science Foundation three year grant to develop the “upside-down” jellyfish Cassiopea Xamachana as a new experimental model system for understanding a variety of interesting phenomena including photosymbiosis, innate immunity, and the environmental induction of novel cell types.

UF study reveals environmental impact of artificial sweeteners

Thursday, August 1, 2024

Tracey Schafer is a co-author of a recently published study demonstrating how sucralose affects the behavior of cyanobacteria — an aquatic photosynthetic bacteria — and diatoms, microscopic algae that account for more than 30% of the primary food production in the marine food chain.

New genome reveals ancient toolkit

Tuesday, July 30, 2024

Stem cells can’t hide what they are. At least, that’s the takeaway from the newly sequenced genomes of two colonial hydroids, Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus and Hydractinia echinata. Brent Foster recently sat down with Dr. Christine Schnitzler of UF’s Whitney Laboratory to talk about her experience assembling these genomes.

Carnegie Mellon professor tapped as Whitney Lab’s next director

Friday, July 26, 2024

“Dr. Veronica Hinman is both a highly accomplished scientist and an experienced and respected academic leader, a combination of strengths that perfectly positions her to guide the Whitney Lab to greater prominence as one of the nation’s top marine science laboratories,” said UF Provost Scott Angle.

Liao Lab welcomes Dr. Ishani Mukherjee

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

As a postdoc, Ishani will address impactful questions on fish schooling and broaden her expertise through interdisciplinary research at the Liao Lab.

Science by the Shore Symposium - Registration Open

Friday, July 19, 2024

We invite you to join us on Saturday, September 14th, for a day filled with scientific exploration and networking opportunities.

Bailey-Niblett Family Endowment Helps Fund Trip to Applied Hologenomics Conference

Tuesday, July 16, 2024

"Upon returning from the Applied Hologenomics Conference (AHC) 2024, supported by the Bailey-Niblett Travel Endowment, I have gained valuable knowledge and insights for my research on cnidarian-symbiosis," said Dr. Montesanto.

Whitney Graduate Student Association Elects New Officers

Tuesday, July 9, 2024

Congratulations to Whitney Laboratory’s newly elected graduate student officers for the 2024-2025 term!

Martindale Lab welcomes Charlotte Kahn

Wednesday, July 3, 2024

Charlotte will be doing a post-baccalaureate in the Martindale Lab to study the phagocytic process in Cassiopea sp. with Cody Miner.

Loesgen Lab Welcomes Joe Mangun

Monday, July 1, 2024

Joe joined the Loesgen Lab to investigate the bioactivity of compounds isolated from marine bacteria while pursuing a Ph.D. in chemical biology.

Dr. Leonid L. Moroz; his book about Ctenophores and the unique chapter Ctenophora: Illustrated Guide and Taxonomy

Friday, June 28, 2024

The book Chapter 2 (Moroz et al. 2024 Ctenophora: Illustrated Guide and Taxonomy) is the most impactful. It contains the first in 100 years of systematic description of all known ctenophores at the genera-level, with 107 color images of known and more than 20 new species!

St. Augustine Record Article - UF Whitney Lab begins construction of a new research building and sea turtle hospital

Thursday, June 27, 2024

“After years of planning, everyone at Whitney is thrilled to see the rapid progress of our new building,” Martindale said. "It is exciting to see so many skilled craftsmen working together to generate the structural concrete bones of our new lab. We can all see progress each and every day.”

Schnitzler Lab Welcomes Victoria Rodriguez

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Vicky joined the Schnitzler Lab as a Postbaccalaureate Researcher. Vicky worked with the Schnitzler lab recently trying to identify transcription factors in Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus.

Whitney Researchers reveal secrets of a Ctenophore-Eating Ctenophore

Friday, June 21, 2024

Within the phylum Ctenophora (comb jellies), a lineage called Beroe underwent a major evolutionary change when it lost its tentacles and instead resorted to exclusively eating other ctenophores. To date, we have very little knowledge of the genomic changes that accompanied that major morphological and lifestyle transition.

Lauren Kunselman - 2024 Matthaei Ecological Scholar

Thursday, June 20, 2024

This summer Seaver Lab Graduate student Lauren Kunselman is investigating the mechanisms underlying the difference between successful and unsuccessful regeneration. This basic research study contributes to an understanding of animal characteristics that support success of annelids in the natural world of an intact ecosystem such as the Matanzas River Basin.

