Testing how electrical current might rejuvenate marine organisms

Many marine species face an uncertain future as climate change warms and acidifies the ocean. Among them are a group of ancient invertebrates called tunicates, more commonly known as sea squirts, that carpet rocks and the undersides of boats and docks. These colorful, colony-building organisms have remarkable stem cells that can regenerate their entire body every week. This project will build upon previous research that found pulses of electrical current can result in long-lasting enhancements of individual Botryllus schlosserri tunicates’ lifespan and stem cell stores. Ayelet Voskoboynik, assistant professor of biology in the School of Humanities and Sciences, and team will now test whether electrical current treatment also improves the animal’s resistance to stressors like warmer and more acidic waters, potentially informing strategies of how to protect vulnerable marine species in the face of climate change.