An award has been made to the Mt. Desert Island Biological Laboratory under the direction of Dr. David Towle to acquire a phosphorimager for research and education in genomics at the marine biological laboratory. The instrument will provide a significant upgrade to the current capability of the researchers to capture images the results of experiments analyzing DNA. Research projects include regulation of sperm formation in vertebrates, ion exchange in fish gills, and gene expression during the development of sea urchin embryos. The laboratory hosts a large number of visiting scientists and students each year that will benefit from having the phosphorimager on site at this island marine lab. Each year the laboratory hosts students in an NSF-funded program of Research Experiences for Undergraduates, which has included a large percentage of students from groups traditionally underrepresented in science.
