MDI Bio Lab Forges Ahead

Both Bowers and President Hermann Haller attribute the success of the capital campaign and funding toward operating expenses to private philanthropy. Recently, Jonathan Epstein and Margaret Myers, both of whom grew up as the children of summer investigators and actually conducted research here beginning in their teens, established a $1 million endowment to support hands-on scientific training for high school, college and graduate students.

“I just hope that some young trainee gets turned onto science by an experience that’s fostered by this gift,” said Epstein. Myers also noted that when funding for science is at risk, funds from this endowment will help ease the financial burden of students.

Another long-standing financial contribution comes from the Salisbury Cove Research Fund — a fund begun by the late Tom Maren, a long-time summer investigator, and maintained by the Maine Community Foundation. In 2025, that fund supported 24 visiting scientists.

For the last 25 years, MDI Bio Lab and College of the Atlantic along with 15 other colleges, universities and research institutions in Maine, have received funding from INBRE (Idea Network of Biological Research Excellence) — a program MDI Bio Lab manages and seeks funding for. In addition to providing funding for shared research facilities such as MDIBL’s cutting edge microscopy and data science facilities, INBRE supports paid research experience for undergraduates and provides some startup funding for new investigators.

An anonymous donor has pledged $1.5 million for unrestricted operating costs provided the lab raises $1.5 million in new gifts or commitments by Dec. 31, 2026. This can be a cash gift, bequest, an IRA donation or a charitable gift annuity.

In his opening remarks, Haller noted that “… when federal research funding faces real uncertainty, building an enduring source of funding for our programs is more than generosity. It is the stable foundation that will allow this institution to sustain its research and educational mission for decades to come.”

Haller cited steps the lab is taking to ensure its sustainability. With public funds, the lab last fall began a $1.6 million renovation of Neal Laboratory. When completed, this facility will become an applied science research center for the MDI Bioscience Initiative — an initiative that applies the lab’s molecular and comparative biology expertise to advance human health.

Currently the lab, at a cost of $1.94 million, is renovating the historic Bowen Hall into a new center for advancing science and entrepreneurship. Funding for the work also came from the federal government. This past spring the lab also received $960,000 in voter-approved funds for MDI Bioscience.

Haller anticipates expanding the lab’s research programs and hopes to add four to five new faculty. Additionally, the lab hopes to expand its graduate program. This, however, will require raising funds to support the students and their research. Currently the Lab has on-campus housing for 18 students as well as housing for visiting scientists.

Another strength of the Lab, said Haller, is its facilities for breeding and growing animal models for research. These include C. elegans, zebrafish, axolotl, salamander, Drosophila and African turquoise killifish. Both the light microscopy facility and the comparative genomics data science cores are supported by philanthropy and grants.

As Haller noted, expanding the faculty and number of graduate students, partnering with other institutions, continuing educational and outreach programs, building or renovating infrastructure and pursuing both government and nongovernment funds all will ensure that MDI Bio Lab continues to build on the dream of the founders and those who 20 years ago elected to make the Lab a year-round, state-of-the-art research facility.