Pharma-Sea: Medicines from the ocean’s hidden chemistry

The ocean is huge! It covers more than 70 percent of our planet and harbors vast biological diversity.

Among corals, sponges, sea slugs, and their associated microorganisms, there are thousands of unique chemical compounds. These marine natural products have molecules, which have also led to new medicines for cancer, pain and other innovative solutions. So how do we get from the sea to the clinic?

In this lecture, I will talk about: 

• Where and how we find marine bioactive compounds
• Success stories and promises of marine-inspired drugs and biotechnology 
• Challenges and new directions: How we can access rare compounds without harming marine biodiversity.

Whether you’re fascinated by the ocean, curious about how drugs are discovered, or concerned about protecting marine life, this talk offers a glimpse into how our seas are shaping the future of medicine.

(AI-illustration: Morgane Mauduit/freepik.com)