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•Jay the word "biotechnology" these days and most 

 folks think of Dolly the sheep and the public controversy 

 whirling about cloning. 



But biotechnology is more than just cloning. 



It's high-tech science, a relative newcomer on the 

 research block. It encompasses everything from pharmaceuti- 

 cal development to bioremediation to DNA research. 



Technically, biotechnology is defined as "using living 

 organisms (or parts of organisms) to make or modify products, 

 to improve plants or animals, to develop microorganisms for 

 beneficial uses or to develop materials that mimic molecular 

 structures of living organisms." 



Clearly, some of the most exciting scientific research in 

 the world today occurs in this field. Of course, if it's Sea 

 Grant research, it's marine biotechnology. 



Sea Grant scientists explore the biochemical capabilities 

 of marine organisms to develop new pharmaceuticals, 

 chemical products, enzymes and industrial processes as well 

 as vaccines, diagnostic tools, bioremediation techniques and 

 genetically altered organisms for aquaculture and the seafood 

 industry. Marine biotechnology also provides new tools and 

 approaches to better understand ecological relationships 

 among marine organisms and to help define fisheries stocks 

 — information that will help improve marine resource 

 management. 



Currently, the National Sea Grant College Program funds 

 125 marine biotechnology projects at an average of $100,000 

 per project. An estimated 20 to 25 percent of the projects have 

 industrial matching funds or collaborators. Others have 

 partners in resource management agencies. 



This research advances science, trains students for careers 

 in high technology and provides foundations for commercial 

 development. 



Recently, Sea Grant showcased some of its marine 

 biotechnology research at a briefing in Washington, D.C., for 

 journalists, policy-makers and congressional staff. This 

 month, Coastwatch highlights three of the scientists who 

 presented their work at the briefing. 



• Parke Rublee, a North Carolina Sea Grant researcher 

 and a biologist at the University of North Carolina at Greens- 

 boro, is developing a DNA probe to detect the toxic di- 

 noflagellate Pfiesteria piscicida in the environment. 



• Michael Kane, a Florida Sea Grant scientist and 

 botanist at the University of Florida, is studying the DNA of 

 sea oats to determine genetic diversity and survival traits. 

 With this information, horticulturists can identify hardier, 

 faster-growing strains for stabilizing dunes on the East and 

 Gulf coasts. 



• A.P. "Hap" Wheeler, a South Carolina Sea Grant 

 Consortium scientist and biochemist at Clemson University, 

 has developed a protein polymer analogue patterned after the 

 proteins in oyster shells. Because the protein is biodegradable, 

 it has widespread commercial application. □ 



COASTWATCH 3 



