Frank Marini, Ph.D.

Frank Marini was born and raised in Hudson Mass. After high school he joined the Army and moved to Ft. Benning GA to complete his Military education. Four years later he returned to Massachusetts to complete college and received his BS in biochemistry. His first job as a research assistant at Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation in La Jolla Ca showed him that translational research in medicine was soon to be his chosen career path. In 1989 he moved to Houston TX to begin his graduate training in Molecular biology at the University of Texas - Houston. He completed his Ph.D. in 1995 where his research focused on Gene Therapy of Cancer. Frank's expertise in gene transfer and gene delivery into stem cells is well-recognized, and he has developed viral vector gene delivery systems, which have been used in clinical trials for treatment of cancers. He is currently an assistant professor in the W.M. Keck Center for Cancer Gene Therapy at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

From the start, fish and fish tanks intrigued me. My parents setup my first tank, a 30-galonl metal-framed tank containing seahorses when I was 12. I was hooked from that day on. Since then, when I've had a permanent residence, I've kept a number of different fish and have always focused on predatory and unusual fish. I started my first reef tank in 1986, and my first large fish-only system in 1989. I fell in love with the Banggai cardinal fish in 1995, and after solving the sexing issues, had multiple successful breedings. I have been credited with having the first reported breeding of these fish and successfully raising the fry. In 1997, I scaled up my Banggai breeding and was able to supply over 300 Banggai fry to local Houston pet stores. I continued Banggai breeding for a few years thereafter, but again have focused on predatory fish (mainly the scorpionfish family: lionfish, etc). My interests are diverse and always educational. Besides saltwater fish, I have a 125-gallon freshwater planted tank. I raise matamata turtles, frequently play my bass guitar, and whenever possible cruise in my 400Hp 5.8L 1986 Mustang GT (the MXMISL).

Frank is available for questions at the Fish Breeding and Marine Fish forums at Reef Central.