Liao Lab Welcomes Dr. Liang Li

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Dr. Li has joined the Liao Lab as a Research Scholar for three months, funded by the European project 'iNavigate'. During his stay, he is interested in conducting experiments with flow visualizations of fish swimming, collecting schooling fish data, experimenting with schooling robots, and more.

Osborne Lab Welcomes Jason Evert

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Jason joined the Osborne Lab to study the relationship of populations of marine fishes and benthic macroinvertebrates to water quality parameters (salinity, nutrients, etc.) in southeast U.S. estuaries.

Recent Papers from the Loesgen Lab

Monday, June 17, 2024

Congratulations to the Loesgen Lab for their recent papers that include a research article on bacterial compounds called eunicellanes, support for a Florida Seagrass study, and an article on how to navigate the academic curriculum - best approaches for scientific conferences.

June 16 - Sea Turtle Hospital at Florida Museum's World Sea Turtle Day Celebration

Friday, June 14, 2024

Join the Sea Turtle at UF Whitney Laboratory as they celebrate World Sea Turtle Day at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville, Florida on June 16!

Bailey-Niblett Family Endowment Helps Fund Trip to XXI International Symposium on Fish Nutrition and Feeding

Thursday, June 13, 2024

The Bailey-Niblett Family Endowment helped fund Karen Carvajal's trip to the XXI International Symposium on Fish Nutrition and Feeding in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. At the event Karen received third place for her poster presentation on "Effects of fish meal replacement with insect meals (Hermetia illucens and Acheta domesticus) on growth performance, digestibility, digestive enzyme activity, and fatty acid profile of juvenile Totoaba macdonaldi".

Loesgen Lab welcomes Grayce Dyer

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Grayce joins the Loesgen Lab to explore the chemistry of marine organisms for their biomedical potential as she pursues her Ph.D. in Chemical Biology.

Rivers are Life Premiers Film on Indian River Lagoon Clam Restoration

Monday, June 10, 2024

Once full of life, the lagoon fell victim to unregulated commercial clamming in the 1990s, leaving its waters stagnant and its ecosystem on the brink of collapse. Enter Dr. Todd Osborne. With his dedicated team of graduate students and the support of fishing legend Captain Blair Wiggins, they have embarked on a mission to revive the lagoon's vitality.

Seaver Lab Identifies New Structure in Segmented Worm Capitella teleta

Thursday, June 6, 2024

A new paper from the Seaver Lab characterizes chaetal formation in the segmented worm Capitella teleta. The surprising finding from this morphological study was the identification of a transient glandular structure associated with the chaetae in larvae but not in adult animals.

Loesgen Lab welcomes Saje Green

Thursday, June 6, 2024

Please welcome Saje Green to the Whitney Laboratory! Saje has joined the Loesgen Lab to pursue her Ph.D. in chemical biology, looking for new metabolites produced from marine bacteria.

Sea Turtle Patients Biodome and Hook Released

Monday, June 3, 2024

Sea Turtle Hospital patients Biodome and Hook returned to their ocean home during a public turtle release on May 31. They were released at River to Sea Preserve (Marineland Beach), directly across the street from the Whitney Laboratory.

Sea Turtle Hospital Welcomes Summer Intern Soleil Von Hausch

Friday, May 24, 2024

Welcome to our newest team member summer intern, Soleil Von Hausch!

Bailey Steinworth Awarded Best Graduate Student Oral Presentation at International Cassiopea Meeting

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Congratulations to Martindale Lab Graduate Student Bailey Steinworth who was awarded Best Graduate Student Oral Presentation at the 7th annual International Cassiopea Meeting held May 10-12, 2024 in Key Largo, Florida.

Palm Coast Observer Article - Whitney Lab begins construction of new research building & sea turtle hospital with state and local support

Thursday, May 16, 2024

With a project budget of $41.2 million and over 38,000 square feet, the new building and sea turtle hospital overlooking the Matanzas estuary will more than double current research. Construction is slated for completion in summer 2025.

Organization hopes 1B clams will help purify the Indian River Lagoon’s waters

Monday, May 13, 2024

On April 26 the Indian River Lagoon Clam Restoration Project, the Coastal Conservation Association Florida, FWC, and the University of Florida Whitney Laboratory released 6 million baby clams into the lagoon. They were delivered to their Melbourne Beach home with a specialized drone.

