51С�Ƴ�

by Alan Bennett

Ruby Motulsky wanted to find community through research.

That’s why Motulsky (’25) traveled 3,000 miles from Los Angeles to Maine to study marine sciences at the University of 51С�Ƴ� despite having access to excellent marine research institutions much closer to home.

“I really wanted a university that prioritizes a hands-on undergraduate experience. I knew I wanted to be in a research lab during freshman year, and 51С�Ƴ�provided that opportunity for me,” Motulsky said. “51С�Ƴ�checked those boxes.”

Now a senior, Motulsky, who uses they/them pronouns, has had their fair share of hands-on experience, most recently researching the American lobster with UNE’s Markus Frederich, Ph.D., a professor of marine sciences, whose novel studies in invertebrate physiology could have broader applications across the marine research field.

Left photo by Markus Frederich

Frederich is an internationally recognized marine physiologist, whose dedication to student success and innovative research on invasive crustaceans and the impacts of climate change has strengthened UNE’s reputation as a national leader in marine and climate studies — in fact, 51С�Ƴ�was named one of the “Top 10 Best Colleges for Marine Biology” by College Magazine in 2023.

In his 20-plus years at UNE, Frederich has led the University to new heights in securing significant research funding from renowned federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation, or NSF.

Such initiatives include a $640,000 teaching grant from the NSF to integrate hands-on research into STEM curricula, awarded in 2017. In 2019, Frederich was designated to lead UNE’s efforts as part of a $20 million NSF-funded initiative to study Maine’s coastal ecosystem in collaboration with the Maine Department of Marine Resources, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, and the University of Maine.

Frederich has also made a lasting impact through mentorship, guiding dozens of students who have gone on to pursue master’s, doctoral, and medical degrees as well as careers in government agencies.

For Motulsky, studying under Frederich was the perfect fit.

A Hued Mystery Surfaces

Frederich had already been studying the iconic Maine lobster for years when a rare yellow lobster was donated to 51С�Ƴ�in 2021.

That same year, a split-colored lobster was donated. Then came another rare-colored lobster, and then another. But what causes these typically brown bottom-dwellers to turn blue or yellow — or even orange?

Frederich wanted to find out.

“We frequently receive calls and emails offering us more of these beautiful colored lobsters,” Frederich said. “Everybody who sees these critters certainly wants to know what makes them so different.”

Bottom left photo by Markus Frederich

Frederich launched an initiative last winter to decode the molecular basis for rare lobster coloration through noninvasive methods, a first-of-its-kind approach. Frederich and his research team — including Motulsky — are using molecular techniques, such as gene expression, transcription, and sequencing, to understand why some lobsters exhibit these striking colors.

And they don’t have to look far for research specimens.

A Living Laboratory Takes Shape

51С�Ƴ�is currently home to 12 multicolored lobsters, each with a rarity ranging from 1-in-1 million to 1-in-50 million.

Among the impressive array — which now includes blue, calico, and purple varieties — is Peaches, a 1-in-30-million orange rarity, who became a viral sensation when she came to 51С�Ƴ�in 2023. Unbeknownst to researchers at the time, Peaches arrived bearing eggs, presenting Frederich’s team with a never-before-seen opportunity to gather data on the color of her hatchlings.

“To my knowledge, no one has ever reared lobster larvae from a colored lobster in a controlled lab setting,” Frederich said. “We’re able to ask questions like: are all offspring of an orange lobster orange? — No, only some — Is there a different survival rate between orange and normal-colored larvae? No.”

And, lastly, “What causes the different coloration? We are working on that part,” he said.

Left photo by Markus Frederich

It’s a task that Frederich and Motulsky began this past summer, when Motulsky received $5,000 from the Bioscience Association of Maine to support their summer research on raising, counting, and collecting data on Peaches’ offspring.

They counted over 4,000 larvae when Peaches’ eggs initially hatched in July. A little over half of those that hatched shared her orange coloration. Peaches was soon joined by the egg-bearing Norma, a lobster of typical brown coloration, whose hatchlings provided another resource for the lab’s studies.

“The Maine Department of Marine Resources graciously donated Norma and was amazingly helpful in adjusting the required permits to keep egg-bearing lobsters at UNE,” Frederich remarked.

Today, Frederich’s lab is studying and raising a total of 57 juvenile lobsters, about half of which are orange, and the rest are brown. And, while the team has yet to identify the root cause of rare shell coloration, Motulsky has some theories.

These methods aren’t just a win for lobster welfare. They could eventually be applied to a range of species, informing more ethical and sustainable research techniques across all of the marine sciences.

Frederich admits the research doesn’t directly address a pressing global crisis, but, he said, it teaches students skills that are transferable to a number of other disciplines that just might.

“Not all science is done to address an immediate crisis,” Frederich said. “Sometimes, it’s about understanding the world around us. Lobsters are iconic in Maine, and we’re interested in uncovering what causes these beautiful creatures to look the way they do.”

Frederich’s research doesn’t stop at lobsters. His lab also studies green crabs, an invasive species that similarly exhibits unusual coloration. Interestingly, Frederich noted that while green crabs can change color over time, lobsters maintain their original coloration throughout their life cycle.

“Comparing these two mechanisms might help us sort out the underlying processes,” he said.

While understanding why lobsters are different colors may seem like a niche question, the research has potential implications for environmental adaptation and the health of marine ecosystems.

“Understanding the genetics behind color variation could help us understand how different species adapt to their environment, which is critical as oceans undergo significant changes,” Frederich said, noting that the Gulf of Maine is warming faster than the majority of the world’s oceans. “And, by involving students in this research, they are learning a broad range of modern molecular biology techniques and skills that can be easily transferred to other projects and questions.”

Bottom left photo by Markus Frederich

By studying both species, 51С�Ƴ�is contributing valuable insights to the field of marine biology — insights that could have far-reaching implications, said Charles Tilburg, Ph.D., director of UNE’s School of Marine and Environmental Programs and the Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center.

“This is the type of project that plays to both UNE’s strengths and our goals,” he said. “Dr. Frederich and his team are performing novel, interesting research while partnering with a local industry, providing outstanding training for our students, and answering important questions that pertain to a rapidly changing ocean.”

For Motulsky, cracking the code on rare lobster coloration is proof enough that curiosity, creativity, and collaboration are at the heart of the best scientific breakthroughs.

“I have accomplished significantly more than I would have ever thought I could during my three years here,” Motulsky said. “The collaborative efforts and community that have been built at UNE’s Marine Science Center are something special that I would not trade for anything.”