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Mote Research

Marine Biomedical Research

Today's Research for Tomorrow's Oceans
View All Research Programs

Dr. Carl Luer

Senior Scientist & Program Manager

caluer@mote.org

941-388-4441, ext321

Publications

The Marine Biomedical Research Program focuses on basic and applied research using sharks, skates, and stingrays as laboratory animal models. Areas of interest include biochemistry, physiology, immunology, reproductive biology and embryonic development.

Major research efforts in the program are directed at understanding the remarkable overall health of sharks and their skate and ray relatives, including studies to investigate their low incidence of disease, including cancer, and their relatively rapid and infection-free healing of wounds . The ultimate goal is to use results from these studies to contribute to a better understanding of health problems in higher animals, including humans, and to benefit the wild populations of the particular organisms studied.

 

Program Details

Current Projects
  • Cytotoxic factors produced by cultured shark immune cells: This project’s goal is to isolate and characterize the bioactive factors that are produced by short-term cultures of shark immune cells. Mote studies have shown that these immune-cell derived factors can inhibit the growth of human tumor cell lines. Studies also focus on understanding the cellular pathways activated by these factors that result in tumor cell death. This project is in collaboration with Dr. Cathy Walsh of Mote’s Marine Immunology Program and Dr. A.B. Bodine at Clemson University. The project is funded by the Henry L. and Grace Doherty Charitable Foundation, a Florida High Tech Corridor Industry Seed Grant, and numerous matching grants.
  • Novel antimicrobial compounds from epidermal mucus: This project is looking at the microbial makeup of the epidermal mucus produced by stingrays in order to determine whether the mucus contains antibiotic properties that could be used in human health applications. Dr. Luer is the lead investigator on this multi-institution project that includes Mote scientists (co-investigators Dr. Cathy Walsh, Marine Immunology, Dr. Kim Ritchie, Marine Microbiology Program), Daemen College (Dr. Laura Edsberg; Dr. Jennifer Wyffels), USF Center for Biological Defense (Dr. Andy Cannons, Dr. Vicki Luna) and Clemson University (Dr. A.B. Bodine). The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense.
  • Wound healing in stingrays: This project is using controlled experimental wounding to characterize the healing process of wounds penetrating the epidermal and dermal layers of skin in stingrays. Anecdotal reports of relatively rapid and infection-free healing of wounds in sharks and rays are common, yet studies to characterize the healing process are rare. This project is in collaboration with Dr. Cathy Walsh of Mote’s Marine Immunology Program and Dr. Laura Edsberg and Dr. Jennifer Wyffels at Daemen College. The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Grants Received

Project Title: Shark Immune Cell-Derived Peptides as Novel Agents for Cancer Therapy
Granting Organization: Henry L. and Grace Doherty Charitable Foundation, plus matching support from numerous private foundations, charitable trusts, and private individuals
Project PI’s: Carl Luer, Cathy Walsh

Project Title: Tumor Cell Inhibitory Activity of Compounds Isolated from Culture Medium of Shark Immune Cells
Granting Organization: Florida High Tech Corridor Industry Seed Grant Program
Project PI’s: Carl Luer, Cathy Walsh

Project Title: Novel Compounds from Stingray Epidermal Mucus With Antimicrobial Activity Against Wound Infection Pathogens
Granting Organization: U. S. Department of Defense
Project PI’s: Carl Luer, Cathy Walsh, Kimberly Ritchie, AB Bodine, Laura Edsberg, Jennifer Wyffels, Andrew Cannons, Vicki Luna

Research Collaborations
  • Clemson University Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Clemson, SC (A. B. Bodine, PhD)
  • Daemen College Center for Wound Healing Research, Amherst, NY (Laura Edsberg, PhD and Jennifer Wyffels, PhD)
  • University of South Florida Center for Biological Defense, Tampa, FL (Andrew Canons, PhD and Vicki Luna, PhD)
  • University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL (James Gelsleichter, PhD)
  • H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL (John Koomen, PhD)
  • Rhode Island College, Providence, RI (Rebeka Merson, PhD)
  • Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory (MDIBL), Salisbury Cove, ME (Benjamin King)
  • All Children’s Hospital/University of South Florida Children’s Research Institute, St. Petersburg, FL (Gary Litman, PhD)
  • Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Boca Raton, FL (Stephen Kajiura, PhD)

 

 