Mike Alyea Named to Whitney Laboratory Board of Trustees

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Whitney Laboratory is pleased to announce that Mike Alyea has joined its Board of Trustees.

Loesgen Lab welcomes Dr. Ayesha Saeed

Thursday, May 2, 2024

At Whitney Lab, Ayesha will complete her benzothiazine synthesis project, characterize these novel compounds, and perform biological assays.

Sea Turtle Hospital Patients Zero and Luca Released

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Sea Turtle Hospital patients Zero and Luca returned to their ocean home on April 17. They were released at Marineland Beach, directly across the street from the Whitney Laboratory.

Evenings at Whitney May 9

Tuesday, April 30, 2024

The University of Florida Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series continues Thursday, May 9, 2024, at 6 p.m. with the program titled “Novel Approaches to Control Mosquito-Borne Diseases”. Dr. Matt Hitchings, Assistant Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Florida, will be the speaker.

Osborne Lab welcomes Evan Harms

Monday, April 29, 2024

Please welcome Evan Harms to the Whitney Laboratory! Evan recently joined the Osborne Lab as a laboratory technician.

Schnitzler Lab and collaborators publish the Hydractinia genome paper

Friday, April 26, 2024

This paper represents the result of a large-scale international collaborative effort to sequence the genomes of two species of the model hydroid, Hydractinia and perform comparative analysis to place these genomes in a comparative evolutionary framework with other cnidarians and other animals.

Bailey-Niblett Family Endowment Helps Fund Trip to American Society of Pharmacognosy Meeting

Thursday, April 25, 2024

The Bailey-Niblett Family Endowment helped fund Erin Marshall's trip to the American Society of Pharmacognosy Annual Meeting in Rockville, Maryland. The meeting shares advances in the field of natural product and botanical chemistry to aid in the discovery of novel and/or bioactive compounds

Dr. Andri (Fred) Frediansyah's Fulbrighter Journey at the Whitney Laboratory

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Dr. Andri (Fred) Frediansyah recently completed a Fulbright fellowship at the Whitney Laboratory in the Loesgen Lab. He joined the lab from October 2023 to March 2024 and has written the following about his experience.

Evenings at Whitney - YouTube Link, Sea Turtle & Marine Mammal Assessments: Insights into Marine Ecosystem Health

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

If you missed our April Evenings at Whitney, "Sea Turtle & Marine Mammal Assessments: Insights into Marine Ecosystem Health" with Dr. Annie Page, Associate Research Professor and Clinical Veterinarian at Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, the YouTube link is below.

Loesgen Lab welcomes Ines Michrafy

Monday, April 22, 2024

Please welcome Ines Michrafy to the Whitney Laboratory! Ines recently joined the Loesgen Lab as a Visiting Research Scholar.

Loesgen Lab Graduate Student Awarded NSF GRFP fellowship

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Congratulations to Whitney Laboratory, UF College of Chemistry graduate student Saje Green who was recently awarded a prestigious fellowship from The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)!

Devon Ramia Wins UF Sustained Excellence award

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

At the University of Florida 2024 Superior Accomplishment Awards on April 10th, 20 staff and faculty members from across the University of Florida were recognized including Whitney Laboratory Sea Turtle Hospital Manager Devon Ramia.

Ken Rowles Named to Whitney Laboratory Board of Trustees

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Whitney Laboratory is pleased to announce that Ken Rowles has joined its Board of Trustees.

Devon Ramia Presents at Florida Marine Turtle Permit Holder Meeting

Friday, April 5, 2024

Sea Turtle Hospital Manager Devon Ramia recently presented at the 27th Annual Florida Marine Turtle Permit Holder Meeting. The annual meeting assembles over 300 people from around Florida that work in sea turtle conservation and research.

Liao Lab Publishes in Journal of Experimental Biology

Thursday, April 4, 2024

Congratulations to Brendan Gibbs, Ph.D. Otar Akanyeti, Ph.D. (previous Liao Lab Post Doc), and Dr. James Liao who published a paper titled "Kinematics and muscle activity of pectoral fins in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) station holding in turbulent flow" in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

Dr. Dorothy G. Mitchell of the Martindale Lab Defends her Ph.D.!

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Dorothy’s dissertation is entitled, “Assessing the transcriptomic response to injury and the onset of regeneration in the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi’ and is the culmination of years of hard work in the Martindale Lab here at Whitney on one of Dorothy’s favorite animals, the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi.

