Edinburgh: The US and EU are funding research in the depths of the oceans to discover new compounds and chemicals to fight infections, heart disease, AIDS, cancer, viruses and other ailments. The EU’s next phase of funding for 143m Euros is going to the seas of Scotland.
With humans developing a resistance to antibiotics it is becoming a priority to discover new medicines to treat basic infections. It is estimated that the development and manufacture of a new medicine might take decades and billions of Euros to reach the market.
Various creatures of the sea are known to have properties and chemical compositions that are not fond on land. For instance, the blue blood of the Horseshoe Crab is used to detect bacterial endotoxins in medical practices; a Caribbean Sponge has been used to make drugs to fight the HIV virus and various other creatures which have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.
The priority is to carry out research without destroying the ecosystems, which are not regulated by laws. Scientists must engage in research without damaging the life systems underwater and strict regulations have to be established.