UMBI's Center of Marine Biotechnology (COMB) and the Thomas M. Teague Biotechnology Center of Maine (TEAGUE) join forces to further cutting-edge cold water aquatic research and apply next generation technologies to seafood products

BALTIMORE, MD – TEAGUE and UMBI recently entered into a memorandum of agreement to apply the tools of modern biology and biotechnology to study the habitation and growth of cold water marine species, with the ultimate goal of creating an environmentally sustainable technology to produce commercially valuable species such as the Atlantic Salmon in complete containment.

“This agreement brings to life a new era of applying the next generation of aquaculture technology to coldwater, marine species,” Dr. Yonathan Zohar, Director of COMB. “The goal is to safeguard aquatic resources and create an environmentally sustainable technology to produce commercially important species in complete containment, thus ensuring a sustainable food source for the United States and the global community. Both TEAGUE and UMBI are committed to advancing our respective states’ scientific and economic advancements in marine biotechnology and marine aquaculture through this MOA.”

“UMBI and the faculty of COMB have a proven track record in the area of aquaculture and biotechnology and development projects,” says Clyde E. Dyar, Director of TEAGUE. “In part, this is why TEAGUE is fully committed to this memorandum of agreement and our pledge to provide the land to build a 20,000 square foot facility in Maine to be the focal point of cooperative activity to study cold water species and their habitation and to develop and co-commercialize aquaculture technologies. We are also committed to working with UMBI to apply jointly for funds to build the facility and do research at the Teague Center and UMBI’s Center of Marine Biotechnology.”

“This is a win-win collaboration,” said Dr. Jennie Hunter-Cevera, President of UMBI. The cold-water marine aquaculture system, including advanced filtration, ozone control and bacterial protection, will enable cutting-edge research and hatchery technologies to be applied to cold-water marine finfish and shellfish. “We are very excited about this partnership.”

“With the signing of the agreement between the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI) and the Thomas M. Teague Biotechnology Center of Maine, a new page is being written in the story of Maine aquaculture,” said Dr. James Kenny, President of the Thomas M. Teague Biotechnology Center of Maine, Board of Directors.

According to the memorandum of agreement, UMBI’s Center of Marine Biotechnology will provide informational exchanges to assist in lab design and safety requirements, as well as the commercialization resulting from the work with cold water species in Maine. TEAGUE will provide administrative services for the new facility by identifying, recruiting, training and employing expert researchers to support the envisioned project activity. UMBI and TEAGUE’s implementation plan includes working collaboratively with Husson College, Kennebec Valley Technical College, University of Maine Farmington, Maine’s Applied Technology Centers and other institutions of higher learning in New England and Canada. The International Northeast Bioscience Corridor comprised of New England states and Eastern Canadian provinces with headquarters in the TEAGUE center will be the conduit for reaching New England and Canadian institutions.

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