Evenings at Whitney April 11

Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series continues Thursday, April 11, 2024, at 6 p.m. with the program titled “Sea Turtle and Marine Mammal Health Assessments: Insights into Marine Ecosystem Health”. Dr. Annie Page, Associate Research Professor and Clinical Veterinarian at Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, will be the speaker.

Women's History Month - Today

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Groundbreaking science stems from the roots of previous research. This Women’s History month, we’ve shared stories of women who have pushed the boundaries of STEM in the 50 years of the Whitney Lab. For our final post, we wanted to celebrate the women in science who are making history at the Whitney Lab today.

Antarctica Research Sampling for Drug Discovery

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

In January 2024, Dr. Federica Montesanto, a post-doc in the Loesgen Lab, participated in a two-week Antarctic expedition. The objective was twofold: to isolate bacteria and fungi potentially useful in drug discovery and to characterize the microbiomes of marine organisms and inorganic substrates found in these remote locations.

Women's History Month - Barbara-Anne Battelle, Ph.D.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Whitney Laboratory celebrates Women's History Month - Join us throughout March as we celebrate women who have helped shape the Whitney Laboratory to what it is today! Dr. Barbara-Anne Battelle wasn’t just an outstanding researcher — she helped put the Whitney Lab on the map by developing an education program to enhance classroom instruction.

UF News Article: New Technique May Help Scientists Stave Off Coral Reef Collapse

Monday, March 25, 2024

In a first for helping coral polyps respond to these threats, UF scientists at Whitney Laboratory have recreated the first stage of the coral skeleton creation process in a common, squishy sea anemone. The technique transforms this soft-bodied creature into the perfect lab model for researching coral skeletons and developing ways to bolster coral polyps in a changing climate.

Women's History Month - Women Who Helped Power and Support the Lab

Friday, March 22, 2024

It takes a village to run a research facility. UF’s Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience is no exception. For every science story you read, there’s a whole network of teams working behind the scenes and often without much public recognition. And yet these team members — many of whom are women — are absolutely mission critical.

Sea Turtle Hospital Patient Mr. Smee Released

Friday, March 22, 2024

Sea Turtle Hospital patient Mr. Smee returned to their ocean home on March 14. They were released at Marineland Beach, directly across the street from the Whitney Laboratory. The stars were aligned perfectly this past Tuesday, with a beautiful day and calm seas. The perfect conditions for a last-minute release of our beloved Mr. Smee.

Dr. Brendan Gibbs of the Liao Lab defends his PhD!

Thursday, March 21, 2024

On March 1st, Brendan Gibbs, a graduate student advised by James Liao, Professor of Biology, successfully defended his Ph.D. entitled “From the field to the neuron: an integrative approach to understanding natural animal behavior”.

Evenings at Whitney - YouTube Link, Fish Ecology in a Rapidly Changing World

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

If you missed our March Evenings at Whitney, "Fish Ecology in a Rapidly Changing World" with Robert Lamb, Ph.D., Marine Ecologist, Research Assistant Professor at the UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station, the YouTube link is below.

Join us for Whitney Laboratory's 50th Anniversary Soiree April 12!

Friday, March 15, 2024

Join us for an evening of heavy hors d’oeuvres, music and a marine focused silent auction.

Ten questions to guide behavioral experiments

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

The 10-step “guideline”, entertainingly written and published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, encourages researchers to (re-)engage with their animals’ ecology and lifestyle.

Women's History Month - Margaret James, Ph.D.

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Whitney Laboratory celebrates Women's History Month - Join us throughout March as we celebrate women who have helped shape the Whitney Laboratory to what it is today! As one of the lab’s first female faculty members, Dr. James helped expand its range of research.

Registration Open for 2024 Summer Camps

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Registration is now open for the 2024 Whitney Laboratory Science Summer Day Camps and Sea Turtle Summer Camp!

Ctenophores deploy a rapid injury response dating back to the last common animal ancestor

Monday, March 4, 2024

Congratulations to Whitney researchers Dorothy Mitchell, Dr. Allison Edgar, Julia Ramon Mateu, Dr. Joseph Ryan and Dr. Mark Martindale who published a paper titled "The ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi deploys a rapid injury response dating back to the last common animal ancestor" in Communications Biology.

