With our recent (third) September Science Forum, GMGI has created its first tradition: an exceedingly high caliber science conference held in the vintage Ames Estate on the coast of Gloucester.

This year the conference speakers traveled from Michigan, Stanford, Cornell, Univ. of Prince Edward Island and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI), as well as from many of our regional institutions. Attendees were invited because of their innovative research in the same science areas where GMGI is working, which include marine species, genomics, natural products, fisheries and innovative biotechnology tools.

Conference speakers with the GMGI Science Advisory Board

The morning session was organized around fishery topics and kicked off by Stephen Palumbi, Director of the Hopkins Marine Station at Stanford University. Dr. Palumbi is our scientific collaborator who provided the computational capacity for processing our cod genome raw data into meaningful information. The collaboration produced a co-authored scientific paper (GMGI’s first), published in BMC genomics, March 2017: “Highly localized divergence within supergenes in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) within the Gulf of Maine.” Palumbi also gave the 5pm keynote on “The Extreme Life of the Sea”, while adding California cool to our Cape Ann environment.

Andrea Bodnar, GMGI Science Director with Steve Palumbi,

Stanford University

The afternoon was capped off by David Sherman (University of Michigan) with his fascinating talk titled “Function and Structure of the Biochemical Machines that Generate Pharmaceuticals from Diverse Microbes.” Many of these exotic, naturally derived marine molecules are now pursued for their potential as very potent therapeutics.

Conference speaker

David Sherman, University of

Michigan

The afternoon session offered an eclectic group of presentations, with Jessica Mark Welch (Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA) giving a colorful presentation on using fluorescent stains to map the organization of bacteria. Don Anderson (WHOI) presented his technology for detecting harmful algal blooms which shut down many New England beaches.

After the keynote talk, attendees drifted out to the Ames Estate veranda where the final presentation was waiting: a buffet prepared by Willow Rest.

GMGI is following up on several strong ideas suggested for potential research partnerships. Our Science Forums are vital to our progress because they spawn the mingling of minds and unconstrained discussions that can instigate investigations.

“THE FORUM WAS AWESOME. YOUR SPEAKER ASSEMBLAGE WAS POPULATED BY A CADRE OF “CAN DO” AND “HAVE DONE” PEOPLE. IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I WAS IN THE PRESENCE OF SUCH MOTIVATED, INSPIRING AND TALENTED PEOPLE.”

JOE BUTTNER, SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY

The 2017 GMGI Science Forum A Scenic Day of Science & Sustenance | Chris Munkholm, COO

A New Beginning Gloucester Biotechnology Academy Welcomes the Class of 2018John Doyle, Education Director

“IT WAS A PLEASURE! I

REALLY ENJOYED THE FORUM

-- THERE WERE A LOT OF

INTERESTING AND DIVERSE

TALKS -- AND IT IS EXCITING

TO SEE THE BEGINNINGS

OF THE MARINE GENOMICS

INSTITUTE YOU ARE BUILDING

IN GLOUCESTER. I DO HOPE

WE CAN FIND A WAY TO DO

GREAT SCIENCE TOGETHER IN

THE FUTURE!”

After a very successful founding year, with 84% of our class of 2017 graduates working in the life-sciences industry or pursuing a 4-year degree in the sciences, the team could barely wait to welcome the Gloucester Biotechnology Academy Class of 2018 into our state of the art teaching lab on September 5th. During the first week, students donned their GMGI lab coats, protective eyewear and gloves and began working in the lab on DNA extractions from strawberries and cod fish. At the end of the week, they ventured out to their first field trip – an informative tour of New England BioLabs in Ipswich.

At this early juncture, the students have demonstrated an unparalleled level of enthusiasm -- literally sitting on the edge of their seats, engaging in spirited discussions about bioethics, and posting pictures of their DNA extractions on various social media sites. The Academy is near full capacity with nineteen students, with 60% from Gloucester. Our innovative technical curriculum has been updated for 2018 to incorporate feedback from both our inaugural class and the internship mentors. Additionally, we have increased the career skills sessions from 10 to 16, welcoming 5 new local industry professionals to speak on a variety of topics ranging from laboratory etiquette to resume writing and interview skills.

