The Oceans and Human Health Act of 2004 directed NOAA to establish
an Oceans and Human
Health Initiative “to coordinate and implement research and activities
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration related to the role of the
oceans, the coasts, and the Great Lakes in human health” and includes the
formation of Centers of Excellence in Oceans and Human Health. As one of the Centers,
the Hollings Marine Laboratory
(HML) is developing new methods and approaches to identify and characterize chemical
and microbial threats to marine ecosystems and human health and evaluate the health
responses of marine organisms to stress. To accomplish these objectives the HML established and continues to
build capacity in three core research areas. These are source tracking of marine
pathogens, chemical contaminants, and applied marine genomics. A monitoring and
assessment core is validating and testing the sensitivity of the new tools being
developed. The results of the research program will be conveyed to environmental
and public health managers, teachers, university students and citizens of all ages
through a comprehensive education and outreach program.
The HML is operated as a partnership
laboratory by NOAA, the
National Institute of Standards and Technology, the
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the
College of Charleston, and the Medical University
of South Carolina. This unique partnership integrates basic,
applied and biomedical scientists into multi-disciplinary research teams and establishes
programs that link environmental conditions in the coastal zone to human health
and socio-economic well being. These actions will bring the assessment cycle full
circle. That is, NOAA
will have effective tools to evaluate human impacts upon our coasts and assess the
impacts of the coastal environment on society. The research conducted at the HML and the other
NOAA research facilities will address the following questions:
What are the cumulative impacts of coastal development on our marine biota and humans?
Are the fish and shellfish safe to eat? Is it safe to swim in the oceans? What can
be done to reduce these problems?