AREAS OF RESEARCH

Biomedical & Technology Development at Mote

Additional Program Information

  • Luer, C. A. and K. P. Wong. 1978. Altered erythrocyte membrane proteins in sickle cell patients associated with the severity of the disease. Biochem. Med. 19:95 107.
  • Luer, C. A. and K. P. Wong. 1978. The effects of pH and temperature on the circular dichroism of human erythrocyte membranes. Biophysi¬cal Chem. 9:15 22.
  • Luer, C. A. and K. P. Wong. 1979. The conformation of Escherichia coli ribosomal protein L7/Ll2 in solution: hydrodynamic, spectro¬scopic, and conformation prediction studies. Biochemistry 18:2019 2027.
  • Luer, C. A. and K. P. Wong. 1980. The conformational stability of ribosomal protein L7/Ll2: The effects of pH, temperature and guani¬dinium chloride. Biochemistry 19:176 183.
  • Bodine, A. B., C. A. Luer and S. Gangjee. 1984. Determination of cerulo¬plasmin and other copper transport ligands in the blood sera of the nurse shark and clearnose skate. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 77B:779 783.
  • Luer, C. A. and P. W. Gilbert. 1985. Mating behavior, egg deposition, incubation period, and hatching in the clearnose skate, Raja eglanteria. Env. Biol. Fish. 13:161 171.
  • Bodine, A. B., C. A. Luer and S. Gangjee. 1985. A comparative study of monooxygenase activity in elasmobranchs and mammals: activation of the model pro carcinogen aflatoxin B1 by liver preparations of calf, nurse shark and clearnose skate. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 82C:255 257.
  • Bodine, A. B., C. A. Luer, S. A. Gangjee and C. J. Walsh. 1989. In vitro metabolism of the pro-carcinogen aflatoxin B1 by liver preparations of the calf, nurse shark, and clearnose skate. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 94C:447 453.
  • Luer, C. A., P. C. Blum and P. W. Gilbert. 1990. Rates of tooth replace¬ment in the nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum. Copeia 1990(1):182 191.
  • Carrier, J. C. and C. A. Luer. 1990. A comparison of growth between captive and free nurse sharks, Ginglymostoma cirratum. Copeia 1990(3):686 692.
  • Goldstein, L., C. A. Luer and P. C. Blum. 1990. Taurine accumulation by the hearts of embryonic skates, Raja eglanteria. J. Exp. Biol. 150:449 452.
  • Crow, G. L., C. A. Luer and C. Barker. 1990. Comparison of serum iron and serum copper levels in captive and wild nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum). J. Aquaric. Aquat. Sci. 5:79 84.
  • Leverone, J. R., C. A. Luer and J. M. Lawrence. 1991. The effect of cations on the specific activities of pyruvate kinase and glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase of Luidia clathrata (Say). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 99B:259 264.
  • Bass, N. M., J. A. Manning and C. A. Luer. 1991. Isolation and characterization of fatty acid binding protein in the liver of the nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum. Comp. Biochem. Physiol 98A:355 362.
  • Sivak, J. G. and C. A. Luer. 1991. Optical development of the ocular lens of an elasmobranch, Raja eglanteria. Vision Research 31:373 382.
  • Luer, C. A. and P. W. Gilbert. 1991. Elasmobranch fish: Oviparous, viviparous and ovoviviparous. Oceanus 34:47 53.
  • Kendall, C., S. Valentino, A. B. Bodine and C. A. Luer. 1992. Flow cytometric DNA analysis of nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) and clearnose skate (Raja eglanteria) peripheral red blood cells. J. Fish. Biol. 41:123-129.
  • Goldstein, L., C. A. Luer and P. C. Blum. 1993. Taurine transport characteristics of the embryonic skate (Raja eglanteria) heart. J. Exp. Biol. 182:291-295.
  • Conrad, G. W., A. Q. Paulsen and C. A. Luer. 1994. Embryonic development of the cornea in the eye of the clearnose skate, Raja eglanteria. I. Stromal development in the absence of an endothelium. J. Exptl. Zool., 269:263-276.
  • Kendall, C., S. Valentino, A. B. Bodine, and C. A. Luer. 1994. Triploidy in a nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum). Copeia 1994(3):825-827.
  • Anderson, M. A., C. T. Amemiya, C. A. Luer, R. T. Litman and G. W. Litman. 1994. Complete genomic sequence and patterns of transcription of a member of an unusual family of closely related, chromosomally dispersed immunoglobulin gene clusters in Raja. Internat. Immunol., 6: 1661-1670.
  • Takami, S., C. A. Luer and P. P. C. Graziadei. 1994. Microscopic structure of the olfactory organ of the clearnose skate, Raja eglanteria. Anat. Embryol. 190:211-230.
  • Pardue, M. T., C. A. Luer, M. G. Callender, B. R. Chou and J. G. Sivak. 1995. The absence of a photopic influence on the refractive development of the embryonic eye of the clearnose skate, Raja eglanteria. Vision Res. 35:1675-78.
  • Luer, C. A., C. J. Walsh, A. B. Bodine, J. T. Wyffels and T. R. Scott. 1995. The elasmobranch thymus: Anatomical, histological, and preliminary functional characterization. J. Exptl. Zool., 273:342-354.
  • Goldstein, L., E. M. Davis-Amaral, P. C. Blum and C. A. Luer. 1995. The role of anion channels in osmotically activated taurine release from embryonic skate (Raja eglanteria) heart. J. Exp. Biol., 198:2635-2637.
