Tag: OceanShot

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From Brasil to Japan

Cheryl Ames presented the ship to the Japanese public.

It was an online tour during which Professor Ames presented the living areas and kitchen, commenting on everything from food options to the work schedule. Then, she showed the lab where her teammates and other international scientists were performing extractions on previously collected samples.

The tour was especially interesting because it showcased the entire ROV support and command structure while the ROV was active at a depth of over 500m. This made it possible to see the “behind-the-scenes” of the live ROV dive happening simultaneously on YouTube.

The tour helped convey the scale of the endeavor and the massive infrastructure required to collect data from the mid-water—from the initial dives to the final extractions.

Stay tuned for more mission updates

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Meet our lab team aboard Falkor (too)

Falkor (too) has sailed! On board is a diverse group of scientists and specialists composing the cruise crew, working in a collaborative effort to explore the midwater column along the Brazilian coast.

The Schmidt Ocean Institute organized a profile of the current research crew for the “Designing the Future 3” cruise, which includes members of our lab.

Lab members on board:

If you are interested in learning more about the current cruise, find more information on the “Designing the Future 3” page at the Schmidt Ocean Institute website: https://schmidtocean.org/cruise/designing-the-future-3/

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OceanShot: The Cruise – the Lab Team Embarks on the RV Falkor (too)

We’re officially off!

The Lab team — Prof. Cheryl Ames, Chanikarn Yongstar (Nune) and Kei CHloe Tan — is already on board in Salvador, Brazil, prepping for the ambitious OceanShot cruise aboard the RV Falkor (too). While the team is currently settling in and getting the gear ready, the ship is set to depart on 15/04, navigating the coastline toward Fortaleza until May 1st. Throughout the journey, the team will be focusing their research on the mid-water column, utilizing a diverse range of scientific methods to analyze this deep-sea “twilight zone.” The best part? You can join the expedition from home! We invite you to follow the journey and watch live ROV dives through the ship’s website at schmidtocean.org/technology/live-from-rv-falkor/.

Stay tuned for more updates from the Atlantic very soon!

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Nice, France Meeting Highlights Future of Marine Discovery, Co-led by Dr. Ames

Earlier this month, Dr. Cheryl Ames participated in a highly productive and collaborative meeting in Nice, France, from June 6-8, 2025. This important gathering provided a crucial platform for engaging with international colleagues and advancing the strategic planning for the groundbreaking Ocean Shot Research Grant.

As a Unit Leader at WPI-AIMEC and a co-leader of the selected Ocean Shot project, Dr. Ames was a key figure in the discussions. The project, officially titled “Discovery in the largest frontier: advanced imaging and genomics of open ocean animals,” recently secured $2.75 million USD for a three-year research period, set to begin in 2025. This significant funding was awarded by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation’s Ocean Policy Research Institute under its Ocean Shot Research Grant program.

“This is an exciting opportunity to bring marine science researchers together from around the globe to explore the ocean using innovative genomics and imaging approaches. I look forward to seeing all the new species we will discover!”

— Dr. Cheryl Ames

For comprehensive details on the Ocean Shot Research Grant, its team, and scientific objectives, please visit the original announcement on the WPI-AIMEC news page: https://wpi-aimec.jp/en/news/2207/]

Nice, France june 2025
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Prof. Cheryl Ames’s international research project has been selected for “OceanShot” research grant program

In February 2025, the proposal entitled “Discoveries at the Greatest Frontiers:
Advanced Imaging and Genomics of Pelagic Animals,” submitted by WPI-AIMEC Unit
Leader Prof. Cheryl Ames (Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University)
with Ocean Shot team leader Jan Hemmi University of Western Australia, together with
Karen Osborn of the University of Western Australia and Smithsonian National
Museum of Natural History, and Kakani Katija of Monterey Bay Aquarium Research
Institute, was selected for the Ocean Shot research grant program by the Sasakawa
Peace Foundation’s Ocean Policy Research Institute.


Ocean Shot was established to provide large-scale support for the discovery of marine
species and the development of new technologies that drive these discoveries.
Through this selection, the team will receive 2.75 million USD for their proposed 3-year
research project starting in 2025.


This research project focuses on the midwater zone, located between the ocean
surface and the deep sea. Despite being estimated to harbor over 90% of Earth’s
biodiversity, this light-limited region is one of the least explored ecosystems due to its
inaccessibility. By employing imaging, genomics, eDNA, and AI technologies in
dedicated research cruises, the project aims to develop a comprehensive database of
marine organisms. Through collecting, curating, compiling and disseminating multiple
data types, the project aspires to bring to light the scale of midwater biodiversity,
evolutionary processes, and environmental changes on a global scale.

More information