@Sea - Bahamas Journey - A Quest For Drugs From The Sea

	BAHAMAS JOURNEY A Quest For Drugs From The Sea At HARBOR BRANCH Oceanographic Institution (HBOI), scientists from the Division of Biomedical Marine Research (DBMR) have taken the quest for cures for cancer and other diseases into the depths of the oceans. To discover new deep-sea marine organisms that might contain chemicals with the potential to cure human diseases, these scientists travel the globe on research ships and descend thousands of feet to the seafloor using the institution's Johnson-Sea-Link (JSL) research submersibles. From October 9th through October 24th, they'll be doing just that to continue their ongoing mission, using the submersible and scuba diving at sites all around the Bahamas' outer islands to scour the seafloor in search of new animals, and animals previously discovered that warrant further study. This work has already led to the discovery of several chemicals that have shown great promise for fighting cancer, infections, and other maladies. One, a compound called discodermolide, has proven an effective cancer cell killer, even in tumors that are resistant to Taxol®, one of the best treatments for breast and ovarian cancers currently available. Such successes are encouraging, but more treatments are needed if the spread of diseases such as pancreatic and breast cancer are to be stopped, and so the search continues. Over the past 20 years, research expeditions have taken the BMR team throughout the Caribbean; to the eastern Atlantic, including the Azores, Canary Islands, Cape Verde and western Africa; to the Pacific Ocean, including the Galapagos Islands, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, and Australia; and to the Indian Ocean, around the Seychelles and Thailand. Target organisms are often associated with hard bottom habitats such as reefs, and include sponges, corals, moss-like bryozoans, tunicates (invertebrates such as sea squirts), and algae. The main focus is on animals that remain permanently fixed in a given spot, because such organisms tend to develop toxic chemicals defenses against animals that might try to eat them or grow on top of them. When planning expeditions, researchers use detailed charts that show the seafloor's contours to determine whether the "right" bottom type is present that may provide essential habitat for such bottom-dwelling, or benthic, organisms. Little is known about the deep-sea environment in most of the places HARBOR BRANCH researchers have explored, so at times they have to simply begin their search for the right areas with nothing more than an educated guess. This year's mission to the Bahamas aboard HARBOR BRANCH's R/V Seward Johnson II research vessel has several key goals: 1) To document deep-water benthic communities with videotapes, 35-mm photographs, and collection of museum specimens using the JSL Research Submersible and scuba diving 2) To collect and test chemicals produced in or by marine organisms collected to discover if they have the potential to fight human diseases. The first step in this process involves simple tests while on the ship that determine if a chemical can, for instance, kill bacteria, and then more elaborate tests back on land that indicate whether a chemical can kill cancer cells or shows other signs of medical potential against diseases. 3) To gather living specimens of sponges and tunicates for research on ways to either farm-raise the animals that produce important chemicals or to maintain healthy cultures of microorganisms, which are often supported by larger animals such as sponges, that produce important chemicals. DBMR has made many submersible missions to the Bahamas. While the westernmost islands in the archipelago are about 50 miles from Florida, the chain of islands extends southeastward for more than 750 miles near the coast of Hispanola. Researchers will begin with only a general plan for where they hope to go among these islands during the expedition. The path the ship actually takes will be determined "on-the-fly" as weather and water conditions can make work in certain areas rough and unproductive, at times forcing the team to areas far from where they initially planned to operate. Columbus named the islands Bajamar which means "the shallow or shoaling area." It was a fitting choice, as many of the islands are largely surrounded by wide shallow expanses, clearly evident by their light green color. However, in numerous places, these shoals drop off at underwater cliffs into chasms that can be thousands of feet deep and filled with endless sites to explore and, quite possibly, a number of organisms that will one day lead to new human disease treatments. Near the island of Andros, for instance, the water drops from about 100 feet deep to 6,000 feet in an area known as the Tongue of the Ocean. Such canyons, sometimes starting just a mile from shore, will be the target of deep exploration with the JSL submersible. Though we won't know until it happens where the expedition will lead, its sure to be an adventure filled with fascinating marine life, and potentially life-saving research. To follow the scientists and learn what they see and discover, return here to @Sea for regular dispatches during the Bahamas Journey: a Quest for Drugs from the Sea.