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Coral Health and Disease in the Pacific: Vision for Action

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Meir SussmanMeir recently completed his Ph.D. under <strong>the</strong> mentorship of Drs. Bette Willis (JamesCook University) <strong>and</strong> David Bourne (Australian Institute of Mar<strong>in</strong>e Science). His Ph.D.research <strong>in</strong>vestigated coral diseases on <strong>the</strong> GBR <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Indo-<strong>Pacific</strong> where heisolated, cultured, <strong>and</strong> identified causative agents <strong>for</strong> 4 coral diseases. Meir <strong>the</strong>nidentified specific prote<strong>in</strong>s <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir gene transcripts, actively <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>se diseasesthat are part of bacterial virulence mechanisms expressed dur<strong>in</strong>g coral <strong>in</strong>fections. Heplans to cont<strong>in</strong>ue this l<strong>in</strong>e of research with <strong>the</strong> goal of develop<strong>in</strong>g management-applicablediagnostic tools <strong>for</strong> coral diseases.Email: sussmanmeir@gmail.com.auMac Terzich“Dr. Mac” is a Board certified veter<strong>in</strong>arian (Diplomate ACPV) that operates <strong>Pacific</strong> EastAquaculture, Inc., one of <strong>the</strong> nation's largest mar<strong>in</strong>e ornamentals captive coralpropagation facilities, located on Maryl<strong>and</strong>'s Eastern shore <strong>in</strong> Mardela Spr<strong>in</strong>gs. <strong>Pacific</strong>East Aquaculture is a Maryl<strong>and</strong> State <strong>in</strong>spected <strong>and</strong> licensed coral aquaculture facilitywith <strong>the</strong> capacity to propagate <strong>and</strong> grow thous<strong>and</strong>s of corals, <strong>and</strong> mar<strong>in</strong>e fishes <strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>vertebrates. Mac is also active <strong>in</strong> sponsor<strong>in</strong>g, sett<strong>in</strong>g up, <strong>and</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g coralpropagation projects <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Solomon Isl<strong>and</strong>s, <strong>and</strong> sponsor<strong>in</strong>g research with localuniversities <strong>in</strong> coral health <strong>and</strong> captive propagation of mar<strong>in</strong>e ornamentals.Email: drmac@dmv.comKa<strong>the</strong>r<strong>in</strong>e Tucker-MohlKa<strong>the</strong>r<strong>in</strong>e received her degree from <strong>the</strong> University of Pennsylvania, School of Veter<strong>in</strong>aryMedic<strong>in</strong>e. She received a Veter<strong>in</strong>ary Medic<strong>in</strong>e Fellowship to work with Dr. Patrick Hart,Biological Resources Division - <strong>Pacific</strong> Isl<strong>and</strong> Ecosystems Research Center on "Avianmalaria <strong>in</strong> Hawaii: evaluat<strong>in</strong>g prevalence of <strong>in</strong>fection <strong>and</strong> host resistance <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> CommonAmakihi". Her study seeks to build on recent observations that certa<strong>in</strong> species of nativebirds have returned to lowl<strong>and</strong> habitats <strong>and</strong> have established successful populations,despite high levels of chronic malarial <strong>in</strong>fections. Research will compare <strong>the</strong> prevalenceof avian malaria <strong>in</strong> two previously unstudied lowl<strong>and</strong> populations of Common Amakih<strong>in</strong>ear Kona, on <strong>the</strong> isl<strong>and</strong> of Hawaii, with <strong>the</strong> ultimate goal of improv<strong>in</strong>g conservationprograms <strong>for</strong>, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> health of, endangered Hawaiian <strong>for</strong>est birds. She has recentlyaccepted an <strong>in</strong>ternship with Dr. Thierry Work where she will experience treat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong>study<strong>in</strong>g a variety of diseases <strong>in</strong> tropical organisms.Email: ktmohl@vet.upenn.edu304

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