After more than 20 years of absence of a fishery, the oyster made a come-back to Rhode Island waters in the early 1990s. After some bountiful years, the oyster fishery crashed again. One of the factors in the decline of Rhode Island's oyster fishery is Dermo disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Perkinsus marinus. This is a chronic, debilitating disease responsible for widespread mortality of the American oyster (Crassostrea virginica) in the Atlantic coast of North America. Control of this disease requires a good understanding of the mechanisms of P. marinus pathogenesis and the defense mechanisms of the host, the American oyster. The goal of our research is to investigate the molecular interactions between Perkinsus marinus and oysters during early infection. We have determined the temporal variation of protease and antimicrobial activities in oyster plasma after experimental infection with P. marinus, as well as constructed libraries of genes up- or down-regulated in oyster hemocytes in response to infection. Knowledge from this research could be applied to the development of disease resistant strains of oysters for restoration and aquaculture efforts.

If you'd like to meet with Prof Gomez-Chiarri during her visit, please contact Patti Correia (x4-2656 or correia at egr.uri.edu).