MDI Biological Laboratory
Alum Spotlight

Echoes Beyond the Lab

  • November 6, 2025
It was surreal for Matthew DeBerge, Ph.D., to step into the auditorium at the MDI Biological Laboratory this fall. Nearly twenty years ago, he had sat in that same room as an undergraduate, notebooks in hand, wide-eyed with curiosity, excitement and a touch of nerves. Back then, he was a summer fellow, fully immersed in experiments that linked Maine’s coastal fieldwork to lab-based discoveries. This fall, he returned as an invited speaker for the Immuno-Cardiology Symposium, an event co-hosted by MDI Bio Lab and The Jackson Laboratory, presenting his research on inflammation, fibrosis and cardiovascular disease.

Matthew DeBerge, Ph.D., recording spawning behavior of the killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus.

“Coming back was a surreal and deeply gratifying experience,” he reflected. “Presenting in the very auditorium where I once sat as an undergraduate gave me a quiet sense that I had come full circle.”

DeBerge’s first summer at MDI Bio Lab in 2005 was transformative. Mentored by Visiting Scientist Robert Preston, Ph.D. of Illinois State University and the late George Kidder, Ph.D., of MDI Bio Lab, he experienced his first truly immersive research environment.

“That summer opened the door to pursue graduate education and research as a career,” he remembered. “What stands out most was the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Chris Petersen, a faculty member at College of the Atlantic, and his students. The experience connected fieldwork in the coastal environment directly to the lab bench, showing me how questions on physiological adaptations could be explored through experiments.”

Beyond the science, he treasures the Laboratory’s sense of community and the friendships it fostered.

“Memorable dance parties in the Co-op and being well cared for by Chef Nancy Madore (and her cookies) made for the perfect combination of science, community, and environment that left a lasting impression,” DeBerge said.

That summer shaped not only his career path, leading him to a doctorate in physiology at Dartmouth College and now an assistant professorship at UTHealth Houston, but also the way he mentors trainees.

Fertilizing Fundulus heteroclitus eggs on Northeast Creek. From left to right: Kevin Kocot, Ph.D.; Erica Maltz; Jason Crowner, M.D.; Jason Childers; Marianna Bradley; Chris Petersen, Ph.D.

“Dr. Petersen taught me how to frame meaningful, testable hypotheses and design experiments with careful controls, lessons that remain central to how I approach science today,” DeBerge said. “Dr. Preston was also fond of saying that he had ‘a million questions but not millions of dollars,’ a reminder that success in science comes from focus and strategic curiosity. I try to pass those same lessons on to my trainees, encouraging bold ideas but grounding them in rigorous, mechanistic science.”

At MDI Bio Lab, experiences like this are part of a decades-long tradition of immersive research, mentorship and community that shapes the next generation of scientists. Returning to the lab this fall, DeBerge met with current graduate trainees and was struck by their curiosity and drive.

“They were exceptionally bright, asking big questions and driven by a genuine desire to make a positive impact through their science,” he said. “Their concerns are real and shared by many of our trainees today, asking questions about the future of academic science, how to find the right postdoctoral mentor, and how to seek out and secure opportunities in other career sectors.

“It was a vivid reminder that we must continue doing our best to support the well-being of our trainees to help secure both their futures and the future of science.”

Collecting the killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus, as the tide comes in on Northeast Creek. From left to right, Erica Maltz and Matthew DeBerge, Ph.D.

DeBerge noted that undergraduate and graduate students he met during his recent Salisbury Cove visit are already making their mark across disciplines.

“Many of the trainees who came through the Lab during my summer, from across the country and the world, have gone on to pursue a wide range of professions, not only as scientists, but also as physicians, veterinarians, educators and beyond, all contributing in meaningful ways to society,” he said. “It underscores the power of an institution like the MDI Biological Laboratory, and what we stand to lose if we don’t continue to support science in this country and provide opportunities for talented students to grow through research. The impact of that investment echoes far beyond the Lab.”

At a time when the path for early-career scientists can feel uncertain and the pressures of academia daunting, the importance of this community has never been greater. Stories like Matt DeBerge’s remind us that MDI Bio Lab is more than a lab, it’s a place where mentorship, collaboration, and discovery intersect, creating lasting impact for both trainees and the broader scientific community.

As his journey shows, the lessons learned here, the connections made and the inspiration sparked echo far beyond the walls of the MDI Biological Laboratory, influencing the future of science for decades to come.

 

Guest writer: Hannah Lust, Ph.D., Director of STEM, Undergraduate & Graduate Training