A groundbreaking new study published in Nature Climate Change, led by Dr Katie Smith, Postdoctoral Research Assistant at the Marine Biological Association (MBA), reveals that the summers of 2023 and 2024 experienced nearly 3.5 times as many marine heatwave days compared to any previous year on record. This surge, fuelled by climate change and exacerbated … Read more
Senior Research Fellow at the Marine Biological Association, Dr Dan Smale, has been honoured with the prestigious 2025 Hutchinson Award for his pioneering research on marine heatwaves and their impact on marine biodiversity and conservation. The G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award, presented annually by The Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO), recognises scientists … Read more
New research from the Marine Biological Association (MBA) aims to shed light on one of the greatest mysteries of the natural world – where do sharks go to give birth? Sharks have inhabited the world’s ocean for over 400 million years, surviving mass extinctions and shaping marine ecosystems. However, little is known about their reproductive … Read more
Backed by a £3.75M award from the Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA), the UK Government’s new high-risk, high-reward funding agency, the CANARY project, led by researchers at the Marine Biological Association (MBA) and the University of Plymouth (UoP), will revolutionise how we forecast climate tipping points. CANARY’s transformative approach focuses on plankton as the … Read more
Since its founding in 1884, the Marine Biological Association has been home to many pioneering female scientists who have made groundbreaking contributions to the scientific community. The MBA takes great pride in its diverse team of female scientists, whose contributions continue to shape the future of marine research. “I am thrilled to follow in the … Read more
Crinoids, (known commonly as feather stars and sea lillies) are part of the echinoderm group that includes sea urchins and sea stars. They have shown incredible morphological and biological properties that could inspire future innovations. Dr Angela Stevenson, Senior Research Fellow at the Marine Biological Association is on a mission to discover more about the … Read more
Three MBA Members had the unique opportunity to attend a prestigious international conference thanks to the Marine Biological Association (MBA) Student Bursary Programme. The MBA Postgraduate Members were able to attend the 25th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals in Perth, Australia, which provided valuable support and enabled them to network and learn … Read more
The Marine Biological Association (MBA) will play a key role in an ambitious new project exploring the consequences of floating offshore wind farms (FLOW) on life throughout the marine food chain. The FRONTLINE project will employ state-of-the-art technologies – including autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), satellite remote sensing, digital video aerial surveys and seabird and fisheries … Read more
The Marine Biological Association (MBA) is delighted to announce the appointment of three new Trustees. Matthew Longman MSc, Yonela Ndila and Professor Steven W Wilhelm were formally elected by Members at the Annual General Meeting, and will join the Board of Trustees for a period of three years. Each will take up a seat on … Read more
A leading researcher from the Marine Biological Association (MBA) has received a significant funding boost from the European Research Council (ERC). NERC Independent Research Fellow Dr Katherine Helliwell who holds a joint appointment at the MBA and University of Exeter will lead on a €2,299,893 award for the project DIACIDAL, which examines interactions between phytoplankton … Read more
The Marine Biological Association
The Laboratory,
Citadel Hill Plymouth,
Devon
PL1 2PB, UK
The Marine Biological Association conducts, promotes and supports scientific research into all aspects of life in the sea. We're working with our ever-growing membership to provide a clear and independent voice on behalf of the marine biological community