We are also excited to announce the expansion of our superb team of instructors. Katherine Dench (KD), a graduate and valedictorian of our 2017 inaugural class, joins the team as a lab technician bringing a wealth of knowledge in the lab and first-hand experience in the classroom. Elizabeth Brannon, Ph.D., is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island where she used molecular tools to measure the generation of greenhouse gases in emissions from waste water treatment plants. Volunteer Neil Glickstein joins us in a new role of Internship Liaison. Neil has a Master’s degree in teaching as well as in marine sciences and will be supporting the career skills curriculum and internship placements. Back for his second year as a volunteer instructor at the Academy is Joe Rosa, Ph.D., retired Director of Protein Chemistry at Biogen, and long-time advocate of educational programs in the City of Gloucester. Joe has become an integral member of the team and a wonderful mentor to many. We embark on the Academy’s second school year with great excitement and gratitude to our founding class for paving the way for year 2, our internship partners for their commitment to our students’ success, and the community of philanthropists who have made it all possible.Dave Stotzer, Cape Ann Photography

New friends enjoy a glass of wine before dinner

GMGI Staff - hosts for the day

“IT WAS A GORGEOUS VENUE,

GREAT FOOD, GREAT PEOPLE,

AND GREAT SCIENCE. I’M HERE

TO HELP GMGI AND YOUR

OBJECTIVES HOWEVER I CAN.”

GBA student Aidan Flynn and teacher Elizabeth Brannon work together in the lab

Strawberry DNA extraction

The 2017 GMGI Science Forum e

Photos by Pam Sardinha

• Jennifer Polinski has joined the GMGI science staff as Research Technician Level III. She graduated from Albion College, with a B.A. in both biology and mathematics. Jennifer then went on to Florida Atlantic University, where she earned her M.S. in biology, with research on the coral habitat of St. Lucie Reef in Florida. She became their lead diver for the SCUBA team that collected and transplanted corals. We are excited to welcome Jennifer to our team and the North Atlantic marine species!

• We are pleased to announce that

Bill Kane has joined the GMGI Board of Directors. Bill is Senior Vice President, East Coast Leasing, at BioMed Realty in Cambridge Mass. Bill grew up in Rockport and he now resides in Marblehead. He will provide insights and assistance on strategic decisions relevant to facilities and biotech industry partnerships.

O’Maley Middle school students spend a day at Gloucester Biotechnology AcademyLiz Brannon and KD Dench, Academy Teaching Assistants

As a part of the initiative to expand our education center, Gloucester Biotechnology Academy opened its doors this August to the O’Maley Middle School Science Camp. During a five-hour visit to the Academy students had an immersive biotechnology experience in our state of the art laboratory.

Starting with an introduction to DNA structure and function, students got to dive in and get their gloves dirty with a crude DNA extraction from cod fish using items you can find in any grocery store. As the day went on we delved deeper, taking a look at the issue of fish fraud (the act of passing off cheaper fish as more desirable species).

Maks, a Gloucester resident and GHS Class of 2016 alumni, is bright eyed and energetic from his 5:30am crossfit routine with his Mom. Sitting in the GMGI offices at 7:30am on a Wednesday morning, his enthusiasm and confidence is palpable as he shares his experiences at his full-time job at Rogers Sciences, a 9-year old life sciences company located in the Cummings Center bio-tech incubator in Beverly.

GMGI: How’s the job going?Maks: Its going really great. I love being in the lab. The work is very interesting and I feel like I am part of something that will offer people hope. I am working with six of the most common types of bacteria and evaluating the impact our product has on cell regeneration – as a potential cure for cancer and bacterial infections in open wounds. It’s pretty amazing.

GMGI: Before the Academy did you ever think this would be your path?Maks: No. A year ago, I was working in a warehouse with no real direction. I was doing OK and it was a job, but I didn’t feel like what I was doing mattered. I thought the best thing for me to do was to join the military. Maybe that would give me purpose. I went through the questionnaire and the physical and was ready to sign up when my Dad showed me a clipping in Gloucester Daily Times about the Academy. I figured I would check it out and am so glad I did.

GMGI: How was your experience at the Academy? Maks: Really great. Being in the lab all day and actually doing the work was key for me. I am a hands-on person and it motivated me every

day. It was hard because I kept my job at the warehouse so I was at the Academy from 8:30-2:30, then went right to work and got out at 11 and in bed at midnight then up early the next day to start all over again. It was a tough six months but so worth it.

GMGI: And your internship experience?Maks: I felt really comfortable because I knew how to do what was expected of me because of the hands-on work in the Academy lab. It was a small operation and the people were all great, friendly and helpful. In fact, the owner of that company referred me to my current full-time job!

GMGI: You sound like an expert research scientist Maks! How do you feel?Maks: It’s pretty incredible. Just a few weeks ago I was sitting at my brother’s lacrosse game and my grandfather was there all bundled up because he just had a treatment of photodynamic therapy for skin cancer. I sat next to him and started telling him about the work I am doing and how there are new options out there. He told me how proud he was of me. THAT really made me feel awesome!

