Aberdeen scientists to explore African seas for drug discoveries
Research could lead to new treatments for cancer and MRSA
A team will travel to Ghana next month to search the waters for unique marine organisms that could be used to develop new medicines.
The scientists hope to find previously undiscovered species of corals, sponges and sea squirts. They will examine these organisms for new molecules, bacteria and fungi, which could be used in the creation of new treatments for diseases prevalent in Africa – including tuberculosis and parasitic diseases such as malaria.
Professor Marcel Jaspars, director of the Marine Biodiscovery Centre, said: ‘Drug discovery work in West Africa has historically focused on land, investigating how molecules in plants can be used in the development of new medicines.
‘Our project marks the first time waters off the coast of West Africa have been explored to assess the diversity of marine organisms available in this area, and the potential they could harbour in the treatment of a number of diseases.’
Jaspars said the team would collect samples at low tide around the Gulf of Guinea and Guinea Basin, where they believe they will find new species.
The Aberdeen scientists will work with the University of Ghana during the trip, which marks the beginning of a three-year collaborative project between the two institutions.
The £1.6m Marine Biodiscovery Centre – which brings together chemists and biologists to work on the development of new pharmaceuticals from organisms from the depths of the world’s oceans – opened in June. It is one of only three in Europe dedicated to the exploration of the natural resources from our seas.
The project is funded by the Leverhulme Trust and co-ordinated by the Royal Society.
You may also like
Research & Development
Cirena and Epigenica launch technologies to accelerate genome editing and epigenomic research
Read moreTwo life sciences companies have announced new technologies designed to address long-standing bottlenecks in genome editing and epigenomic analysis, offering faster timelines and improved reproducibility for researchers in academia and industry
Trending Articles
Upcoming event
You may also like
Research & Development
Cirena and Epigenica launch technologies to accelerate genome editing and epigenomic research
Two life sciences companies have announced new technologies designed to address long-standing bottlenecks in genome editing and epigenomic analysis, offering faster timelines and improved reproducibility for researchers in academia and industry
Research & Development
AdvanCell partners with 48Hour Discovery on peptide-based lead-212 radiotherapeutic
The pair will develop a novel peptide-based Lead-212 radiotherapeutic targeting a gastrointestinal cancer with significant unmet need, strengthening AdcanCell's pipeline of differentiated targeted alpha therapies
Research & Development
Baseline Therapuetics launches to advance GLP-1 Phase III Programme in Alcohol Use Disorder
The clinical-stage biotech has launched to progress BT-001, a once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist, into FDA-aligned Phase III trials for alcohol use disorder, with studies planned to begin in 2026
Research & Development
Researchers identify early signs of Parkinson's in the blood
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have identified early-stage Parkinson’s disease biomarkers detectable in blood, revealing a limited diagnostic window that could enable screening and earlier intervention years before motor symptoms appear
Research & Development
iXCells and Rosebud Biosciences pair up to advance organoid-based models for rare diseases
The expansion of iXCells’ iPSCore platform with integration of 3D human organoid expertise will enable evaluation of drug toxicity and tissue-specific responses, meeting growing demand for scalable, patient-relevant human models to support translational decision-making in drug development