National Marine Mammal Foundation Inc

SINGLE AUDIT REPORT ATTACHED TO SINGLE AUDIT SECTION

SOUNDS AS INDICATORS OF HEALTH AND WELFARE OF NAVY'S MINE HUNTING DOLPHINS

VESOP II: DEVELOPING BROADLY APPLICABLE MODELS TO PREDICT VITAL RATES FROM REMOTELY SAMPLED HEALTH MEASURES INCLUDING EPIGENETICS.

BREATH METABOLITES FOR PERSONALIZED MEDICINE IN THE US NAVY MARINE MAMMAL PROGRAM

METABOLIC COSTS AND IMMUNE SYSTEM IMPACTS FROM CHRONIC CORTISOL ELEVATION AND DECREASED ENERGY ACQUISITION

VARIABILITY OF HORMONAL STRESS MARKERS COLLECTED FROM A MANAGED DOLPHIN POPULATION

CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF AN IMMUNOLOGICAL TOOLKIT AND PROFILE FOR BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: INTBIO: MICRO LEVEL OXYGEN TRANSPORT MECHANISMS IN ELITE DIVING MAMMALS: CAPILLARY RBC TO MYOFIBER -FOR MAMMALS, OXYGEN IS ESSENTIAL TO BREATHE AND FUEL DAILY ACTIVITIES. HOWEVER, SOME MARINE MAMMALS HAVE SPECIALIZED ADAPTATIONS THAT ALLOW THEM TO SPEND LONG TIME PERIODS UNDERWATER ON A SINGLE BREATH. ONE ADAPTATION THAT IS NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD IS HOW RED BLOOD CELLS TRAVEL AND OXYGEN IS DELIVERED TO WORKING MUSCLES DURING A LONG DURATION DIVE. FURTHER, NOT ALL MARINE MAMMALS HAVE EVOLVED WITH THE SAME ADAPTATIONS AND GENES. ONE GENETIC DIFFERENCE IS THE LOSS OF A GENE THAT ENCODES FOR THE ENZYME CMP-NEU5AC HYDROXYLASE IN PINNIPEDS (E.G., SEA LIONS) BUT NOT CETACEANS (E.G., DOLPHINS). CMP-NEU5AC HYDROXYLASE MODIFIES SUGAR RESIDUES COATING THE SURFACE OF CELLS, WHICH COULD SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT OXYGEN TRANSPORT. THIS PROJECT BRINGS TOGETHER A TEAM OF RESEARCHERS WITH EXPERTISE IN MARINE MAMMAL BIOLOGY, HEMOGLOBIN PROTEIN STRUCTURE, SPECTROSCOPY, AND CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY TO TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PINNIPEDS AND CETACEANS IN HOW OXYGEN-CARRYING RED BLOOD CELLS REACH ACTIVE SKELETAL MUSCLES, HOW OXYGEN IS UNLOADED FROM RED BLOOD CELLS AND HOW OXYGEN IS TRANSFERRED ACROSS CELL MEMBRANES. UNIQUE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE PROVIDED FOR NEXT GENERATION SCIENTISTS AS THEY PERFORM EXPERIMENTS IN DIVERSE RESEARCH SETTINGS AND DRAW FROM SEVERAL SPECIALIZED FIELDS TO ANSWER A COMPLEX BIOLOGICAL QUESTION. BY PARTNERING WITH EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS AND TRAINING TEACHERS WHO SERVE UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS, WE WILL INTEGRATE RESEARCH-BASED CONTENT FROM OUR OXYGEN TRANSPORT WORK ON DIVING MAMMALS INTO SCIENCE LESSONS THAT MEET NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS AND WILL BE SHARED WITH TEACHERS LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY. O2 STORE MANAGEMENT STUDIES IN AIR-BREATHING MARINE MAMMALS DEMONSTRATE THAT DIVING MAMMALS NOT ONLY TOLERATE VERY LOW O2 ENVIRONMENTS, BUT ACTUALLY THRIVE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. PART OF THEIR SUCCESS DERIVES FROM A WELL-DEFINED DIVE RESPONSE AT THE SYSTEMIC LEVEL (BRADYCARDIA AND VASOCONSTRICTION). HOWEVER, O2 EXCHANGE AT THE PERIPHERAL MICROVESSEL-MYOCYTE LEVEL IS NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD. FURTHER, THERE MAY BE DIFFERENCES IN PERIPHERAL O2 TRANSPORT DUE TO THE LOSS OF A GENE IN PINNIPEDS BUT NOT CETACEANS. THIS GENE ENCODES FOR CMP-NEU5AC HYDROXYLASE (CMAH) WHICH ALTERS CELL SURFACES INCLUDING RED BLOOD CELLS, POTENTIALLY AFFECTING PERIPHERAL O2 TRANSPORT. OUR CENTRAL HYPOTHESIS IS THAT PINNIPEDS AND CETACEANS HAVE DISTINCT PERIPHERAL MORPHOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS AND O2 REGULATORY MECHANISMS FOR EXTENDED DIVING. THIS HYPOTHESIS WILL BE TESTED BY INVESTIGATORS WITH COMPLEMENTARY EXPERTISE IN MARINE MAMMAL BIOLOGY, HB/MB PROTEIN STRUCTURE, ADVANCED SPECTROSCOPY/EPR, AND CELL/MOLECULAR O2 MODELS USING THREE APPROACHES: 1. EVALUATE AND MODEL IN VIVO O2 DELIVERY IN CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS (CASL, PINNIPED, CMAH-) AND BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS (BD, CETACEAN, CMAH+) DURING AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER A SIMULATED DIVE. 2. ELUCIDATE AND MODEL THE BIOCHEMICAL MECHANISMS REGULATING RBC HB-O2 OFF-LOADING KINETICS IN PINNIPEDS AND CETACEANS. 3. ELUCIDATE O2 STORAGE AND DIFFUSION PARAMETERS IN CASL AND BD SKELETAL MUSCLE ENDOTHELIAL CELLS +/- CMAH OVEREXPRESSION OR SIALIC ACID MODULATION. THIS PROJECT SPANS MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONAL LEVELS AND WILL UNCOVER ADAPTIVE MECHANISMS BY WHICH MARINE MAMMALS PUSH PHYSIOLOGICAL LIMITS DURING DIVES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

