ME Bioscience Day Videos
ME Bioscience Day 2024 Introduction with Patrick Breeding from Marin Skincare
Each year, the BioME team and schools across the state look forward to ME Bioscience Day. ME Bioscience Day is a statewide event that aims to get students excited about life science and raise awareness of career opportunities available within Maine’s life sciences industry. Our 9th annual event is taking place throughout the week of November 18-22, 2024.
Patrick Breeding is the Co-Founder and CEO of Marin Skincare. Marin Skincare is a hydration cream created with marine glycoproteins to sooth aggravated skin.
Dr. Matt Lynes from from MaineHealth Institute for Research
Matt Lynes, PhD, is a Faculty Scientist at MaineHealth Institute for Research’s Center for Molecular Medicine. The Lyne’s Lab studies fat tissue to learn how fat develops and functions in healthy people and what goes wrong with fat in sick people.
Dr. Caitlin Howell from from University of Maine
Caitlin Howell, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Maine’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. Dr. Howell is also the Principle Investigator and Head of the Howell Biointerface and Biomimetics Lab at University of Maine.
Sarah Joyce from Kennebec River Biosciences
Sarah Joyce is a Microbiologist at Kennebec River Biosciences in Richmond, ME. Kennebec River Biosciences provides aquatic animal health services and solutions to farms, businesses, government agencies, and scientific research institutions.
Lindsay Ware from Science Dogs of New England
Lindsay Ware is the Owner of Sciences Dogs of New England in Ellsworth, ME. Her company creates new opportunities for conservation and environmental research in New England through the use of trained scent detection dogs for low-impact data collection and conservation practices.
Dr. Melissa Maginnis from from University of Maine
Melissa Maginnis, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Microbiology at the University of Maine’s School for Molecular & Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Maginnis is also the Director of the Maginnis Laboratory at University of Maine.
Dr. Colleen Mayberry from The Jackson Laboratory
Dr. Colleen Mayberry is a Post Doctoral Scientist at the The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, ME. Dr. Mayberry received her PhD in Microbiology from the University of Maine.
Brian Harris from MedRhythms
Brian Harris is the Co-Founder and CEO of MedRhythms. MedRhythms uses music and technology to help people with brain injury or disease.
Karlee Markovich from MDI Biological Laboratory
Karlee Markovich is an Animal Facility Manager at MDI Biological Laboratory in picturesque Mount Desert Island. She specializes in regenerative medical research in animals, where she gets to work with exotic marine invertebrates such as zebrafish, axolotl, and African turquoise killifish. These animals are special because they can regenerate any part of their body, something us humans can’t do!
Day to day, Karlee examines the cells, genomes, and DNA of these animals, and compares it to those of a human, to see how we can translate the animals’ regenerative abilities to humans.
Erin Bouttenot from Northeast Laboratory Services
Erin Bouttenot is an Indoor Air Quality Technical Manager at Northeast Laboratory Services. She helps us breathe clean, quality air, through finding dangerous invisible contaminants.
In her lab, she grows mold, bacteria, and yeast on culture media. She then uses that media in various settings to test the air for contaminants. Those contaminants are removed from the space accordingly, resulting in a healthier and safer environment, so we can breathe easy.
Dr. Norman Moore from Abbott
Dr. Norman Moore is the Global Director of Scientific Affairs at Abbott. His company has played a vital role in mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic through their diagnostic tests. These tests have had high demand throughout the pandemic, so much so that they had to build an entirely new factory.
Dr. Norman’s job is quite exciting because he shares these groundbreaking tests with people across the world. On any given day, he speaks with many people including members of the CDC, doctors, nurses, thought leaders, and school administrators. As a Global Director of Scientific Affairs, he educates people about all facets of the tests to ensure they are running the tests effectively and following the guidelines to receive accurate results.
Patrick Breeding from Marin Skincare
Patrick Breeding is the founder of Marin Skincare and started his own company using science. He discovered that the glycoprotein found in lobster to protects the lobster’s barrier, also protects and hydrates human skin. He formulated a skin cream using the glycoprotein from ethically sourced lobsters. It had amazing results on the skin, and promoted skin health and healing.
Chuck Lubelczyk from MaineHealth Institute for Research
Chuck Lubelczyk is a Vector Ecologist at Maine Medical Center Research Institute. He studies vectors like ticks and mosquitoes that transmit diseases such as Lyme disease. To find vectors, he sweeps a cloth across a certain area of woods, and analyzes the vectors that he finds on the cloth. This process helps him to estimate the risk in that particular site, and he is able to give that information to the State Health Department so they know what areas of woods are at risk for vectors. Chuck loves what he does, and he encourages students to honor their passion for science. He says that there are so many niches within the field of bioscience, and believes there is one for everyone.
Tori Denis from IDEXX
Tori Denis is an Associate Scientist at IDEXX, a global life sciences and technology company based in Maine. Tori became interested in science when she was in middle school. Tori says, “In school you hear about the great scientists of our history, and sometimes you feel like you can’t get there. But, when you go to school, keep learning, and work with other people who are in the field, it gives you confidence to pursue that path.” At her job, she enjoys planning and performing experiments, while using creativity and problem solving skills. She also develops and manufactures the Snap test kits that veterinarians use to test for vector-borne diseases in dogs, cats, and other animals. Tori has two dogs of her own, so she is happy to work for a company that prioritizes pets’ health.