Going Below the Surface with Dr. Ryan Carnegie

Dr. Ryan Carnegie is a Marine Biologist who studies diseases of marine animals but specializes in studying mollusks, like oysters and clams. Carnegie tries to understand the factors that influence mollusks because it effects seafoods, consumers, and local businesses. Dr. Carnegie grew up in New Jersey and always had a love for the water. At first, Carnegie kept with a more broad spectrum of Marine Biology. He went to Rutgers University and studied Marine Biology but mostly plant ecology. After, he studied under VIMS where he fully emerged in marine biology and upon receiving his PHD at the University of Maine, Dr. Carnegie did a post doc program in British Columbia, Canada. After studying in Canada, he received a job at VIMS, where he started working in the fields of genetics with oysters and clams. Within a year and a half, he switched to studying oysters' diseases. Since 2010, Carnegie has been the head scientist of oyster diseases. In his lab, there are two full-time technical staff members, a part time technical staff member, and three grad students. All are involved in diagnostics. There are two forms of diagnostics, the old fashioned version which is the microscopic way, and the new modern "csi way" (molecular diagnostics) as described by Dr. Carnegie. In the lab, the scientists study more than 10,000 animals a year to find the potential diseases among oysters and clams. Their monitoring program provides analysis on the level of diseases in various rivers across Virginia. The results collected go to the Virginia Resources Commission for a better understanding of mortality rates each year caused by oyster parasites, allowing them to cut back or find a balance between both fishery mortality and disease mortality. Among all the diseases studied, perkinsus and MSX are the most common in Virginia. While perkinsus can be directly passed, the way MSX is spread is unknown. These diseases cause the oysters to become thin, watery, and to eventually die. Researchers are able to find parasites by using a culture based method where a section of oyster tissue is taken and put in a fluid where it decomposes for 5 to 7 days. While the sample is decomposing, the fluid cases the parasite to enlarge, enabling scientists to locate them more easily. After decomposing, the sample is put on a glass microscopic slide and cut up with a drop of iodine added. The perkinsus cells absorb the iodine causing them to become black against the orange background. This allows scientists to count and see how many perkinsus cells are infecting the oyster or clam. The team's research helps foster the learning and discovery regarding diseases on mollusks.