Our Hidden Pharma-Sea | Sam Afoullouss | TEDxGalway

Summary

Sam Afflues, an underwater alchemist, explores Ireland's deep-sea coral reefs for natural medicines. He explains how organisms produce specialized metabolites for defense, leading to over half of modern medicines being derived from nature. Deep-sea exploration reveals new molecules with potential to combat drug-resistant bacteria and cancers. Afflues' research aims to isolate these molecules, using sustainable methods to produce medicines without harming the reefs, which are crucial for both biodiversity and human health.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the lack of cures and treatments for new viruses, emphasizing the need for new medical solutions.
• 💊 Humanity faces challenges from antibiotic-resistant bacteria and increasing cancer rates, necessitating innovative approaches to medicine.
• 🌿 Turning to nature for medicinal inspiration is not new, with many traditional remedies derived from plants and animals.
• 🧬 Specialized metabolites, molecules produced by organisms for defense, are the basis for many natural remedies and modern medicines.
• 🌍 Over the past 200 years, scientists have explored the world for organisms with medicinal potential, but the oceans have been largely unexplored.
• 🌊 Oceans cover most of Earth's surface and are home to diverse ecosystems with potential for new medicinal discoveries.
• 🇮🇪 Ireland's extensive ocean territory is rich in marine life, including deep sea coral reefs that could be a source of future medicines.
• 🔬 Marine organisms have been found to produce unique molecules with potential applications in treating drug-resistant bacteria and cancers.
• 🐚 Deep sea coral reefs, despite harsh conditions, are incredibly biodiverse and could hold the key to new medicines.
• 🧪 The process of discovering new medicines from marine life involves creating extracts and testing them against various diseases.
• 🧬 Once a potential medicinal molecule is identified, genes from the marine organism can be used to produce the medicine sustainably.
• 💡 Protecting deep sea coral reefs is crucial not only for biodiversity but also for their potential as a source of new medicines.

Q & A

What is the primary concern regarding the new virus mentioned in the script?

The primary concern is that when the virus broke out, there were next to no cures or treatments available to fight against COVID-19.

Why are deep sea coral reefs considered a potential source for future medicines?

Deep sea coral reefs are among the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world and contain unique species that have adapted over millions of years to thrive in extreme conditions, potentially producing specialized metabolites that could be used as medicines.

What is the role of specialized metabolites in natural remedies?

Specialized metabolites are molecules mainly produced by organisms like plants and mushrooms to defend themselves from diseases and predators, and they are the reason why natural remedies work.

How have scientists historically searched for organisms with medicinal molecules?

Over the past 200 years, scientists have traveled to the four corners of the world, exploring diverse ecosystems to find organisms that may contain medicinal molecules.

What is the significance of the ocean in the search for new medicines?

Oceans cover over three quarters of the Earth's surface and contain the most biodiverse ecosystems, yet they have remained largely unexplored in the search for new medicines.

What is the role of the research vessel 'Celtic Explorer' in the exploration of deep sea coral reefs?

The Celtic Explorer is used to explore submarine canyon systems and deep sea coral reefs, where it can collect samples from extreme environmental conditions using state-of-the-art robotic submarines.

Why are deep sea coral reefs described as being in eternal darkness?

Deep sea coral reefs are in areas where there is no sunlight, making the environment pitch black and permanently bathed in eternal darkness.

How do deep sea sponges and corals compete for space and food?

They compete by growing as far out into the water current as possible to catch as much food as they can, which has resulted in beautiful biological creations and adaptations over millions of years.

What is the process of creating 'coral and sponge gin' and why is it used?

Coral and sponge gin is an extract made by soaking corals and sponges in alcohol. It is used to test the potential of these organisms to kill diseases, which can lead to the discovery of new molecules that could be developed into medicines.

How can the genes from deep sea organisms be used to produce medicines sustainably?

The genes that carry the biological recipes for producing medicinal molecules can be inserted into microbes like yeast, which can then be grown in bioreactors to produce the medicines in a sustainable and cost-effective way.

What is the potential impact of discovering new medicines from deep sea coral reefs on the protection of these ecosystems?

By proving that their unique biodiversity can provide new medicines, there is a financial incentive to protect these reefs, in addition to the public health incentive, which could help ensure their conservation.