SHOULD FLIPPER BE WORRIED? |
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In the past two decades, approximately 30 human diseases new to medicine have emerged, and older diseases such as malaria and cholera have experienced
resurgence. Marine mammals have been experiencing a similar disturbing trend. The reasons for this are complex, but likely due to
"environmental disease syndrome" whereby ecological and climatic changes associated with human activities change the environment to such
a degree that new strains of microorganisms develop to cause new diseases. On Feb. 5, as part of the ongoing Ocean Science Lecture Series
at HARBOR BRANCH, Dr. Gregory Bossart will discuss this phenomenon and the emerging diseases that pose the greatest threats to marine mammals
including dolphins, whales and manatees. He will also explain why high-tech tools developed for humans are vital to proper identification and
monitoring of these diseases.
Dr. Bossart has spent over 20 years working in clinical marine mammal medicine and wildlife pathology. He has a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. in comparative immunology from Florida International University. He also completed a National Institutes of Health fellowship in comparative pathology at the University of Miami's School of Medicine, where he later served as an Associate Professor of Pathology before assuming his current position as Director of HARBOR BRANCH's Division of Marine Mammal Research and Conservation. Dr. Bossart has also been in private veterinary practice, and he is currently a clinical veterinary consultant for various U.S. and South American institutions and aquariums. Dr. Bossart will give his talk at both 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Feb. 5 at the main auditorium of the Johnson Education Center at HARBOR BRANCH Oceanographic Institution, 5600 U.S. 1 North, Fort Pierce, FL. The talk is free to the public. HARBOR BRANCH Oceanographic Institution, Inc., is one of the world's leading nonprofit oceanographic research organizations dedicated to exploration of the earth's oceans, estuaries and coastal regions for the benefit of humankind. CONTACTS: Mark Schrope - Science Writer 772-465-2400 x433) • schrope@hboi.edu Jan Petri - Government and Public Relations 772-465-2400 x241 • petri@hboi.edu |