Women's History Month - Melba Caldwell, M.A.

Friday, March 1, 2024

Whitney Laboratory celebrates Women's History Month - Join us throughout March as we celebrate women who have helped shape the Whitney Laboratory to what it is today! Melba C. Caldwell, a dolphin communication expert with 45 publications, helped persuade C. V. “Sonny” Whitney to build a new research facility that would eventually become the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience.

Evenings at Whitney March 14

Monday, February 26, 2024

The Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series continues Thursday, March 14, 2024, at 6 p.m. with the program titled “Fish Ecology in a Rapidly Changing World”. Robert Lamb, Ph.D., Marine Ecologist, Research Assistant Professor at the UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station, will be the speaker.

Ryan Lab welcomes Dr. Urvashi Goswami

Friday, February 23, 2024

Please welcome Dr. Urvashi Goswami to the Whitney Laboratory! Urvashi recently joined the Ryan Lab as a Postdoctoral Associate.

Evenings at Whitney - YouTube Link, Tapeworm Tails: Understanding stem cells and regeneration in Hymenolepis diminuta

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

If you missed our February Evenings at Whitney, "Tapeworm Tails: Understanding stem cells and regeneration in Hymenolepis diminuta" with Tania Rozario, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics and Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases at the University of Georgia, the YouTube link is below.

Fish sensory cells have close evolutionary ties to sensory cells of humans and other vertebrates

Monday, February 19, 2024

Congratulations to Whitney researchers Dr. Elias Lunsford, Dr. Yuriy Bobkov, Brandon Ray, Dr. James Liao and Dr. James Strother who published a paper titled "Anion efflux mediates transduction in the hair cells of the zebrafish lateral line" in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Stand Up & Holler, It's Gator Nation Giving Day!

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Join together with the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience on Giving Day – your gift can directly impact our areas of greatest need. 2 Bits, 4 Bits, Every Bit Counts!

Schnitzler Lab Welcomes Dr. Zac Lane

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Please welcome Dr. Zac Lane to the Whitney Laboratory! He recently joined the Schnitzler Lab as a Postdoctoral Associate.

Sea Turtle Hospital Summer Internship Application Deadline March 1

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

The internship at The Sea Turtle Hospital at UF Whitney Lab is designed to be a career learning experience. Interns will gain first-hand experience in data collection, sanitation procedures, food preparation, and sea turtle husbandry.

Whitney Lab 5K Registration Now Open!

Friday, February 2, 2024

Lace up your shoes for marine science! Join us as we commemorate 50 years of science and discovery at UF Whitney Lab with a 5k Race! Run, walk, or jog with us at the beautiful River to Sea Preserve trails (or anywhere with our virtual option) to celebrate this historic anniversary and support marine conservation.

Whitney Lab Sea Turtle Hospital's Devon Ramia Awarded UF Superior Accomplishment Award

Thursday, February 1, 2024

Congratulations to Sea Turtle Hospital Manager Devon Ramia for being nominated and selected through a very keen year of competition as a Superior Accomplishment Awardee by the University of Florida!

Whitney Laboratory Turns 50!

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Five Decades of Discovery! Let's take a look back about how it all began.....

Dr. Barbara Anne Battelle Excellence in Scientific Communication Fall Awards

Friday, January 26, 2024

Congratulations to the fall semester recipients of the Dr. Barbara Anne Battelle Excellence in Scientific Communication Award - Lauren Kunselman, Seaver Lab (Graduate Student Winner) and Dr. Federica Scucchia, Martindale Lab (Postdoctoral Research Associate Winner)

Evenings at Whitney February 8

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

The Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series continues Thursday, February 8, 2024, at 6 p.m. with the program titled “Tapeworm Tails: Understanding stem cells and regeneration in Hymenolepis diminuta”. Tania Rozario, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics and Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases at the University of Georgia, will be the speaker.

Sea Turtle Hospital Welcomes Winter Intern Gracie Harris

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Welcome to our newest team member winter intern, Gracie Harris! Gracie is a St. Augustine native who discovered her love for the ocean very early in life.

Bailey-Niblett Family Endowment Helps Fund Trip to SICB

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

This January the Bailey-Niblett Family Endowment helped fund a Whitney Postdoctoral Research Associate's trip Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) conference from January 2- 6, 2024, in Seattle, Washington.

Whitney Laboratory News Archives 2016-19