DEEPEND Workshop Points to Future Deep Sea Environmental Research
Whilst about two-thirds of all drugs for the treatment of infections and cancer come from nature, the exploration of marine biodiversity only really started in earnest 50 years ago. Since then, 18 pharmaceuticals from marine organisms, mainly invertebrates that live on reefs, have been developed for the treatment of cancer, pain and viral infections. Only one of these drugs has been derived from a deep-sea organism, and the potential for deep-sea biodiversity to yield new medicines is an exciting avenue being explored as part of the DEEPEND project.
DEEPEND workshop in Aitutaki
The Seabed Minerals Authority (Authority) recently partnered with United Kingdom-based research project DEEPEND, to help further our understanding of deep-sea biodiversity and the potential for natural products.
The DEEPEND project brings together several subject matter expert groups from the UK (British Natural History Museum, National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, University of Strathclyde, and University of Aberdeen) in partnership with institutions based in the Pacific (University of the South Pacific, Pacific Community, and the Authority). The project is in its pilot phase and aims to test existing seabed samples as well as new ones from the Pacific, including samples collected from the Cook Islands through the seabed minerals (SBM) exploration programme.
DEEPEND is an opportunity to learn more about deep-sea biodiversity and marine genetic resources, and to explore future collaborations within the Cook Islands. The Authority’s partnership with DEEPEND has already resulted in opportunities for capacity building and to bring top scientists to the Cook Islands for a series of workshops and presentations.
DEEPEND Workshop Aitutaki 2022 participants
Senior Technical Officer for the Authority, Rima Browne, visited several of the institutions involved in the DEEPEND project to gain an insight into the process of drug discovery and development.
A tour through the UK Natural History Museum allowed her to understand how samples are catalogued and stored, which included samples from the time of Charles Darwin’s expedition aboard the HMS Beagle in the 1830s. She also visited the university labs of Strathclyde and Aberdeen in Scotland and learnt about biological and chemical measurements and isolation of natural products from deep-sea bacteria and higher organisms, such as sponges.
“It was interesting to learn that most pharmaceutical drugs are derived from natural products (plants, bacteria and fungi) and how modern technology can be applied to streamline development of these drugs,” says Browne.
Specimens stored in alcohol
Bacteria grown and tested against known viruses in a lab
The Authority hosted a workshop and presentations as part of the DEEPEND project in Aitutaki and Rarotonga. A wide range of local stakeholders attended the workshop including: Marae Moana, National Environment Service, Ministry of Marine Resources, Natural Heritage Trust, SBM Advisory Committee, Te Ipukarea Society, Moana Minerals, CIC, and CISR).
DEEPEND Aitutaki community presentation participants
The workshop included presentations from a wide range of marine scientific disciplines and discussed aspects of sample collection, sample storage, preparation and isolation of marine organisms and isolation of chemical compounds that might lead to new medicines.
Biodiscovery Day microscope display
Rarotonga public consultation
Following the workshop, public presentations in both Aitutaki and Rarotonga were delivered to give the public an opportunity to engage face-to-face with the expert scientists from all around the world.
One of the local attendees was excited to hear that other opportunities in our ocean were being explored and appreciated the chance to hear from the experts themselves.
The week concluded with an Ocean Biodiscovery Seminar Series at the National Environment Service, where the visiting scientists delivered more general talks on the topics of marine biology and chemistry. Attendees found the series educational and interesting, and even had the chance to observe locally-collected organisms under a microscope.
The Biodiscovery Day attended by both government agencies and members of the public
Seabed Minerals Authority Media Release