Cures at the Bottom of the Sea?
Could the next big cure be resting at the bottom of the ocean?
That just might be to case according to some recent news out of OHSU.
From an OHSU press release:
OHSU researchers, in partnership with scientists from several other institutions, have published two new research papers that signal how the next class of powerful medications may currently reside at the bottom of the ocean. In both cases, the researchers were focused on ocean-based mollusks – a category of animal that includes snails, clams and squid and their bacterial companions.
Sea life studies aid researchers in several ways, including the development of new medications and biofuels. Because many of these ocean animal species have existed in harmony with their bacteria for millions of years, these benign bacteria have devised molecules that can affect body function without side effects and therefore better fight disease.
The findings are getting a significent amount of press attention. A few links to articles below:
Huffington Post – Mollusks Could Pave The Way For Future Medicines
Red Orbit – Mollusks Could Be Responsible For Future Medications
