This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Biological Sciences program provides $643,665 to the National Marine Mammal Foundation, Inc. to conduct collaborative research on oxygen transport mechanisms in elite diving mammals. The 4-year project, beginning December 1, 2023, will evaluate and model in vivo oxygen delivery during dive simulations with California sea lions and bottlenose dolphins. It will also elucidate the biochemical mechanisms regulating red blood cell oxygen off-loading kinetics, as well as oxygen storage and diffusion parameters in the skeletal muscle endothelial cells of these marine mammals. This multi-organizational effort aims to uncover the adaptive mechanisms that allow diving mammals to push physiological limits during extended underwater periods. The project will provide unique training opportunities for next-generation scientists and integrate the research findings into science education programs serving underrepresented students.
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