It was a fifth-grade teacher who brought a microscope into the classroom that sparked Karla’s interest in science. She collected pond water and began looking at and growing amoebas and diatoms. It was then that Karla knew that she wanted to be a scientist. She went on to get a degree in Biology. A
fter college Karla began teaching science in a middle school in Vermont. But she was not challenged. Fortunately for Karla, a job as a technician opened at Hopkins Marine Station. She was hired in 1985 to work with Botryllus schlosseri, the colonial star tunicate, in Irv Weissman’s lab.
Initially, Karla’s work was observation and taking care of the animals. Karla says that Anthony DeTomaso, the lab’s resident Associate Professor, really wanted to know what she thought and what else she would like to do, and he offered to mentor her in the latest molecular techniques.
She’s Cookin!
Karla learned how to prep the animals for DNA fingerprinting and RNA sequencing; it was new science then. She says, “the techniques we used to answer these questions have really changed—we’ve gone from the bicycle to the tesla in 35 years.” She grew up with the lab’s new way of doing science because Irv saw that she could do it. You need to “be a good cook” who can think creatively to do genetic sequencing work with invertebrates since DNA sequencing was exclusively designed for vertebrates.
Karla spends her days in a basement lab filled with tanks of tunicates, wearing a sweater because the animals need to be in chilly water. She collects the Botryllus tunicates from the wild. Recently it has been difficult for Karla to collect tunicates where she usually collects them because there was a major anchovy die-off in Monterey Harbor, which killed tunicates colonies.
The wild tunicates reproduce and release embryos that acclimate to the lab, easily settling and budding into a colony. Karla does research on these colonies and shares them with other scientists. It takes several months to grow in the lab before scientists can do anything with the animals.
Applications in Immunology and Stem Cell Biology
Now the lab is run by Ayelet Voskoboynik, an expert in the field of comparative immunology and stem cell biology. The lab studies stem cells and regeneration in tunicates. Ayelet lets Karla be creative as she recognizes that Karla has institutional knowledge of the lab. Karla loves working at Hopkins, “it’s a dream come true” She has collaborated with great people in the same lab for 35 years.
How Will They Adapt to Climate Change?
Recent studies of tunicates in the lab are looking at how tides, temperature and carbon dioxide impact them. The conditions in the tanks mimic the animals’ natural habitat. Scientists are researching the expression of both clock genes and stress genes. The tunicates do not like warm water. The question is: how will these tunicates respond to the changes in the ocean due to climate change and how they will adapt.
Karla believes it’s important for science students to follow their hearts. “If you are interested in something, go for it she says, just hold your nose and jump. Speak up if you're unhappy—ask for what you need,” shared Karla. Obviously, this works for Karla as she loves her career so much.