  • Rast, J. P., M. K. Anderson, S. Strong, C. Luer, R. T. Litman and G. W. Litman. 1997. α, β, γ and δ T cell antigen receptor genes arose early in vertebrate phylogeny. Immunity, 6:1-11.
  • Musch, M. W., C. A. Luer, E. M. Davis-Amaral and L. Goldstein. 1997. Hypotonic stress induces translocation of the osmolyte channel protein pICln in embryonic skate (Raja eglanteria) heart. J. Exptl. Zool., 277:460-463.
  • Sisneros, J. A., T. C. Tricas and C. A. Luer. 1998. Response properties and biological function of the skate electrosensory system during ontogeny. J. Comp. Physiol., 183:87-99.
  • Walsh, C. J. and C. A. Luer. 1998. Comparative phagocytic and pinocytic activities of leucocytes from peripheral blood and lymphomyeloid tissues of the nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum Bonaterre) and the clearnose skate (Raja eglanteria Bosc). Fish Shellfish Immunol., 8:197-215.
  • Hensley, R. A., M. J. McCoid and C. A. Luer. 1998. Litter variation in the Atlantic guitarfish (Rhinobatidae: Rhinobatos lentiginosus) with comments on distribution in the Gulf of Mexico. Southwestern Naturalist. 43:501-504.
  • Anderson, M. K., S. J. Strong, R. T. Litman, C. A. Luer, C. T. Amemiya, J. P. Rast and G. W. Litman. 1999. A long form of the skate IgX gene exhibits a striking resemblance to the new shark IgW and IgNARC genes. Immunogenetics, 49:56-67.
  • Rasmussen, L. E. L., D. L. Hess and C. A. Luer. 1999. Alterations in serum steroid concentrations in the clearnose skate, Raja eglanteria: Correlations with season and reproductive status. J. Exp. Zool.284:575-585.
  • Miracle, A. L., M. K. Anderson, R. T. Litman, C. J. Walsh, C. A. Luer, E. V. Rothenberg and G. W. Litman. 2001. Complex expression patterns of lymphocyte-specific genes during the development of cartilaginous fish implicate unique lymphoid tissues in generating an immune repertoire. Internat. Immunol. 13:567-580.
  • Walsh, C. J., J. T. Wyffels, A. B. Bodine and C. A. Luer. 2002. Dexamethasone-induced apoptosis in immune cells from peripheral circulation and lymphomyeloid tissues of juvenile clearnose skates, Raja eglanteria. Dev. Comp. Immunol. 26:623-633.
  • Manire, C. A., C. J. Walsh, H. L. Rhinehart, D. E. Colbert, D. R. Noyes and C. A. Luer. 2003. Alterations in blood and urine parameters in Florida manatees, Trichechus manatus latirostris, from simulated conditions of release following rehabilitation. J. Zoo Biol. 22:103-120.
  • Anderson, M. K., R. Pant, A. L. Miracle, X. Sun, C. A. Luer, C. J. Walsh, J. C. Telfer, G. W. Litman and E. V. Rothenberg. 2004. Evolutionary origins of lymphocytes: Ensembles of T cell and B cell transcriptional regulators in a cartilaginous fish. J. Immunol. 172:5851-5860.
  • Eason, D. D., R. T. Litman, C. A. Luer, W. Kerr and G. Litman. 2004. Expression of individual immunoglobulin genes occurs in an unusual system consisting of multiple independent loci. Eur. J. Immunol. 34:2551-2558.
  • Walsh, C. J., C. A. Luer and D. R. Noyes. 2005. Effects of environmental stressors on lymphocyte proliferation in Florida manatees, Trichechus manatus latirostris. Vet. Immunol. Immunopathol. 103:247-256.
  • Wyffels, J. T., C. J. Walsh, C. A. Luer and A. B. Bodine. 2005. In vivo exposure of clearnose skates, Raja eglanteria, to ionizing X-radiation: Acute effects on the thymus. Dev. Comp. Immunol. 29(4):315-331.
  • Walsh, C. J., J. D. Toranto, C. T. Gilliland, D. R. Noyes, A. B. Bodine and C. A. Luer. 2006. Nitric oxide production by nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) and clearnose skate (Raja eglanteria) peripheral blood leucocytes. Fish Shellfish Immunol. 20:40-46.
  • Walsh, C. J., C. A. Luer, A. B. Bodine, C. A. Smith, H. L. Cox, D. R. Noyes and M. Gasparetto. 2006. Elasmobranch immune cells as a source of novel tumor cell inhibitors: Implications for public health. Integr. Comp. Biol. 46:1072-1081.
  • Wyffels, J. T., C. A. Luer, C. J. Walsh and A. B. Bodine. 2007. In vivo exposure of clearnose skates, Raja eglanteria, to ionising X-radiation: Acute effects on the peripheral blood, spleen, and epigonal and Leydig organs. Fish Shellfish Immunol., 23:401-418.
  • Luer, C. A., C. J. Walsh, J. T. Wyffels, and A. B. Bodine. 2007. Normal embryonic development in the clearnose skate, Raja eglanteria, with experimental observations on artificial insemination. Env. Biol. Fish., 80 (2-3):239-255.
  • Gillis, J. A., M. S. Modrell, R. G. Northcutt, K. C. Catania, C. A. Luer and C. V. H. Baker. 2012. Electrosensory ampullary organs are derived from lateral line placodes in cartilaginous fishes. Development, 139:3142-3146.
  • Walsh, C. J., C. A. Luer, J. E. Yordy, T. Cantu, J. Miedema, S. R. Leggett, B. Leigh, P. Adams, M. Ciesla, C. Bennett and A. B. Bodine. 2013. Epigonal conditioned media from bonnethead shark, Sphyrna tiburo, induces apoptosis in a T-cell leukemia cell line, Jurkat E6-1. Marine Drugs, 11:3224-3257.
  • Ritchie, K.B., M. Schwarz, J. Mueller, V.A. Lapacek, D. Merselis, C.J. Walsh and C. A. Luer.  2017. Survey of antibiotic-producing bacteria associated with the epidermal mucus layers of rays and skates.  Front. Microbiol. 8:1050. doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01050.

