The Ocean Genome Atlas Project (OGAP) is conducting pioneering research off Greenland’s coast, using a sailboat to sequence plankton DNA and explore Earth’s evolutionary past. Led by neuroscientist Leonid Moroz and expedition leader Peter Molnar, OGAP is on a mission to catalog and map 80% of the ocean’s smallest life forms. Their aim is to uncover insights into genetics, evolution, and medicine by studying plankton DNA. Some plankton have survived for billions of years, developing traits that allow them to regenerate, resist aging, and even avoid cancer. Such traits could provide breakthroughs for human medicine by revealing new models for understanding complex biological processes.
An essential element of OGAP’s research is their use of a 17-meter aluminum sailboat, a choice that significantly reduces operational costs and carbon emissions compared to traditional research vessels. Large oceanographic ships can cost $100,000 daily, but sailboats are fifty times cheaper and allow researchers to spend extended time at sea—essential for collecting, sequencing, and analyzing plankton DNA. Unlike engine-powered vessels, sailboats create minimal vibration, offering a stable environment ideal for working with fragile marine samples.
As part of the expedition, OGAP researchers collected plankton samples and preserved them onboard while sequencing their DNA. Advances in technology, including compact sequencing equipment and satellite communications like Starlink, have revolutionized this process. Researchers can now sequence plankton DNA and send it to universities within hours for real-time analysis using AI, reducing the timeline for data processing from months to mere minutes. This ability to capture and analyze data instantly at sea has opened new possibilities for studying marine organisms’ life cycles, including stages like reproduction, decay, and regeneration.
Moroz highlights the urgency of their mission, noting that a significant number of species go extinct every day, along with the unique adaptations they possess. By documenting these ancient organisms’ genetic profiles, OGAP aims to preserve nature’s “logbook” of survival strategies, which could offer unprecedented insights for medical science. Previous research on marine life has already led to breakthroughs in understanding human physiology; for instance, jellyfish helped scientists understand heart rhythms, while squid have been used to study how signals spread in the brain.
The choice of a sailboat also continues a longstanding tradition in scientific exploration, echoing historic voyages like Darwin’s journey on the HMS Beagle. David Conover, the owner of ArcticEarth (the boat used by OGAP), notes that sailing enables researchers to reach remote areas and observe marine life in its natural habitat, fostering greater engagement and discovery.
OGAP’s next expedition will take them to Patagonia, where they aim to further build their genomic atlas, creating an accessible resource for researchers globally. By studying and preserving plankton DNA, OGAP is not only uncovering the history of life on Earth but also generating crucial data for developing new medicines. Each day of the journey brings new surprises and reinforces the expedition’s purpose. The genetic information they collect could be invaluable for future generations, as these tiny marine organisms continue to teach us about resilience, adaptation, and life’s fundamental mechanisms.