Bringing Virtual Microscopy to Marine Conservation: An Ocean of Possibilities

1. Bringing Virtual Microscopy to Marine Conservation: An Ocean of Possibilities Presenter: Margaret Rotstein, MS Senior Research Analyst NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of Protected Resources (OPR) Synthesis Professional Services, Inc.

2. Introduction • The world’s oceans are increasingly threatened by impacts from pollution, habitat loss, invasive species, diseases, and global climate change • The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been given the responsibility of protecting marine animals through science-based conservation and management • Two of these programs, Coral Health and Disease Consortium (CHDC) and the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP) have cooperated to improve the technology of sharing information on the histology and pathology of marine animals; particularly corals and marine mammals

3. Funding provided by: • Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program • and Coral Health and Disease Consortium

4. Goals of Coral Health and Disease Consortium (CHDC) • Detect and assess trends in coral diseases at the necessary scales for scientific investigation and policy development. • Determine the causes and consequences of increasing disease frequency and distribution. • Evaluate possible management responses designed to mitigate the spread and affects of disease on coral reef ecosystems and their users.

5. Goals of Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP) • Facilitate the collection and dissemination of reference data on health and health trends • Correlate the health and health trends with physical, chemical and biological environmental parameters • Coordinate effective responses to Unusual Mortality Events (a stranding that is unexpected; involves a significant die-off of any marine mammal population; and demands immediate response)

6. The Challenge • A global community of researchers require an efficient, low-cost solution to: • consult with each other on unique cases • educate students and other scientists • rapidly respond to unusual disease outbreaks or mortality events • Establish a framework to systematically study pathologies • Standardize disease pathological descriptions • Standardize normal morphological structure

7. The Challenge Coral Histology and Histopathology • Basic biology of normal corals is poorly understood • Understanding of coral pathology is limited to descriptions of gross lesions • Names reflect observations (e.g. black band, white band, dark spot) • Our lack of understanding of theunderlying mechanisms of coral pathologiesinhibits our ability to manage the growing coral health problems

8. RodentHuman Equine Free-rangingterrestrial wildlife DogCat AvianExotic Status of Understanding Coral Health and Disease Coral Middle Ages 21st Century Courtesy: Dr. T. Work, USGS

9. Requirements • High resolution digital imaging of glass microscope slides • Software that provides Internet conferencing and annotation of digital slides • Web-based Internet application that integrates databases with virtual slides to provide educational modules, training and case-based records Morbillivirus infection in brain of Grey Seal

10. Working Towards a Solution • October 2006 – through a partnership with MMHRSP and CDHC, purchase of Aperio Technologies, Inc Software and Scanning Services • Plan to purchase ScanScope scanner in future • Development of web-based application and back-end database to: • Record histopathology data on Marine Mammal Strandings • Link to data to associated slides on Aperio Server • Provide library of reference coral slides showing normal and abnormal histology • Implement virtual rounds • Provide education modules

11. Web-based Application:Functionality • Consultation • Standardization / Terminology • Consensus on nomenclature of coral anatomy • Consensus on all pathologies of marine mammals (conditions, diseases and injuries) • Mass Stranding Events / Disease Outbreaks • Crisis events – digital images made available to experts world-wide for rapid response • Review of findings from disease outbreaks • Special Cases • Unique cases that require consultation / letigation Audience: experts M. Moore, WHOI Periostealproliferation of entangled humerus in Right Whale

12. Web-based Application:Functionality Training and Communication • Virtual Rounds • Web-based submissions, scheduling and case write-ups • Utilize Aperio’s Digital Slide Conferencing feature in ScanScope • Individual Cases • Digital library of coral and marine mammal histology slides • Education modules to demonstrate normal and abnormal histology • Standard Nomenclature • Training scientists on the terminology used in coral and marine mammal pathology Audience: students, pathologists, marine biologists

13. Web-based Application:Functionality Education web-enabled distance learning • Normal Histology • Pathology of common conditions • Standardization / Terminology Audience: public Anatomy of Coral Gas-filled cavities in the liver of a stranded common dolphin

14. Solutions • Database – Oracle 10g • Web server - Apache • Virtual Microscope Server – Aperio Technologies • Application Server – ColdFusion MX Oracle DB Server Virtual Microscope Server NOAA Hardware Configuration

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21. Core Biomedical Software and Data Event-Based Software and Data Virtual Microscope Aperio Software (NMFS/NOS) Education Virtual Rounds Cases (NMFS/NOS) Controls access and security NMAHD Clinical Pathology (NOS)SQL Server Unusual Mortality Event (NMFS) NOAA PORTALMain Entry WWW Diagnostic Pathology (NMFS) Oracle Cora l Health & Disease(NOS) Contaminates (NWFSC, NIST) MS Access DB MMHRSP(NMFS) Subsistence HuntBy-Catch and others Biotoxins

22. Acknowledgments • Marine Mammal Health & Stranding Response Program • Teri Rowles, PhD, DVM • David Rotstein, DVM, MPVM, DACVP • Kathy Burek, DVM, MS, DACVP • Angela Collins-Payne, Information Specialist • Coral Health and Disease Consortium • Cheryl Woodley, PhD Skin Lesion in Bottlenose dolphin Infected Sea Fan with Aspergillosis sydowii