Teaching About Oceans Teaching About Oceans and Human Healthand Human Health

Melissa Ryan, Project ManagerOcean Technology Foundation

LinkagesLinkages

The Ocean …The Ocean …

Provides benefits and risks to Provides benefits and risks to public healthpublic health

Drives our weather systems Drives our weather systems and influences climate changeand influences climate change

Can carry diseases such as Can carry diseases such as choleracholera

Is a source of oxygen, water, Is a source of oxygen, water, and nutritious foodsand nutritious foods

Provides a source of new Provides a source of new medicines and natural medicines and natural productsproducts

Has biomedical applications Has biomedical applications

11 in in 1010

Intro from the World Ocean Intro from the World Ocean Observatory (W2O)Observatory (W2O)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiODL0GZy_ohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiODL0GZy_o

Harmful Algal BloomsHarmful Algal Blooms

Algal blooms occur Algal blooms occur naturally and naturally and frequentlyfrequently

Not all are harmfulNot all are harmful Fresh and salt waterFresh and salt water Can contaminate Can contaminate

seafood and result in seafood and result in fish killsfish kills

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, numbness of the arms, legs, and numbness of the arms, legs, and mouth, and sometimes the reversal mouth, and sometimes the reversal of temperature sensation. of temperature sensation.

Rarely fatal, and gastrointestinal Rarely fatal, and gastrointestinal symptoms may last for a few days symptoms may last for a few days

Ciguatera Fish Poisoning Ciguatera Fish Poisoning (CFP)(CFP)

Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP)

Numbness of the lips and mouth, Numbness of the lips and mouth, nausea and vomiting, giddiness, nausea and vomiting, giddiness, drowsiness, and feverdrowsiness, and fever

WHOI

Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP)

Vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, Vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, seizures, severe headaches, loss of seizures, severe headaches, loss of memory, and difficulty breathing memory, and difficulty breathing

Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP)

Diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain Diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain No outbreaks reported in U.S. watersNo outbreaks reported in U.S. waters

NOAA

Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning (NSP)

Nausea, vomiting, Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, numbness diarrhea, numbness of the arms, legs, and of the arms, legs, and mouthmouth

Symptoms similar to Symptoms similar to CFPCFP

““Red tide”Red tide”David Patterson and Bob Andersen

Squid Has a huge axon (part of a nerve Has a huge axon (part of a nerve fiber) fiber) 1000x larger than in vertebrates 1000x larger than in vertebrates Nerve disordersNerve disorders

Marine Animals in Biomedical Marine Animals in Biomedical ModelingModeling

Spiny DogfishSpiny Dogfish

Vision and fluid formation in the eyeVision and fluid formation in the eye

NOAA

Horseshoe CrabHorseshoe Crab

Test for impurities in some medical Test for impurities in some medical productsproducts

NOAA

ToadfishToadfish

Inner ear almost identical to humansInner ear almost identical to humans Balance disordersBalance disorders

Winter FlounderWinter Flounder

how kidney cells transfer how kidney cells transfer toxins from the blood into toxins from the blood into the urine for excretionthe urine for excretion

Sea UrchinsSea Urchins Cell Biology Cell Biology Lay an abundance of eggsLay an abundance of eggs Cell division after fertilizationCell division after fertilization Applications to fetal alcohol syndromeApplications to fetal alcohol syndrome

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

Examples of Marine Species Used in Biomedical ResearchExamples of Marine Species Used in Biomedical ResearchGeneral Human Health Issue

Taxon Species (Common Name) Human Medical Concern

Immunology Mollusca Conus spp. (cone snails) Blood disorders, clotting, hemophilia

  Echinodermata Arbacia punctulata (sea urchin) Cell-mediated immune system responses

  Tunicata Botryllus schlosseri (Golden Star Tunicate, sea squirt)

Immune systems and disorders (self/non-self recognition), AIDS/HIV transmission

  Vertebrata, Fish Squalus acanthias(spiny dogfish shark)

Immune system function, evolution of antibodies, and disease resistance

Neurobiology Mollusca Loligo pealei (squid) Aplysia(marine snail)

Neurological studies, behavior Nerve impulse transmission

  Arthropoda Limulus polyphemus (horseshoe crab)

Vision Neural basis of behavior

  Vertebrata, Fish Opsanus tau (toadfish) Balance and equilibrium, nausea

    Squalus acanthias (spiny dogfish shark)

Brain function Vision, glaucoma, cataracts

    Pomacentrus partitus (bicolor damselfish)

Neurofibromatosis

    Electrophorus electricus (electric eel)

Synaptic transmission (NA+ K+ ATPase)

And some more…Cell Biology/Cancer

Mollusca Spisula solidissma (surf clam)

Cell division/cancer

    Loligo pealei (squid) Cell physiology, intracellular transport, and cellular pH calcium regulation

  Echinodermata Arbacia punctulata (sea urchin)

Cell division/cancer

      Fertilization and development

  Arthropoda Cancer irroratus (red crab)

Organic ion transport

  Vertebrata, Fish

Pseudopleuronectes americanus (winter flounder)

Organic ion transport

Physiology Arthropoda Eriocheir sinensis(Chinese mitten crab)

Cellular osmoregulation

    Cancer irroratus(red crab)

Detoxification mechanisms

    Carcinus maenas(green shore crab)

Kidney function

  Vertebrata, Fish

Opsanus tau (toadfish) Insulin secretion and diabetes

      Muscle pathologies

    Squalus acanthias(spiny dogfish shark)

Cystic fibrosis Kidney and heart research

    Pseudopleuronectes americanus (winter flounder)

Detoxification mechanisms

    Anguilla rostrata(American eel)

Kidney function

And still more …

Send in the Marines!Send in the Marines!

From Virginia Commonwealth From Virginia Commonwealth University’s University’s “Secrets of the Sequence” website“Secrets of the Sequence” website

Image: NASA

Medicines from the SeaMedicines from the Sea• If a sponge is trying to prevent a coral from invading its space, it may produce a chemical to prevent the coral cells from growing and dividing

• Anti-tumor compounds

HBOI

Deep-water sponge has anti-Deep-water sponge has anti-inflammatory compounds inflammatory compounds

Arthritis, burns, allergic reactions, or Arthritis, burns, allergic reactions, or inflammatory bowel diseaseinflammatory bowel disease

Source: Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution

Challenges of Bioprospecting Challenges of Bioprospecting for Marine-Derived Drugsfor Marine-Derived Drugs

Technology, money, and regulationsTechnology, money, and regulations

Organism collection bioactive Organism collection bioactive chemical identified drug chemical identified drug availableavailable

How long?How long?

HBOI

Federal InitiativesFederal InitiativesNOAA and NIEHS/NSFNOAA and NIEHS/NSF

U.S. Commission on Ocean PolicyU.S. Commission on Ocean Policy OHH Act 2004OHH Act 2004

Source: 2008 Interagency OHH Research Implementation Plan

OHH CoursesOHH Courses

Clayton College of Natural Health, Clayton College of Natural Health, Birmingham, ALBirmingham, AL

Elective: Oceans and HealthElective: Oceans and Health

Ocean Technology Foundation and Ocean Technology Foundation and College of ExplorationCollege of Exploration

Two-week online Two-week online coursecourse for teachers: for teachers: Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 Fall 2008 and Spring 2009

Disciplines Involved in OHHDisciplines Involved in OHH

HealthHealth Social StudiesSocial Studies PoliticsPolitics EconomicsEconomics TechnologyTechnology GeographyGeography

OHH TextsOHH Texts

OHH PublicationsOHH Publications

““HABs and Humans”HABs and Humans”ActivityActivity