METABOLIC STUDIES TO FORMULATE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT STRATEGIES FOR AMMONIUM URATE NEPHROLITHIASIS IN NAVY DOLPHINS

CHARACTERIZATION AND TREATMENT OF METABOLIC SYNDROME AND IRON OVERLOAD IN NAVY BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS

THE MARINE MAMMAL FOUNDATION (NMMF) WILL ASSIST NOAA FISHERIES TO ACCOMPLISH COMMON MARINE MAMMAL GOALS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO (GOM) AND OTHER U.S. WATERS. THE NMMF WILL SUPPORT AND IMPLEMENT MARINE MAMMAL TASKING AUTHORIZED UNDER THE OIL POLLUTION ACT, NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES ACT, MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT, ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT, AND OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES' AUTHORITIES RELATED TO MARINE MAMMAL RESTORATION, CONSERVATION, AND PROTECTION. THE NMMF WILL SUPPORT NOAAS WORK TO CONSERVE, PROTECT, AND RECOVER SPECIES AND THEIR HABITATS, INCLUDING THROUGH THEIR ENDANGERED SPECIES CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY, MARINE MAMMAL CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, AND MARINE MAMMAL HEALTH AND STRANDING RESPONSE PROGRAMS. THE NMMF WILL PRIORITIZE NOAA FISHERIES RECOVERY AND CONSERVATION OF PROTECTED RESOURCES MISSION AND THE LARGER NOAA ECOSYSTEMS MISSION TO PROTECT, RESTORE, AND MANAGE USE OF COASTAL AND OCEAN RESOURCES THROUGH ECOSYSTEM-BASED MANAGEMENT. TOP PRIORITIES INCLUDE: PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, PLANNING AND OVERSIGHT; COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH; VESSEL AND DRONE-BASED SURVEILLANCE; PHOTO-ID SURVEYS, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND OUTCOME SURVEYS; REMOTE BIOPSY SURVEYS; CATCH-AND-RELEASE HEALTH ASSESSMENTS; ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS; LOCAL STRANDING NETWORK ACTIVITIES; CATCH AND TRANSLOCATIONS; AND RESCUE AND REHABILITATION.

