Deep Ocean Sampling

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Deep Ocean Sampling Developing a new paradigm for
marine biotechnology Paul Jensen Scripps
Institution of Oceanography pjensen_at_ucsd.edu 23
January 2009 CMSS
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Scripps Institution of Oceanography

• Founded 1903
• - Marine Biological Association of San Diego
• Affiliated with UC 1912
• Name changed 1925
• - Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Photos Scripps Oceanography
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Scripps Is

• The Graduate School of Marine Science of UC San
  Diego
• Scripps Director is Vice Chancellor for Marine
  Sciences of
• UC San Diego
• The largest oceanographic institution in the
  U.S.
• 2007 census 1,957 (228 graduate students, 436
  academics).
• Founded by the Scripps family who were (and
  still are) in the publishing business and
  prominent in San Diego society.

Photos Scripps Oceanography
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Scripps Research Covers All Ocean Earth
Sciences

Biology - Center for Marine Biotechnology
Biomedicine - Integrative Oceanography
Division - Marine Biology Research
Division  Earth Sciences - Geosciences
Research Division - Institute of Geophysics
Planetary Physics Oceans and Atmosphere -
Climate, Atmospheric Science, Physical
Oceanography - Marine Physical Laboratory

Photos Scripps Oceanography
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Scripps Funding Profile (FY 06/07)
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Scripps Ships Largest UNOLS Fleet
R/V Roger Revelle
R/V New Horizon
Research Platform FLIP Floating Instrument
Platform
R/V Melville
R/V Robert G. Sproul
Photos Scripps Oceanography
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Nimitz Marine Facility, SIO
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Ships provide access to ocean environments and a
platform for sampling
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Our Research (and sampling needs)

• Penicillin discovered by Alexander Fleming in
  1928 from a fungus.

• Selman Waksman discovered Streptomycin in 1943
  form an actinomycete.

• Microorganisms have remained the most important
  source of antibiotics (and other drugs).
• All of these derived from land!

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New Antibiotics are Desperately Needed

• Antibiotic resistance is on the rise!
• Traditional soil microbes are well studied.

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Marine Biotechnology Drugs from the Sea

• Microorganisms are a proven resource.
• Marine microbes remain relatively unexplored.

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Proof of Principle

• Unusual microbes occur in the sea.
• New marine genus Salinispora.

• Many new compounds being discovered.
• Two currently in clinical trials for cancer
  (Nereus Pharmaceuticals).

In collaboration with William Fenical
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Research in Marine Microbiology
Biogeography
Diversity
Genomics
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The Challenge is Sampling

• 75 of Earths surface covered by ocean.

• Average depth 3.8 km.

• Goal Understand the diversity, distributions,
  and biotechnological applications of marine
  microorganisms.
• We need rapid access to large numbers of samples
  from broad geographic locations.

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The Challenge is Sampling

• Traditional oceanographic approaches are not
  effective.

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Sample collection
By hand
Electric reel, effective to 1000 meters.
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Sample Collection
Autonomous bounce corer, rated to 6000
m. Designed and built by Kevin Hardy.
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Sample Collection

• Challenges remain
• Variable sediment characteristics.
• Size and portability.

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• What is Needed
• Small sampling device to collect marine
  sediments.
• Ideally, autonomous, low cost and functional at
  depths gt1km.

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Collaborators and funding

Eddie Kisfaludy (SIO marine technician)
Prof. William Fenical/SIO

Kevin Hardy (now with DeepSea Power and Light)
(with Nereus Pharmaceuticals)