TARA PITTS

tpitts@hboi.edu

Research Specialist - Screening Program
Division of Biomedical Marine Research (DBMR)
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution

Tara Pitts has worked in DBMR for over 15 years. She has participated in many research expeditions with HBOI's ships and submersibles. Tara got her BS in marine biology from Florida Tech in Melbourne, Florida. She also has received an AS in Medical Laboratory Technology from Indian River Community College. Tara started working with DBMR in the microbiology group and now works in the biological screening group. She tests our sample extracts for any type of biological activity. The majority of our testing these days is on cancer cells. Tara also works on mechanism of action studies of the active pure compounds that are isolated through biologically guided purification. On this expedition Tara will be focusing on helping the microbiology group with their isolations as well as helping in the daily processing of the collected samples.