If you want to do diving as part of research, you will do much better if you are associated with an institution that is doing scientific diving and has all the systems and programs set up. In the US, the "standard setting" body is the American Academy of Underwater Science (www.aaus.org), which due to its long history and large data set of safe diving history is also a bit of a world standard guide.
In the EU there is the European Scientific Diving Panel (Scientific Scuba Diving). Several other countries have their own governing bodies as well. I know Canada does (CAUS), and I think Australia and Brazil might as well.
Keep in mind that this is occupational diving, not recreational diving. The standards vary widely between countries, provences, and regions. In the UK you basically have to be a full commercial diver. Within AAUS, your diving status is entirely dependent on your employment status. I am an AAUS scientific diving instructor and Diving Safety Officer for a university. If I leave that job, not only can I no longer teach the AAUS scientific diver course, I'm not even a scientific diver myself. At least until I get another job with an AAUS organizational member. My active status is supported by the organizational member that employs me, not directly with AAUS.
Having said that, I know University of Guam is (or at least was) doing a lot of pharmaceutical research, particularly with sponges.
In the EU there is the European Scientific Diving Panel (Scientific Scuba Diving). Several other countries have their own governing bodies as well. I know Canada does (CAUS), and I think Australia and Brazil might as well.
Keep in mind that this is occupational diving, not recreational diving. The standards vary widely between countries, provences, and regions. In the UK you basically have to be a full commercial diver. Within AAUS, your diving status is entirely dependent on your employment status. I am an AAUS scientific diving instructor and Diving Safety Officer for a university. If I leave that job, not only can I no longer teach the AAUS scientific diver course, I'm not even a scientific diver myself. At least until I get another job with an AAUS organizational member. My active status is supported by the organizational member that employs me, not directly with AAUS.
Having said that, I know University of Guam is (or at least was) doing a lot of pharmaceutical research, particularly with sponges.
