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This story was distributed nationally on NPR stations.

In the past few years, scientists have learned how to manipulate an organism’s DNA to try to cure genetic disorders.

But there’s another type of genetic material that scientists are focusing on — RNA — which played a critical role in the COVID vaccines.

Today, scientists across Massachusetts are conducting RNA research on marine animals they hope will lead to better therapeutics for humans.

Squid as a model organism

On a recent sunny morning, scientist Josh Rosenthal was waiting on a dock in Woods Hole, on the southwest corner of Cape Cod.

Rosenthal, who works at the Marine Biological Laboratory, was checking in with the crew of the Gemma, a 50-foot research vessel that was about to go out for the day.

The crew catches marine animals that scientists study to help understand basic biology; they’re known as "model organisms."

On this day, they’re looking out for cephalopods, a marine category that includes squid and octopus, which are then held in tanks in a nearby building.

Rosenthal reached into one of the tanks and pulled out a translucent substance.

“You see those little jelly-like fingers down there? Those are each filled with 50 to 100 (squid) eggs," he said.

Source: Massachusetts scientists study squid to develop disease treatments and opioid alternatives | WCAI / NPR