In the quest to understand and protect our changing planet, Europe's network of marine laboratories stands at the forefront of discovery, harnessing the power of collaboration to explore life beneath the waves.
The ocean covers over 70% of our planet, yet remains one of the least explored and understood frontiers. Marine biological laboratories serve as vital gateways to this mysterious realm, operating as living libraries of marine biodiversity and engines of scientific discovery. Across Europe, a collaborative network of these stations forms a powerful research infrastructure, enabling scientists to study everything from the molecular machinery of a single cell to the vast, complex ecosystems shaped by our changing climate. This coordinated effort is transforming how we understand marine life and its critical role in maintaining a healthy planet.
Europe's approach to marine science is uniquely collaborative. At its heart is the European Marine Biological Resource Centre (EMBRC-ERIC), a distributed research infrastructure that connects marine stations and institutes across the continent. Established as a cornerstone of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures, EMBRC represents a visionary model for scientific cooperation .
This network spans more than 70 marine sites across 10 member countries, offering researchers from both academia and industry unprecedented access to marine biodiversity from the Arctic to the tropics .
70+ marine sites across Europe
10 member countries
Visualization of EMBRC's distributed research infrastructure across Europe
This infrastructure supports research across numerous fields including environmental science, taxonomy, ecology, physiology, evolution, and climate change impacts . By harmonizing access and methodologies across borders, EMBRC enables comparable data collection from disparate regions—a crucial capability for understanding large-scale environmental patterns.
One of the most ambitious projects recently supported by this network is the Traversing European Coastlines (TREC) expedition. This landmark initiative, led by the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in collaboration with the Tara Ocean Foundation and EMBRC, represents a quantum leap in coastal ecosystem exploration 8 .
Between April 2023 and July 2024, TREC visited marine habitats in 21 European countries, including 12 EMBRC sites, to study how coastal ecosystems respond to natural and human-made environmental changes 8 . The expedition's scale required immense coordination, with host stations like CIIMAR in Porto, Portugal, dedicating 12 team members and approximately 30 volunteers to support sampling and scientific engagement activities 8 .
Researchers established over 120 land-sea transects across Europe, allowing them to sample across the critical interface where terrestrial and marine environments meet 8 .
Teams collected water, soil, sediment, and aerosol samples alongside environmental data, creating a comprehensive picture of each location 8 .
All samples were taken and analyzed using consistent methods across all locations, enabling direct comparison of data from different countries and ecosystems 8 .
At selected sites, researchers conducted repeated measurements to track how regions change from year to year 8 .
This standardized approach allowed the expedition to generate truly comparable data across Europe—something previously challenging due to differing national methodologies.
| Aspect | Scale and Impact |
|---|---|
| Duration | April 2023 - July 2024 |
| Geographical Reach | 21 European countries |
| EMBRC Sites Involved | 12 stations |
| Samples Collected | Water, soil, sediment, aerosol |
| Primary Research Focus | Coastal ecosystem response to environmental change |
One compelling research thread within TREC involved Dr. Tobias Gerber from EMBL, who studied the marine ragworm Platynereis dumerilii ("platy") across various EMBRC sites 8 . By examining populations from different European coastlines, Gerber's team investigated how different cell types adapt to environmental variation—research made possible only through the local expertise and logistical support of the EMBRC network 8 .
The expedition also investigated pollutant effects, carbon fixation pathways, molecular adaptations to climate change, and antimicrobial resistance in wild organisms, creating an unprecedented dataset that will fuel marine research for years to come 8 .
The research conducted through European marine laboratories has yielded significant insights across multiple disciplines. In 2024 alone, scientists working within this network published groundbreaking findings that expand our understanding of marine life and its global significance:
A study published in PNAS revealed that ocean currents act as "expressways" to the depths, transporting tiny marine organisms from the sunny surface to the deep ocean where they play crucial roles in carbon cycling 1 . This discovery helps clarify the biological components of the ocean's carbon pump—a vital process for regulating Earth's climate.
