9732151 The Whitney Laboratory is an Institute of the University of Florida. It was established in 1974 as a center for basic biological research, particularly in those areas in which marine organisms serve as experimental models. Marine model systems have had a long and successful history of use in fundamental research, and their value remains undiminished. However, fewer and fewer scientists are likely to exploit the research potential of marine animals, because costs have limited the laboratory experience with these animals provided by most universities to their undergraduate students, who have not been encouraged to explore the biological diversity of marine models. In response to these problems, the Whitney Laboratory began, in 1985, to offer undergraduates the opportunity to become full participants in experiments on the physiology, anatomy, biochemistry, and molecular biology of marine animals. This REU Site enables 10 students each summer to select and carry out research projects in consultation with faculty mentors. The academic experience of the students is further enriched by participation in the seminar programs of the Laboratory and by informal interaction with undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and established scientists who visit from the United States and other countries.