Book Chapters

  • Luer, C. A. 1989. Elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, and rays) as animal models for biomedical research. In: “Nonmammalian Models for Biomedical Research.” (A. Woodhead, ed.) CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 121 147.
  • Luer, C. A., C. J. Walsh and A. B. Bodine. 2004. The immune system of sharks, skates, and rays. In: “Biology of Sharks and Their Relatives.” (J. Carrier, J. Musick and M. Heithaus, eds.) CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. pp. 369-395.
  • Walsh, C. J. and C.A. Luer. 2004. Elasmobranch hematology: Identification of cell types and practical applications. In: “Elasmobranch Husbandry Manual: Proceedings of the First International Elasmobranch Husbandry Symposium, 2001.” (M. Smith, D. Warmolts, D. Thoney and R. Hueter, eds.) Special Publication of the Ohio Biological Survey, Number 16, Columbus, OH. pp. 309-326.
  • Luer, C. A., C. J. Walsh and A. B. Bodine. 2012. Recent Advances in Elasmobranch Immunology. In: “Biology of Sharks and Their Relatives.” 2nd Edition. (J. Carrier, J. Musick and M. Heithaus, eds.) CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. pp., 403-420.
  • Luer, C.A., C.J. Walsh and A.B. Bodine. 2015. Sites of Immune Cell Production in Elasmobranch Fishes: Lymphomyeloid Tissues and Organs. In: “Immunobiology of the Shark.”  (S Smith, R Sim and M Flajnik, eds.). CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 79-88.
  • Walsh, C. J. and C.A. Luer. 2015. Leukocyte function in elasmobranch species:  Phagocytosis/chemotaxis. In: “Immunobiology of the Shark.”  (S Smith, R Sim and M Flajnik, eds.).   CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 105-122.
  • Walsh, C. J. and C.A. Luer. 2015. In Vitro Culture of Elasmobranch Cells. In: “Immunobiology of the Shark.”  (S Smith, R Sim and M Flajnik, eds.).  CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 255-266.

Books Edited

  • Development of Non-teleost Fishes. Yvette W. Kunz, Carl A. Luer and B. G. Kapoor, editors. 2009. Science Publishers, Inc. Enfield, NH
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