In a landmark eight-year study published in Science Advances, researchers produced the first global appraisal of microbiomes in Earth's marine and terrestrial subsurfaces, revealing astonishing microbial diversity in these dark, energy-limited environments 1 . This work fundamentally expands our understanding of life's limits and distribution.
Research published in Current Biology demonstrated that the sea robin—a curious fish that "walks" the seafloor—uses sensory organs on its legs to sniff out prey 1 . This discovery, made by an MBL Whitman Fellow, illustrates how much remains to be learned about even relatively familiar marine organisms.
In a finding that captured significant public attention, scientists from the Grass Lab reported that comb jellies can fuse their bodies and nervous systems together, a capability previously unknown in the animal kingdom 1 . The study was covered by over 154 international news outlets, highlighting public fascination with marine discovery.
| Discovery | Significance | Publication |
|---|---|---|
| Comb jellies fuse nervous systems | Reveals previously unknown biological capability | Current Biology |
| Global subsurface microbiome appraisal | Documents astonishing diversity in Earth's subsurface | Science Advances |
| Ocean current "expressways" | Explains rapid transport of organisms and carbon | PNAS |
| Sea robin's leg-based嗅觉 | Identifies novel sensory adaptation | Current Biology |
| Arctic carbon storage increase | Reveals shifting carbon dynamics in warming Arctic | Nature Climate Change |
The work conducted at Europe's marine biological laboratories relies on both cutting-edge technologies and fundamental research materials. These tools enable scientists to manipulate and observe marine systems at multiple scales:
| Tool/Resource | Function and Application |
|---|---|
| Model Organisms (e.g., Parhyale hawaiensis, Platynereis dumerilii) | Studying fundamental biological processes, evolutionary relationships, and environmental adaptations 1 8 |
| Culture Collections | Providing maintained strains of microorganisms for experimental studies and biotechnological applications 6 |
| CRISPR/Cas9 Genetic Tools | Enabling precise genetic modifications in emerging model organisms to study gene function 2 |
| Mesocosms and Experimental Aquaria | Creating controlled environments that simulate natural conditions for ecological experiments |
| Advanced Imaging Systems | Revealing structural details from the whole-organism to molecular level, including specialized microscopes developed at marine labs 1 |
| Omics Technologies (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics) | Providing comprehensive molecular profiles of organisms and ecosystems 2 |
| Scientific Diving and Research Vessels | Enabling access to and study of marine organisms in their natural habitats |
Advanced sequencing and genetic manipulation techniques enable detailed study of marine organisms at the molecular level.
Controlled experimental ecosystems that simulate natural marine environments for ecological research.
Satellite and drone technologies for large-scale monitoring of marine ecosystems and environmental changes.
Beyond research, Europe's marine laboratories serve as vital educational hubs. The Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, while American, exemplifies the global model that European stations also follow—hosting renowned research training courses that attract approximately 500 students annually from 273 institutions across 58 countries 1 . Similarly, EMBRC supports training through its Marine Training platform, offering both in-person and online courses to equip the next generation of marine scientists .
Students annually
Institutions represented
Countries participating
This educational mission ensures the transfer of knowledge and techniques across generations and borders. The diversity of the student body—with course directors and faculty drawn from 272 leading institutions in 22 countries—augments the potential for scientific discovery by incorporating varied perspectives and expertise 1 .
Europe's marine biological laboratories represent more than scientific facilities—they embody a collaborative philosophy essential for addressing the complex challenges facing our oceans. By providing coordinated access to marine ecosystems, organisms, and advanced technologies, these stations enable research that would be impossible for individual institutions alone.
As climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss increasingly threaten marine ecosystems, the work conducted through this network becomes ever more critical. The standardized data collection pioneered by initiatives like the TREC expedition and the long-term monitoring through programs like EMO BON (European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network) provide the scientific foundation for evidence-based policy and conservation strategies .
In uniting expertise across disciplines and borders, Europe's marine biological laboratories are not merely observing the ocean—they are actively developing the knowledge and tools needed to protect it for future generations. Their work reminds us that while the ocean's challenges are immense, so too is our capacity to understand and address them through shared scientific enterprise.