Ocean and human health
Introduction
The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified the ten most pressing health threats the global public is facing today. These threats include widespread non-communicable diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, alongside dangerous infections such as influenza, Ebola, dengue, and HIV. Particularly concerning is the rise of high-threat pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). As conventional treatments are proving to be inadequate, the need for innovative and multidisciplinary solutions is becoming increasingly vital.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) stands out as one of the most urgent challenges, being linked to 4.95 million deaths worldwide in 2019, with bacterial AMR causing 1.27 million deaths. The effectiveness of existing antibiotics is diminishing, as biofilms- matrices of microbial aggregates- have developed intricate and diverse resistance mechanisms against current treatments. While the urgent need for novel antibiotics is clear, their discovery and development have declined in recent years.
Marine environments, with their vast biodiversity, offer a promising solution to this pressing challenge. Marine natural products have emerged as a valuable source of novel bioactive compounds with unique mechanisms of action that can potentially overcome existing therapeutic limitations. Marine natural products' unique chemical structures and bioactive properties have evolved due to harsh marine conditions and evolutionary pressures. The ongoing exploration of marine biodiversity and natural compounds is an essential part of the global effort to combat today’s most critical public health threats.
Research projects
Discover how we're advancing innovative solutions for Ocean and Human health:
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Marine bioprospecting for novel antimicrobials
Exploring the vast chemical diversity of marine ecosystems to uncover new antimicrobial compounds, with focusing marine organisms with sophisticated chemical defense systems. -
Combating biofilm formation with marine natural products
Isolating and characterizing bioactive compounds from marine organisms can disrupt bacterial biofilms, addressing the challenge of persistent infections resistant to traditional antibiotics. -
Advanced screening for clinical-relevant pathogens
Employing innovative techniques to evaluate marine natural products against clinically relevant model systems of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and biofilm-forming pathogens. -
Mechanistic studies of marine antimicrobials
Investigating the unique mechanisms of action of marine natural products to overcome existing antibiotic resistance and prevent the development of new resistance. -
Preclinical development of marine-derived therapeutics
Assessing the bioactivity, toxicity, and stability of promising marine compounds in preclinical models to advance their potential for clinical application in treating infections. -
Predictive modeling using chemical fingerprints
Develop models that comprehensively identify vital features of chemical fingerprints to predict drug-likeness. -
Developing multi-omics data integration tools for metabolite analysis
Develop models that efficiently integrate already available Omics data for targeted bioprospecting. -
Marine byproducts valorization
Transforming marine residuals into useable products for various applications. -
Optimization of extraction and purification techniques
Innovating and optimizing purification pipelines to efficiently isolate high-value and bioactive compounds from complex marine matrices. -
Sustainable extraction methods
Exploring eco-friendly extraction techniques to efficiently isolate beneficial compounds.
We welcome collaborations with industry and academic partners, not only to advance these projects, but also to explore other initiatives within the Ocean and Human Health domain.
Contact
Dr. Maria Krishna de Guzman
Post-doctoral researcher