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News from the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience

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Evenings at Whitney November 13

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

The Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series continues Thursday, November 13, 2025, at 6 p.m. with the program titled “Smells drive interactions in the ocean, even for those without noses”. Dr. Julia Kubanek, School of Biological Sciences and School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, will be the speaker.

Strengthening Caribbean Aquaculture: Red Snapper Pilot Project Connects UF Whitney Lab and FAO Jamaica

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

To support this effort, FAO enlisted the help of Dr. Leonardo Ibarra-Castro of the University of Florida Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience

Whitney’s own Dr. James C. Liao selected as one of the 100 extraordinary biologists by the Company of Biologists

Monday, October 6, 2025

Whitney’s own Dr. James C. Liao selected as one of the 100 extraordinary biologists by the Company of Biologists for their centennial anniversary.

Evenings at Whitney October 9

Tuesday, September 30, 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.

Now Hiring! Assistant/Associate Professor in Marine Bioscience

Monday, September 29, 2025

We seek a creative, collaborative scientist whose research harnesses or advances cutting-edge tools, including AI, data science, robotics, biophysics, computer vision, advanced imaging, multi-omics, chemical biology, and synthetic biology.

Townsend Scholar Studies Signaling Pathway During Regeneration

Sunday, September 28, 2025

I am so fortunate and grateful to have been selected as this year’s Townsend Scholar, as my combined experience from this summer and the summer prior in the Seaver Lab have truly inspired me to pursue higher education in this exciting field of research!

Whitney Graduate Student Association Elects New Officers

Thursday, September 25, 2025

The Whitney Graduate Student Association is committed to the betterment of life and professional development at the Whitney Lab.

Researching Seagrass Dynamics with the St. Johns River Water Management District

Monday, September 22, 2025

During this internship, his research explored the drivers behind this event, providing key insights into water quality/seagrass population dynamics, restoration stressors, and future management strategies for the Indian River Lagoon.

Sea Turtle Hospital Welcomes Fall Intern Cami Bender

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

She’s excited to switch things up and dive into sea turtle medicine and rehabilitation during this washback season.

Loesgen Lab Publishes Paper in the Flagship Journal for the International Society for Microbial Ecology

Monday, September 8, 2025

Their findings shine light on the microbiome of healthy Cnidarians and will aid in preservation efforts for these marine animals.

Whitney Lab and High School Students Monitoring Local Waterways

Wednesday, September 3, 2025

The Whitney Laboratory is diving into the world of plankton with the launch of a citizen science opportunity for local high school students.

Loesgen, Strother, and Liao Labs Welcome Emily Lekas

Tuesday, September 2, 2025

She joins the lab as a research technician in the Loesgen, Strother, and Liao Labs.

Bailey-Niblett Family Endowment Helps Fund Trip to the Pan American Society for Evolutionary Developmental Biology Biennial Meeting

Thursday, August 28, 2025

This meeting was my first as a graduate student at Whitney Laboratory and gave me a chance to start presenting my projects in a professional setting.

Evenings at Whitney September 11

Tuesday, August 26, 2025

The University of Florida Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series continues Thursday, September 11, 2025, at 6 p.m. with the program titled “Little Particles for Big Diseases”.

Sea Turtle Hospital Patients Tahiti and Skyros Released

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Sea Turtle Hospital patients Tahiti and Skyros returned to their ocean home in August! Tahiti was released in South Ponte Vedra and Skyros at Ormond by the Sea.

Dr. Leonardo Ibarra-Castro and Whitney Faculty Receive Award for State-of-the-Art Seawater System from the National Science Foundation

Thursday, August 14, 2025

This award will enable the construction of a state-of-the-art recirculating seawater system (RAS) that complements the existing open seawater facility, allowing precise control of environmental conditions such as temperature, salinity and nutrient levels.

Ph.D. Defense Success for Alicia Boyd!

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

Alicia’s study utilized the segmented worm Capitella teleta, an animal whose juvenile and adult stages can regenerate multiple organs following transection.

