MBL Falmouth Forum: “The Horseshoe Crab: Ancient Mariner and Modern Medicine” – Michael Dawson, Biologist

Biologist Michael Dawson will discuss “The Horseshoe Crab: Ancient Mariner and Modern Medicine” at the MBL Falmouth Forum on Friday, November 22, at 7:30 PM.

Lectures are open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. Free parking is available in any MBL lot. No registration required for in-person attendance. Doors open at 7:00 PM, lectures start at 7:30 PM.

For more information, visit Events at the MBL

Horseshoe crabs are iconic animals of Cape Cod with a fascinating biology, some of which will be explored in this talk. Topics include their life cycle, conservation status, unique blood clotting mechanism, and the discovery of Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) at the Marine Biological Laboratory. LAL testing has greatly benefited those who have received injectable therapies like vaccinations, intravenous solutions, and drugs, as well as treatments with certain medical devices. Additionally, the LAL test is used to diagnose suspected systemic fungal infections.

Michael Dawson received an undergraduate degree in Zoology from the University of Wales and a Ph.D. from the Department of Oceanography at the University of Southampton, both in the United Kingdom. Before graduate school, he worked in Cambridge, MA on the potential for marine bacteria to degrade oil in their environment. After earning his doctorate, he taught Environmental Science for three years at the Roehampton Institute (now Roehampton University) in London. He then joined Associates of Cape Cod, Inc. (ACC) in Falmouth, MA, where he worked for thirty years. During his time at ACC, he advanced to Senior Vice President, overseeing the production of reagents, instrumentation, and software. He concluded his career as the Director of Regulatory Affairs. While at ACC he gave presentations and taught courses around the world for organizations ranging from the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia to the Hyannis Rotary Club. He has served on the Horseshoe Crab Conservation Committee (now the Horseshoe Crab Conservation Association) on Cape Cod and the Advisory Panel to the Horseshoe Crab Management Board of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.