Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory

Geographic areas served: National

Programs: The mdi biological laboratory is a vibrant biomedical research institution focused on the development of therapies to regenerate tissues and organs lost to disease or injury and to extending healthy lifespan. Mdi biological laboratory scientists are studying the pathways responsbile for tissue repair in highly regenerative species such as zebrafish and salamanders with the goal of stimulating dormant capacities for regeneration in humans. Using this approach, they have identified several regenerative medicine drug candidates in only a few years and at modest cost. The institution also provides hands-on science education programs for students and professionals. More than 30 biomedical courses are offered per year to hundreds of students at all levels. In 2016, the institution launched construction of the new maine center for biomedical innovation to provide innovation- and entrepreneurial-based training with the goal of building a robust science and technology sector that will provide jobs for maine stem (science, technology, engineering and math) graduates. The highlights of the institution's 2016 achievements included: awarded a provisional patent for two drug candidates discovered by mdi biological laboratory scientist sandra rieger, ph. D. , for the prevention and treatment of peripheral neuropathy, a painful, potentially disabling condition awarded a grant of approximately $500,000 over two years from the national institutes of health (nih) to support dr. Rieger's research on peripheral neuropathy, including on the two drug candidates awarded a patent -- the first in the institution's history -- for msi-1436, a drug candidate identified by president kevin strange, ph. D. , and voot p. Yin, ph. D. , for the regeneration of heart muscle tissue after a heart attack continued to advance scientific discovery in the fields of aging, heart regeneration, nerve regeneration and wound healing through the publication of peer-reviewed research findings in prestigious scientific journals attracted two new research teams -- those of vicki p. Losick, ph. D. , and james godwin, ph. D. -- supported by nih inbre (idea network of biomedical research excellence) funding for research on regeneration and aging launched construction of the new, 6,560-square-foot maine center for biomedical innovation funded through a 2014 state bond issue; planned inaugural courses focused on innovation and entrepreneurship continued to offer more than 30 courses serving hundreds of students from all over the world and representing all levels of education,from high school students to science and medical professionals sponsored a signature course on aging that attracted top scientists in the field from around the globe to examine the fundamental biological questions underlying the process of aging continued the institution's role as a leader in bioinformatics education with the addition to the bioinformatics curriculum of a first-of-its-kind "barn-raising for data-intensive discovery" workshop sponsored a blockbuster art meets science exhibition tied to the centennial of acadia national park,whose founders were instrumental in establishing the mdi biological laboratory at its present location in the 1920s continued a highly regarded series of outreach activities, including family science night and mdi science cafes,to engage the public in the institution's research and education programs and to promote scientific literacy strengthened communication with the public and with institutional stakeholders on the institution's achievements through an invigorated media outreach campaign and the "breaking through" blog continued efforts to restore eelgrass habitat in maine and to crowd-source data from citizen scientists about eelgrass in general and the disappearance of eelgrass from coastal waters continued to develop the online portal, anecdata. Org. ,as a tool for crowd-sourcing data from citizen scientists involved in scientific research and community action initiatives