MOLECULAR INDICATORS OF CHRONIC STRESS INA MODEL PINNIPED - THE NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL

DEVELOPING DEEP MACHINE LEARNING OF VOCAL BIOMARKERS FOR NON-INVASIVE MONITORING OF THE HEALTH AND WELFARE STATUS OF THE NAVY'S MINE-HUNTING DOLPHINS

HEMOTAG, A MINIMALLY INVASIVE REMOTE BLOOD COLLECTION DEVICE FOR CETACEANS

A MODEL FOR LINKING PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES OF INDIVIDUAL HEALTH TO POPULATION VITAL RATES FOR CETACEANS

DETERMINING RISK FACTORS FOR DIABETES TO PREVENT AND TREAT CHRONIC DISEASES IN NAVY BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS (TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS)

STEM MARINE SCIENCE, MEDICINE, AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES

BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE EVALUATIONS EMPLOYING ROBUST BASELINES AND ACTUAL NAVY TRAINING

AUDITORY MASKING PATTERNS IN BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS FROM ANTHROPOEGENIC AND NATURAL NOISE SOURCES

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: AT-SEA EXPERIMENTAL DISTURBANCES TO CHARACTERIZE PHYSIOLOGICAL PLASTICITY IN DIVING NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEALS

DOLPHIN DOCTOR II: UNDER PRESSURE

STEM DOLPHIN DOCTOR: PLACE-BASED MARINE MAMMAL STEM EXPERIENCES

STRESS HORMONES AND THEIR REGULATION IN A CAPTIVE DOLPHIN POPULATION

ASSESSMENT OF MOVEMENT PATTERNS AND CRITICAL HABITAT FOR COASTAL AND CONTINENTAL SHELF SMALL CETACEANS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO USING NEWLY DEVELOPED RE

SUPPORT FOR ONR-FUNDED RESEARCH IN VIRUS DISCOVERY, STEM CELL, AND MICROBIOTA

REPRODUCTIVE HORMONES AS RELATED TO AGE, SEX, SEASON AND LEVELS OF STRESS HORMONES IN THE BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN

MARINE MAMMAL CONSERVATION: SPOTLIGHT ON THE SOUTHERN RESIDENT KILLER WHALE

COMBINING AND COMPARING AGING TECHNIQUES IN CETACEANS

DOLPHIN DOCTOR, ON THE FRONT LINES OF MARINE MAMMAL MEDICINE

VARIABILITY OF HORMONAL STRESS MARKERS COLLECTED FROM A MANAGED DOLPHIN POPULATION

DEVELOPING A RESEARCH FRAMEWORK TO SUPPORT ASSESSMENTS OF CUMULATIVE EFFECTS FROM MULTIPLE STRESSORS ON DOLPHINS IN THE HOUSTON AREA UNDER CERCLA AND OPA

THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PRODUCE PILOT DATA FOR AN EPIGENETIC AGING CLOCK FOR PINNIPEDS UTILIZING DNA SAMPLES FROM STRANDED AND FREE-RANGING NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEALS (MIROUNGA ANGUSTIROSTRIS) AS A MODEL TO INVESTIGATE BIOLOGICAL AGE IN THE ENDANGERED HAWAIIAN MONK SEAL (NEOMONACHUS SCHAUINSLANDI). WE AIM TO USE EPIGENETICS TO ASSESS THE PRESENCE OF AGE ACCELERATION - A BIOLOGICAL AGE HIGHER THAN A CHRONOLOGICAL AGE (TIME SINCE BIRTH) PROVIDING AN INDICATION OF BOTH CHRONOLOGICAL AGE AND HEALTH STATUS. WE WILL COMPARE THE DIFFERENCES IN DNA METHYLATION BETWEEN WILD AND REHABILITATED PINNIPEDS TO ASSESS THE IMPACTS OF DEBILITATED HEALTH STATUS. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT STRANDED ANIMALS WILL HAVE INCREASED BIOLOGICAL AGE DUE TO DISEASES SUCH AS NEMATODE INFESTATION AND MALNUTRITION, PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTIC TOOL TO GUIDE REHABILITATION, CONSERVATION, AND MANAGEMENT DECISIONS.

BIOINFORMATIC ANALYSES OF BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN SKIN TRANSCRIPTOMES FROM IN VITRO OIL AND PCB EXPOSURES

WORKSHOP ON THE CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE OF UNDERWATER HEARING RESEARCH

U.S. NAVY MARINE MAMMAL PROGRAM INVESTMENT STRATEGY FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH FY21-FY25 SCIENTIFIC MEETI

SCIENTIFIC MEETING ON DISEASE PREVENTION IN NAVY MARINE MAMMALS