MDI Biological Laboratory

Getting the word out about the potentially life-changing work underway at the MDI Biological Laboratory is an honor and a privilege. I’m inspired every day by the dedication and passion of our scientists and students and grateful for the opportunity to share their work with others.

Jerilyn M. Bowers
VP of External Affairs and Chief of Staff

MDI Biological Laboratory News

Whether it’s a breakthrough in regenerative medicine or a milestone in our growth, we hope you will stay informed of what’s happening at the MDI Biological Laboratory through our press releases, blog posts, publications and media placements.

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Parkinson’s Foundation Backs MDI Bio Lab’s Brain Cell Regeneration Project

$200,000 Impact Award supports effort to map how a Mexican salamander naturally regrows lost neurons — work that could open new paths toward treating Parkinson's disease.

Assistant Professor Prayag Murawala, Ph.D., and a doctoral candidate in his research group, Damián García-García, have developed preliminary data showing for the first time that adult axolotls can recover and regenerate lost dopaminergic neurons.

The discoveries open a door for new research under the Lab’s MDI Bioscience initiative on whether the drugs can not only help maintain healthy organs as we age, but reverse damage and increase longevity.

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Aging

Sonia Sandhi’s Journey to a Ph.D. in Aging Research

Sonia Sandhi grew up not knowing what a Ph.D. was — she knows now. Sonia just earned her doctorate in the latest sign of momentum for MDI Bio Lab’s graduate fellowship program.

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Kidney Disease

MDI Biological Laboratory Receives Historic Archive of Award-Winning Scientific Films

The MDI Biological Laboratory has received a significant gift from Dr. Reinier Beeuwkes: an archive of 16mm scientific films documenting the microscopic blood vessels of the human kidney and heart in unprecedented, dynamic detail.

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Maine INBRE

The Maine INBRE: Shaping Maine’s “Scientific Identity” for 25 Years

Some 70 scientists, academic leaders and students from all corners of Maine joined together at the MDI Biological Laboratory this month to celebrate the pioneering achievements of the Maine IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (Maine INBRE).

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Institutional News
Mount Desert Islander · July 29, 2026

MDI Bio Lab Forges Ahead

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Education
WVII ABC 7/WFVX Fox 22 · April 24, 2026

TV Story Spotlights Record-Breaking Biomedical Symposium

Students and researchers converge in Bar Harbor for 53rd annual science symposium: "This is for the future"

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Institutional News
WVII ABC 7/WFVX Fox 22 · April 16, 2026

MDI Bio Lab secures funding to strengthen Maine’s role in regeneration science

The MDI Biological Laboratory in Bar Harbor is a leader in regeneration science and medicine.

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Aging
Bar Harbor, Maine · September 10, 2026

Parkinson’s Foundation Backs MDI Bio Lab’s Brain Cell Regeneration Project

$200,000 Impact Award supports effort to map how a Mexican salamander naturally regrows lost neurons — work that could open new paths toward treating Parkinson's disease.

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Regenerative Biology
Bar Harbor, Maine · March 26, 2026

MDI Bio Lab Secures Over $4M in NIH Funding with Second Award This Month

Federal investment in regeneration science strengthens Bar Harbor research hub, supporting long-term bioscience innovation

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Aging
Bar Harbor, Maine · March 18, 2026

NIH Awards $2.3M to Maine Scientist to Study Cell’s “Protein Factory”

MDI Bio Lab's Emily Spaulding, Ph.D., does fundamental research on cellular organization with implications for aging and disease

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