Algae that recycles pollutants. Trace metal pollution around the industrial Great Lakes has been linked to neurological disorders and some cancers. Now, research supported by Ohio Sea Grant is promising a new bioremedation technology employing a transgenic algae that absorbs metals. The technology is both ecologically safe and efficient.

At last, solutions to zebra mussels. A research team supported by New York Sea Grant has discovered a biotoxin that is lethal to zebra mussels yet harmless to other species. In a complementary project, another team has developed a genetic probe for identifying the larvae of this invasive species.

Using biotechnology for lifesaving drugs. Florida researchers have identified sponges, tunicates, and soft corals that produce compounds with potent anti-tumor properties. However, using these species for pharmaceutical development could devastate their natural populations. Scientists are addressing this by using modern molecular technologies to create the bioactive compounds in their laboratories.

Solutions for declining fisheries: The oyster industry in the Gulf of Mexico is at an all-time low, partly due to 2 oyster diseases. To revitalize the industry, Louisiana researchers are developing a method of producing oysters with a gene for enhanced disease resistance.

Source for otter disease revealed: Infectious diseases are suspected of playing a role in the increase in sea otter mortality off California's coast. Researchers, having traced one source of otter illness to a parasite excreted in cat feces, are now developing molecular tests for determining the parasite's demographic characteristics. By sharing their findings with resource specialists, they hope to correct the situation.

Searching for new enzymes in submarine vents: Surprisingly, the microorganisms living around deep sea hydrothermal vents are highly diverse. Hoping to discover new, useful enzymes from these species, scientists in Washington are collecting microorganisms from hydrothermal vents and a seismically active submarine volcano off their state's coast.