The Biotechnology and Environmental Science departments of Palm Beach Community College have formed a collaboration with Lawrence Wood, a Conservation Biologist affiliated with the Animal Wellness and Conservation Biology Program of the Palm Beach Zoo to participate in the Comprehensive Florida Hawksbill Turtle Research Program www.floridahawksbills.com

This exciting interdisciplinary project is currently providing two PBCC biotechnology students with the opportunity to participate in research with relevant real-world applications.

The project encompasses research questions pertaining to the biological effects of contaminants in the food chain of local Hawksbill turtle populations. Students participating in this endeavor have the chance to learn about the local habitat of Hawksbill turtles, identify sponges that these turtles feed on, and address questions related to the biological effects of environmental contamination on wildlife.

The students are addressing the question of whether contaminants present in the water are being absorbed to a significant extent by the sponges that Hawksbill turtles feed on, therefore leading to the health of the turtle populations being deleteriously affected. Participants have the option of accompanying Wood on SCUBA dives for water and sponge sample collection.

The samples that are collected will then undergo GC/MS (gas chromatography mass spectrometry) analysis in our new state-of-the-art Bioscience and Technology Complex in order to identify the contaminants that are present in the water and sponges. Should further biochemical research be warranted, we will also submit the specimens to HPLC and/or FPLC analysis to identify larger compounds. If elevated levels of potentially hazardous chemicals are found in the sponge samples, then blood and tissue samples will be obtained from a sub-adult population of local Hawksbill to assess the quantity of these contaminants present in the turtles.

This research project provides PBCC students with an extraordinary opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary hypothesis-driven investigation utilizing biotechnology applications to study environmentally relevant issues. It is just one of the many exciting internship opportunities made available to students of our Biotechnology Program.

For additional information please contact:

Dr. Libby Handel, Ph.D.
Director of Biotechnology Program
handele@pbcc.edu

Dr. Alexandra Gorgevska, Ph.D.
Biotechnology Professor
gorgevsa@pbcc.edu