Building the Ultimate Genomic Research Vessel
OGAP lead scientist Dr. Leonid Moroz conducted the first genomic sequencing at sea in 2014 designing and operating the ShipSeq Project aboard the 141’ vessel Copesetic. OGAP laboratory scientist Dr. Gabrielle Winters played a key role in assembling lab and running experiments. Subsequently, they partnered with volunteer vessels and conducted sampling runs over throusands miles in the North Pacific, Atlantic and Antarctic. (See Genomic Sampling Aboard SAM.)
The OGAP team is distilling these field experiences to design a next generation SRV (Sailing Reseach Vessel). Genomic sequencing, microscopy and other sophisticated laboratory equipment are quickly becoming more compact, powerful and durable. As a result, the SRV Morpheus will be an autonomous, low cost, low carbon vessel able to conduct genomic sequencing, molecular, physiological and developmental tests at any ocean location including high latitudes with ice.
OGAP is partnering with renowned Dutch shipbuilders and designers KM Yachts and Dykstra Naval Architects. Between them, the companies have designed and fabricated some of the most advanced and durable sailing and expedition vessels currently at sea. (See Launching of the Vinson of Antartica, KM’s latest construction, a Pelagic 77 launching in early 2021.)
The 23m vessel will be capable of open ocean and littoral gathering of samples near surface and at depth using a combination of nets, ROVs and dive teams. Once aboard the samples will be classified and separated and kept alive for up to three weeks using aquaria and sea tables.
The vessel will be equipped with extensive photography and video cameras and advanced microscopy to allow ultra high resolution documentation of novel specimens including behavioral experiments.
Subsequently, samples will be prepared for sequencing. Ultimately, the SRV Morpheus will be capable of deep transcriptome, genome and metagenomic sequencing, metabolomics and proteomics microanalyses. Onboard servers and robust satellite communications will allow the storage and transmission of the resulting genomic information. The data will be subsequently analyzed using AI and supercomputers such as the University of Florida’s HiperGator revealing heretofore unknown patterns of evolution and biodiversity.
Finally, the vessel will be equipped with a number of freezers (down to -80 Celsius) to preserve unique specimens for posterity.
Design work will be completed in 2021. Building time will be 30 months with a target splash date of 2024. OGAP will conduct sea trials during a summer circumnavigation of Greenland. After expected vessel and laboratory upgrades at the shipyard in Holland, the vessel will embark on a five year circumnavigation largely paralleling Magellan’s route 500 years ago.
The relatively low build and operating costs, a fraction of traditional research vessels, will allow for a dramatic reduction in the acquisition cost per sample and allow an exponential increase in sampling expeditions and the resulting genomic documentation of our oceans.
The SRV Morpheus will be a prototype for an estimated dozen vessels that will be needed to develop a high resolution Ocean Genome Atlas.