Coral Reef Ecosystem May Fight Illnesses
June 19, 2006 — By Associated Press
MIAMI — Biomedical researchers who dove down nearly 3,000 feet to
search a newly-discovered coral reef found treasures they say may
help doctors fight cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and other illnesses.
Scientists with the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution descended
to water sunless, black water in the Florida Straits, a passage
located between the Keys and Cuba.
There, they found a new coral reef ecosystem that features man-size
coral thickets and limestone towers.
“Gorgeous. Oh, beautiful goblets, just gorgeous,” said Shirley
Pomponi, president of Harbor Branch. “It’s a richer area than we
thought, for sure.”
Most importantly, they also found sponges and coral, including a new
species of bamboo coral. Scientists have previously used chemicals
from the underwater finds to fight diseases.
Researchers discovered hints of the reef’s existence in the 1970’s,
but didn’t witness the real majesty of this unknown ecosystem until
December. Using solar technology developed at the University of
Miami, they located sites that sustain themselves without sunlight or
obvious energy, according to Mark Grasmueck, a UM assistant
professor.
Armed with a robotic torpedo, advanced sonars, sensors and cameras,
explorers descended in a state-of-the art, submersible bubble the
size of two vehicles.
Now, researchers will take what they brought up from those depths to
laboratories and search for new medicinal compounds that might exist.
John Reed, Harbor Branch’s chief scientist said the goal is to
find “something that kills cancer cells and doesn’t kill anything
else.”
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