These are the research themes that have been identified as currently being supported by EMBRC partners which are considered to be important for national and pan-European strategic research priorities in marine biology. Outlined below are the key research topics currently investigated within the ppEMBRC partners:
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function
EMBRC currently exploits the dramatic increase in tools available for integrative investigations of marine systems at all levels of organisation from molecular to ecosystem. For example, genetic diversity and adaptation of populations can be studied at the level of individual genomes and metagenomic approaches allow the exploration of microbial diversity of hitherto unculturable organisms. Studies of chemical ecology enable molecular signalling mechanisms to be elucidated and their role in environmental adaptation determined.
Other research priorities include investigation of oceanic patterns of trophic exchange, foraging and diving behaviour, population diversity and dynamics and animal migration (e.g. spatial ecology of plankton and predators), as well as impact of invasive and toxic species and the role of viruses in ecosystem functioning. Molecular analysis combined with classical taxonomy studies are being utilised to extract additional value from time-series of ecosystems. This theme also provides an ecosystem context for model organisms.
Developmental Biology and Evolution
Marine organisms provide a rich resource of models for deeper understanding of fundamental biological processes and will continue to underpin major advances in evolutionary and developmental biology. In particular marine embryos and life stages allow studies of the evolution of gene function during development. Research in this area include tractable marine models for fundamental research on the cellular, molecular, genetic and physiological basis of developmental processes and their evolution, for example, the use of echinoderm eggs to understand the early molecular events accompanying fertilisation.
For example, Digital zebrafish embryo provides the first complete developmental blueprint of a vertebrate (Science, 09 oct. 2008)
Marine models also allow the study of underlying mechanisms of development and evolution, for example the roles of non-coding DNA sequences, regulatory RNAs and epigenetic mechanisms, how they evolve, and their function in development and disease.
Other priorities currently investigated within this theme include genomic approaches to the evolution of bio-mineralisation in marine flora and fauna and the co-evolution of organisms and the biosphere.
Biogeochemistry and Global Change
The focus of the EMBRC within this theme is on organismal interaction with biogeochemical cycles in the sea and ocean atmosphere exchange.
Priorities include carbon and energy cycles, feedbacks among biologically uptaken metal cycles and carbon chemistry and coupling between different oceanic realms. Studies on diversity, adaptation and function of organisms and ecosystems in response to global change factors are underwayfor predicting future climate scenarios and developing mitigation strategies.
In this context the use of natural models in ocean processes can be valuable, for example, CO2 vents to investigate natural acidification impacts on ecosystem biodiversity.
Marine Products and Resources
The marine environment presents vast and underutilised potential for development of natural products (Biotechnology). Sustainable use of this resource requires sophisticated knowledge of the interactions of marine species with human activity. EMBRC partners are, for example, studying the impact of oil and gas extraction platforms, tidal and wind power structures with animal migration and habitat utilisation. Genomic approaches and life cycles of organisms are being explored to improve aquaculture production, for example in the development of sustainable feeds and marker-assisted selection of superior strains for farming.
The mining of marine genomes is underway to develop new industrial products and processes (for example the identification of favourable microalgal strains for biofuels, secondary and refined products).
Research on marine pollution and ecotoxicology is also being carried out, for example understanding of detoxification mechanisms, for treatment of contaminated environments.
Biomedical Science
Fundamental studies on physiology and behaviour are currently underway on a number of research topics, including simple nervous systems, neural networks, developmental physiology and locomotion. With the demand for new treatments and diagnostic tools, as well as a deeper understanding of various medical conditions being required, studies on marine organisms will provide fundamental insight into biomedicine, particularly with respect to infection, immunity and disease (e.g. sponges and symbiotic bacteria, polychaetes resistant to pathogenic bacteria and producing hydrolytic enzymes, extremophiles, algae and their symbionts, cyanophages). Marine models for studying DNA replication, repair and gene transfer and structure-orientated drug design are also of key importance in EMBRC research and are being developed further.
