Robotic laboratory monitors bacteria at undersea mound in Southern California

The Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) proved its versatility once again during the summer of 2010, when it detected bacteria at an undersea methane hydrate mound off the coast of Southern California. The movie describes the ESP and this specific expedition. The (Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) is a robotic biochemistry lab that can be placed in the ocean to analyze genetic material or other organic compounds created by microorganisms in seawater. After performing these analyses, the ESP can send the results back to shore in real time. Such analyses can indicate what types of micro-organisms are present in the water around the ESP. The ESP can also detect complex organic materials such as the toxins produced by some red-tide algae.

The ESP was developed at MBARI with support from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the National Science Foundation's Ocean Technology Interdisciplinary Coordination (OTIC) program. The PCR module for the ESP was designed and merged with the ESP with support from NASA's Astrobiology Science and Technology for Exploring Planets (ASTEP) program and from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The transfer of the ESP technology to Spyglass Biosecurity and McLane Research Laboratories (the manufacturing partner) has been supported by the Packard Foundation, the Moore Foundation, NASA ASTEP, NSF OTIC, and the Center for Microbial Oceanography Research and Education (C-MORE).

As the list of contributors above indicates, the development of the ESP has been supported by many different organizations. The latest chapters in this saga have involved close collaboration between MBARI, LLNL, Spyglass Biosecurity, and McLane Research Labs. We are pleased that this partnership has been recognized by the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer.

Video producer: Linda Kuhnz
Script and narration: Jim Birch

Видео Robotic laboratory monitors bacteria at undersea mound in Southern California канала MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)