Budget includes $450,000 for School for Marine Science and Technology and $100,000 for Cranberry Health Research Center.
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The $39.15 billion compromise state budget passed by the Legislature Thursday includes $450,000 for UMass Dartmouth research related to sustaining the commercial fishing industry and $100,000 for research related to the disease-fighting properties of cranberries.
The fisheries research is led by Dr. Kevin Stokesbury of the School for Marine Science and Technology in collaboration with the Marine Fisheries Institute, a partnership of academic, industry, government, and non-profit organizations working to sustain commercial fisheries in Massachusetts. The research is especially critical to New Bedford, the nation’s number one fishing port. This is the third year in a row, the Legislature has provided funding for this research, which engages scientists and fishermen in the pursuit of accurate data related to fish populations. Sen. Mark Montigny, D-New Bedford, and Rep. Antonio Cabral, D-New Bedford, have been the primary sponsors of this funding.
The cranberry research is led by Dr. Catherine Neto and Dr. Maolin Guo, directors of the UMass Dartmouth Cranberry Health Research Center. The Center works with other universities (including every UMass campus), medical institutions, and industry to provide solid scientific evidence of the cranberry's role in health and nutrition. Recent research by the Center has indicated that cranberries have cancer-fighting properties. In May, the Cranberry Revitalization Task Force issued a major report on the state of the cranberry industry as the industry is marking its 200th year of existence, and recommended state funding for the Center. The university, meanwhile, is pursuing private funding to expand and accelerate this research. Sen. Michael Rodrigues, D-Westport, and Rep. William Straus, D-Mattapoisett, have been the primary sponsors of this funding.
Earlier this year, UMass Dartmouth earned national recognition as a doctoral research university, and is the only Massachusetts research university located south of Boston.
CONTACTS:
John Hoey, UMass Dartmouth, 508.264.5920 or jhoey@umassd.edu
Brian Wick, Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Assoc., 508.866.7878 x 14 or bwick@cranberries.org