Interview with Maks Graduate, Gloucester Biotechnology Academy, Class of 2017 | Jennifer Parkos, Development Director

O’Maley students have fun while extracting cod DNA

GMGI News Bulletin

Students learned the basics of DNA analysis using gel electrophoresis, and identified different fish species using their DNA. In our final exercise, students learned about DNA sequencing and they made “sequence bracelets” to take home.

Finally, students were given a chance to talk about their goals and possible careers in science, while the instructors shared insight and advice.

• Kyle Richard, the very first student admitted to Gloucester Biotechnology Academy, has been hired as a full-time lab technician at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Kyle was literally recruited out of a local Dunkin Donuts. His high school chemistry teacher gave Kyle our phone number and suggested that he check out our career training program. Good thing Kyle made the phone call!

• A group of GMGI scientists traveled

to Salem State University’s Cat Cove aquaculture plant, operated by Dr. Joe Buttner and Mark Fregeu. At Cat Cove, they primarily spawn and rear soft shell clams which are distributed to enhance the Massachusetts fishery. We are now exploring strategies together to leverage genomics to improve breeding.

• GMGI has acquired its first server, a high-performance computer with the capacity to handle the “big data” churned out by high-throughput DNA sequencing. Dr. Andrey Ptitsyn, our new Director of Bioinformatics, is working in Linux and guiding the procession of data uploading. The first assignments will be to analyze our American lobster genome and the Stellwagen Bank microbial diversity.

Bluefin Biomedicine Beverly

Cell Signaling Technology Danvers

Dana Farber Cancer Institute Boston

Lariat Biosciences Beverly

New England BioLabs Ipswich

Synlogic Cambridge

GMGI Science Strategy | Andrea Bodnar, Science Director

Acknowledgements

For almost 400 years the ocean has been the lifeblood of the Gloucester community. With its incredible maritime history and infrastructure, Gloucester is the ideal location to develop the next generation of maritime innovation and commerce. At GMGI we are looking to the future by applying innovative genomic technologies to marine science for discoveries that impact fisheries and human health.

For almost 400 years the ocean has been the lifeblood of the Gloucester community. With its incredible maritime history and infrastructure, Gloucester is the ideal location to develop the next generation of maritime innovation and commerce. At GMGI we are looking to the future by applying innovative genomic technologies to marine science for discoveries that impact fisheries and human health.

As the largest reservoir of biodiversity on the planet, the oceans are home to millions of species of plants, animals and microbes. Genomics, the study of the genetic material of living organisms, has the power to unlock the secrets of the ocean’s vast biodiversity and offers new opportunities for the sustainable use of its resources. GMGI’s science strategy is based on an underlying platform of advanced genomic technologies to support new discoveries in two main program areas: Biomedicine & Biotechnology and Fisheries.

Biomedicine and Biotechnology ProgramMarine organisms provide a tremendous opportunity for new discovery with the potential to directly impact human health. The unique adaptations of marine organisms have made them valuable models for biomedical research and have provided a source of new medicines for human disease.

There are currently nine FDA-approved marine-derived drugs on the market for indications such as cancer, pain and infectious disease, and research using marine animals has resulted in six Nobel Prizes. Modern genomic techniques provide a cost-effective and sustainable approach to accelerate the discovery of therapeutically important molecules and to advance marine animals for biomedical

research. At GMGI, we are using a genome mining approach to explore the biological and chemical diversity of marine organisms for the discovery of new therapeutics for human disease and new tools for biotechnology research. We are also developing genomic tools for marine animal models with an initial focus on long-lived, disease resistant marine organisms.

Fisheries ProgramAdvances in genome-wide analysis are enabling new applications in fisheries. Genomic technologies can provide a detailed understanding of population structure, migration patterns and the genetic underpinnings of disease susceptibility. By sequencing the genomes of commercially important species such as cod and lobster, GMGI is enabling the development of high resolution tools for improved understanding of their population genetics. GMGI is also developing the next generation of tools for monitoring species distribution and abundance using environmental DNA (eDNA). As a marine organism interacts with its environment, DNA is shed into the surrounding seawater leaving a temporary, local genetic signature of the organism’s presence. This eDNA can be isolated directly from seawater to provide a non-invasive approach for monitoring species distribution and abundance. Disease can lead to devastating consequences for fisheries and GMGI will use genomic approaches to develop sensitive and cost-effective diagnostic tools for fish and shellfish disease.

GMGI scientist studies the American lobster genome