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mud loaded with unique bacteria.

Techniques for keeping these

extreme creatures alive in the lab

have advanced in recent years,

so experiments can be carried

out. According to Jaspars, they’ve

done around 100,000 tests, with

targets including the so-called

ESKAPE pathogens. This group of

six bacterial strains are showing

growing resistance to multiple

existing antibiotics.

Ultimately, the PharmaSea

team aims to narrow down two

compounds that can be produced

at a larger scale and put forward for

pre-clinical trials. So far, their most

promising finds are compounds that

could be effective against diseases

of the nervous system, in particular

epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease.

BENEFITS FOR ALL?

But who owns these discoveries

from the deep? The word

‘bioprospecting’ usually has a

Some sea squirts contain

cancer-fighting agents

PharmaSea

researchers

scouring through

oceanic mud

Brian Murphy’s researchers

hunt for new antibiotics in

unusual locations, such as

this waterfall in Iceland

SCIENCE