The Marine Invertebrate Culture Unit (MICU) and Marine Molecular System (MMS)
The Marine Invertebrate Culture Unit (MICU) and Marine Molecular System (MMS)
The Marine Invertebrate Culture Unit (MICU) and the Marine Molecular System (MMS) contain continuous cultures of over 40,000 individual marine invertebrates ranging from placozoans to annelids to cnidarians. The species cultured are model organisms ideally suited to the research interests of Gaspar Jekely and Dr Elizabeth Williams in the field of Neuroscience.
Organisms are cultured and maintained throughout their reproductive life cycle to facilitate research into the structure, function and evolution of neural circuits, the mechanisms of neuromodulation and the evolution of neuronal cell types and nervous systems some of which may inform us about similar processes in more complex (including human) brains. Other molecular biology approaches to study the sensory and neuroendocrine systems of marine invertebrate larvae to understand how they interact with their surrounding environment. These larvae are crucial to the survival, connectivity and evolution of marine populations.
The culturing and husbandry team of Adam Johnstone and Sophie den Hartog ensure species-specific animal culturing systems are maintained to the highest standards. Sophie den Hartog joined the MICU/MMS following graduating from Bangor University with a Masters in Marine Biology and interning with Stop Finning EU and the South African Shark Conservancy. She has a keen enthusiasm for research and aims to pursue a career in academia within one of her many research interests. Adam has wide-ranging biological, aquatic and husbandry expertise acquired throughout industry and academia which he draws upon to provide comprehensive technical support in this important area of academic research.