The oceans cover more than two thirds of Earth's surface, but just 5% has so far been explored
The divers finally emerge and bring their haul up on to
the boat. They've carefully selected a few starfish, which thrive in the waters
around Oban. Some species contain anti-inflammatory chemicals that could be developed for
new treatments for asthma and arthritis. But they're just one of the organisms being investigated for their medical
potential. Scientists say unusual compounds and gene sequences in some marine creatures
and plants could lead to anything from much-needed new antibiotics to cancer
drugs.
Dr Andrew Mogg is a scientific diver at the Scottish Association for Marine
Science (Sams). The organization is part of a consortium called Seabiotech
that's received more than $4 million from the European Union to scour the depths.
He says: "The reason we look at these novel bioactive compounds, especially from the sea, is because nature is a fantastic designer - it's constantly making new things and testing them, it's been doing it for eons."
He says: "The reason we look at these novel bioactive compounds, especially from the sea, is because nature is a fantastic designer - it's constantly making new things and testing them, it's been doing it for eons."
Dr John Day, a marine scientist from Sams, says much of what is "findable" on land has already been found. But he adds: "Historically (the ocean) isn't a place that people have looked for medicines and cures, so they haven't exploited it. In addition there's new technology, allowing one to screen more methodically and more scientifically and produce more useful data to point you towards a final product. Of necessity, we're looking for how can we exploit other parts of the planet to produce new industries and products."
What lurks in the deep?
But a lack of clarity in legislation could prove a setback for this burgeoning area of research. Within 200 nautical miles of a country's coastline is the Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ). In these territorial waters, there are clearly defined laws about how the sea can be exploited. And if a country has signed up to the Nagoya Protocol, an update to the UN's Convention on Biological Diversity, they have an additional responsibility to ensure that any exploitation in their waters is fair and sustainable.
"At present, as far as I'm aware, there are very few laws that would cover exploitation of that material. The Law of the Sea focuses on what is on the ocean floor or beneath it, and it also specifies non-mobile organisms, but the laws are not definitive enough. This is a concern, because this new frontier is home to an extraordinary range of creatures and plants. Simply to survive, they have to adapt to extremes of temperature, pressure and darkness - and it's this hardiness and gift for survival that makes them so attractive to scientists.
Without clear legislation fragile ecosystems could be
damaged
"It's particularly important for companies to have legal clarity when they're
working in open waters because they're making a huge investment," she
explains."It will cost money to develop the drugs and put them through clinical trials and if they don't have legal certainty they will potentially lose the right to produce that drug and it's not acceptable to them.
"And in my opinion that would discourage companies from investing in taking samples from the deep-sea environment. A new mechanism is needed to make sure any profits from the deep sea are shared."
It is also very difficult to police theses operations. The raw materials need to be tracked from collection, to the lab, to production, to the sales of the drugs and all the changes of hands in between.
A possible solution is to deposit profits into a central pot - perhaps administered by the UN. Part of the money could then be ploughed back into ocean research.
Seaweed from the shores around Culzean Castle may
have wound healing properties
For now, though, back on the shores of Scotland, the work continues. In a stunning spot of coastline, overlooked by Culzean Castle, Scottish firm Marine Biopolymers Ltd is taking advantage of the low tide to harvest piles of brown, slimy seaweed.
The company's director David Mackie says: "We're extracting chemicals from the inside of it - it's a natural polymer called alginate. The best medical use is wound dressing. Alginate is well established as a very effective wound dressing for certain types of wounds."
He hopes to soon open a plant so the process can be repeated on an industrial scale. But it's early days. Bringing new drugs to market can take 15 years and cost more than a couple of billion dollars .
This would be a mere drop in the ocean, if this new frontier in medical research lives up to its promise.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Through this ever open gate
None come too early
None too late
Thanks for dropping in ... the PICs