|
|
|
Research
The Foundation team includes leading marine mammal researchers in applied epidemiology, bioacoustics, biology, clinical medicine, and neuroscience. Together, they strive to directly improve the care of marine mammals, to understand their biology, to create paradigm shifts in how we understand and treat human disease, and foster a greater appreciation for marine mammals and their role in ocean ecosystems. The primary goal of the Foundation's comprehensive research program is to better protect and care for marine mammals while promoting conservation of our world's oceans.
|
One Health
Marine mammal health may benefit from that which we learn from humans, and human health may benefit from that which we learn from marine mammals. The Foundation aims to be a leader of the growing One Health Initiative put forth by the the American Medical Association and American Veterinary Medical Association. As part of the Foundation's One Health program, we collaborate with the nation's top researchers to conduct studies that will improve life for both marine mammals and humans. Projects in development include research on type 2 diabetes, urate kidney stones, and hemochromatosis. At the American Association for the Advancement of Science 2010 annual meeting in San Diego, the Foundation garnered international media attention by announcing the bottlenose dolphin as an important, natural model for type 2 diabetes in humans. Coverage included CBS, BBC, National Geographic, Science News, and National Public Radio's Science Friday.
|
Bioacoustics
Dolphins and other cetaceans are able to detect objects underwater using biosonar. This unique ability enables dolphins to find underwater objects in the dark, including items that are buried. Scientists at the Foundation are experts in dolphin biosonar and help to determine the impact of underwater sound on marine mammal hearing. Exciting research includes the ability to test the hearing of wild marine mammals using auditory evoked potentials, or AEP. Pictured above is Dr. Dorian Houser, second from the left, testing the hearing of a wild Northern elephant seal.
| |
|
Biological Research
Marine mammal physiology has been of interest to scientists for over a century, yet little is known about them relative to terrestrial animals. Better understanding marine mammal biology can help us understand how a changing ecosystem may impact their health, especially the health of endangered species. Additionally, evolutionary adaptations of marine mammals may provide important clues that may create paradigm shifts in human health. Foundation scientists want to better understand how these amazing animals live with little access to fresh water, how they are able to recover from injuries in environments filled with bacteria, and how they adapt to changing environments. Pictured above is a single dolphin kidney which is made up of many smaller functioning kidneys, called renicules.
Clinical Research and Applied Epidemiology
Beyond detecting and treating diseases in marine mammals, the Foundation's clinical research and applied epidemiology program aims to predict and prevent marine mammal disease. Current focus areas include identifying risk factors for liver and kidney disease in dolphins, assessing the impact of metabolic perturbations on marine mammal health, and determining the physiology and susceptibilities of aging in marine mammals. Above, adipose tissue (fat) is collected from a dolphin to store regenerative cells that may help this animal if it develops disease later in life.
|
Neuroscience
While humans and dolphins both have big brains and large encephalization quotients (the actual size of an animal's brain compared to the expected size for it's body size), there are also important differences. Dolphin brains are exceptionally good at communication and biosonar. They have a separate blood supply to each half of their brain and have a small corpus callosum (the connection between each half of the brain). Incredibly, dolphins can sleep with half of their brains while keeping the other half awake. This enables them to remain vigilant 24 hours a day. The Foundation's President, Dr. Sam Ridgway, has spent a lifetime studying the dolphin brain and his work continues at the Foundation.
|
|
|
| |
|
|