FORT PIERCE, Fla. — The popular lecture program “Marine Science in the Morning” returns to the St Lucie County Aquarium on Jan. 15 and runs through March 25 on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 9 a.m. This lecture series features expert speakers on topics of marine research and conservation.
On Jan. 15, Dr. Peter McCarthy of FAU Harbor Branch presents “Marine Invertebrates: A Resource for Drug Discovery.” The Marine Biomedical and Biotechnology group at FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute is a leader in the discovery of new therapeutic compounds from marine organisms such as sponges, soft corals and their associated microbes. The talk will describe the process of marine drug discovery and the potential benefits to medical science.
On Jan. 29, Kirk Fusco of the Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves will present “Florida Horseshoe Crab Watch: Linked with Limulus.” The American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) is an incredible organism that has existed unchanged for hundreds of millions of years. This invertebrate is not only important ecologically for Florida’s marine and estuarine environments, but also for the pharmaceutical and biomedical industry around the world. Come learn more about this amazing animal.
All lectures take place at the St Lucie County Aquarium, located at 420 Seaway Drive in Fort Pierce on Hutchinson Island. Regular admission rates apply and admission is good all day. Upcoming lectures can be found by visiting our website at www.stlucieco.gov/Aquarium. The best way to keep up with what’s happening at the aquarium, including being the first to know about new programs, is to follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SmithsonianSMS.
The Smithsonian Marine Station has teamed with St. Lucie County and other community partners to create this unique educational facility. The Exhibit is an outreach effort of the Smithsonian Marine Station, a branch of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. A fixture in the Fort Pierce community for more than p45 years, the Marine Station is dedicated to understanding the character and diversity of the marine and estuarine habitats of Florida. For more information, visit www.stlucieco.gov/Aquarium.
–St. Lucie County