Hinman Lab Welcomes Dr. Nick Christodoulides

Monday, August 11, 2025

Nick is a postdoctoral researcher focused on developing pipelines to improve orthology and expression analyses across echinoderm species, while broadening his skillset through experimental work in marine invertebrates.

Joe Mangun - 2025 Matthaei Ecological Scholar

Monday, August 4, 2025

The Carl and Marcella Matthaei Ecological Scholarship Fund at the Whitney Laboratory provides support for University of Florida scientists-in-training to have access to the Matanzas River Basin, where they can engage in its biodiversity, ecology, and conservation.

Whitney Faculty Jimmy Liao Gives a TED Talk about his Scientific and Personal Journey with Fish

Thursday, July 24, 2025

Dr. James Liao presented "What studying fish teaches me about human life" at the TEDxUF 2025 Conference on April 12.

Seaver Lab Hosts 2025 Townsend Scholar Priya Tomerlin

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Priya’s project in the Seaver lab focuses on a molecular signaling pathway, called the ERK signaling pathway, and its potential role in promoting regeneration in the marine worm Capitella teleta.

Bailey-Niblett Family Endowment Helps Fund Trip to One Ocean Science Congress

Monday, July 14, 2025

This global event brought together scientists, policymakers, and innovators committed to advancing ocean sustainability.

Dr. Todd Osborne Promoted to Full Professor

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Congratulations to Dr. Todd Osborne, Whitney Laboratory Associate Professor of Biogeochemistry, who has received promotion to Full Professor from the University of Florida!

Sea Turtle Hospital Patient Fort George Released

Thursday, July 3, 2025

This past Tuesday marked a truly unforgettable release for one of the Sea Turtle Hospital's long-term patients, Fort George — and what a send-off it was!

Dr. David Duffy Promoted to University of Florida Associate Professor of Wildlife Disease Genomics with Tenure

Friday, June 27, 2025

We are pleased to announce that Whitney Faculty Dr. David Duffy was granted promotion and tenure by the University of Florida Board of Trustees to Associate Professor of Wildlife Disease Genomics.

Saving Sea Turtles: Stories, Science and Community - Thursday, June 26

Sunday, June 22, 2025

Join us at the Whitney Lab to Celebrate Turtles and World Sea Turtle Day!

Sea Turtle Hospital Awarded Grant From Florida Sea Turtle Grants Program to Support New Turtle Tanks

Thursday, June 19, 2025

We are thrilled to announce that the Sea Turtle Hospital has received a generous grant from the Sea Turtle Grants Program to “Expand the Capacity for Sea Turtle Rehabilitation in Northeast Florida”.

UF Research Features Whitney Laboratory

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Secrets of the Seas - Whitney Lab scientists pursue ambitious marine-life discoveries

Welcome Whitney Summer Interns Emilia Cayelli and Mia Mitchell

Friday, June 13, 2025

Emilia Cayelli joins the Martindale Lab, Mia Mitchell joins the Osborne Lab.

Whitney Lab Campus Sustainability

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Did you know 45% of the Whitney Laboratory is powered by solar energy?

Sea Turtle Hospital Welcomes Summer Intern Madelin Eberle

Monday, June 9, 2025

She is excited to explore wildlife husbandry and gain hands-on experience in helping sea turtles this summer!

Loesgen Lab Welcomes Julia Sutton

Friday, June 6, 2025

She joins the Loesgen Lab as a visiting fellow this summer.

In Science: DNA captured from the air could track wildlife, invasive species—and humans

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

A study reveals the power of environmental DNA, vacuumed up from the air, which can track everything from elusive bobcats to illicit drugs.

Ph.D. Defense Success for Erin Marshall!

Monday, June 2, 2025

As a natural product chemist, she focused on the discovery of medicinal natural products produced by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi.

Seaver Lab Publishes Paper in Developmental Biology

Friday, May 30, 2025

The Seaver Lab published a new paper entitled “Wnt/β-catenin signaling promotes posterior axial regeneration in non-regenerative tissue of the annelid Capitella teleta” in the journal Developmental Biology.

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

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.

Whitney Laboratory News Archives 2016-19