Florida's marine life is under threat because of changes in waterways, but UF researchers may now have resources to find some solutions.
The Emerging Pathogens Institute's new Aquatic Pathobiology Laboratory received about a $1.3 million grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology on Monday that will expand the building's space.
The new laboratory, located on Mowry Road, will expand from its 3,500 square feet to a 7,000-square-foot building thanks to the grant from the institute, a non-regulatory agency with the U.S. Department of Commerce. Construction began in August.
Andy Kane, director of the Aquatic Pathobiology Lab, said the expanded laboratory will provide more room for faculty studying freshwater and marine ecology and for researchers training students in emerging toxins.
The facility allows researchers to carefully control laboratory conditions so the variety of animals, including marine mammals, fish, sea turtles and mollusks, can be studied in an optimal environment, Greene said.
It will also unite the institute with the College of Veterinary Medicine's Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology to share and use multiple resources.
"It's novel to be able to share resources with multiple colleges," he said. "We'll be able to accomplish more together."
The initial $1 million in funds for the now $2.3 million building came from Emerging Pathogens Institute, College of Public Health and Health Professions, College of Veterinary Medicine and the Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences.
