South Bristol, Maine
The Treasure Point Foundation supports basic research and the innovation economy at the intersection of marine science and engineering.
Student grantsAbout
The Treasure Point Foundation is a Maine nonprofit established to advance scientific research and entrepreneurship in marine science and engineering for the public benefit. Our foundation is located in mid-coast Maine, in the Damariscotta River estuary, with interests throughout and beyond Maine.
We support two complementary efforts: basic research in marine biology, genomics, and marine engineering; and early-stage ventures in the blue economy, the emerging sector of ocean-based industries. Our basic research is curiosity-driven, and targets the biology and genomics of the intertidal zone. Our blue economy work focuses on helping students gain valuable early-career experience, with particular emphasis on marine biotechnology, ocean energy, and engineering. We disseminate research findings through peer-reviewed publication and support the next generation of marine scientists and entrepreneurs through student grants.
Blue Economy
The blue economy encompasses a wide range of ocean-based industries and activities: marine biotechnology and engineering, aquaculture, ocean energy, sustainable fisheries, and more. Maine's coastline and the productivity of the Gulf of Maine make it one of the most important blue economy regions in the United States.
The Treasure Point Foundation supports early-stage blue economy ventures operating in the Gulf of Maine and surrounding region. We support young students with an interest in a career in the blue economy by providing summer internship grants, and work directly with founders and teams at the earliest stages to assist with growth.
Research programs
Our research programs target marine species for which little or no genomic data currently exists, with the goal of building foundational resources for the broader scientific community. A selection of some of these research projects are listed below.
Investigation of the genomic and cellular mechanisms underlying pearl and bead formation in Mytilus edulis, including characterization of the Gymnophallus bursicola trematode parasite responsible for initiating the response. This system offers an opportunity to study a naturally occurring biomineralization process driven by host-parasite interaction in an important intertidal species. Pearls are also remarkable archives of ancient DNA, preserving genetic material within their mineral layers for centuries or longer. Methods developed here for extracting and analyzing DNA from blue mussel pearls may be applied to historical and archaeological pearl collections, opening a window into the population genetics and ecology of pearl DNA across time.
Chitons produce magnetite-capped teeth, the hardest biomaterial ever discovered. For scientists to manufacture a similar biomaterial today in a laboratory would require extreme heat, harsh chemical conditions, and exotic materials, yet chitons manufacture the material using cold seawater, in a "fabrication plant" the size of a grain of sand. Two closely related, range-overlapping species of chiton inhabit the Gulf of Maine, Tonicella marmorea (the Atlantic mottled chiton) and Tonicella rubra (the northern red chiton), yet both genomes remain unsequenced, and the molecular recipe for how they accomplish the manufacture of this remarkable material is unknown. Genome assembly and comparative genomics of these animals offers a unique window into the molecular basis of biomineralization, as well as the opportunity to study convergent evolution through comparative genomics with other intertidal species such as the Atlantic limpet and other related species.
The coquina clam, Donax variabilis, displays one of the most extraordinary color polymorphisms in the animal kingdom. A single beach population can contain innumerable shell colors and patterns, exhibiting stripes, rays, bands, and solids, spanning nearly every color of the visible spectrum, such that finding two identical individuals is nearly impossible. How such diversity is maintained remains an unsolved question in molecular and evolutionary biology. This program intends to assemble the first reference genome for D. var., the first step to mapping the genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors controlling shell color and pattern. The findings will illuminate not only the genetics of color in Donax, but the broader principles by which color polymorphisms are sustained in natural populations.
Grants
The Treasure Point Foundation awards summer grants to rising high school seniors and recent graduates. Two grant pathways are available, reflecting the Foundation's dual mission in basic research and blue economy entrepreneurship.
For students interested in gaining experience performing original research projects in marine science, grants support field and laboratory work with an emphasis on the Gulf of Maine and adjacent coastal waters. Research must be conducted under the supervision of a scientist at a marine research institution, and students should identify a host laboratory and mentor scientist before applying.
Blue economy grants are intended to give students experience in an early-stage blue economy venture, working alongside teams on ocean-based products, technologies, or services. Students should identify a host venture and a mentor within the organization before applying.
Applications are reviewed by an independent board against published criteria. Selection decisions are based on scientific merit, educational value, and public benefit. To receive notice when the next application cycle opens, contact us by email. The next application period is expected in spring 2027, with funding disbursement in summer 2027.
Contact
For inquiries about research programs, grant applications, or the Foundation generally, please reach out by email.