5.2 BioMolecular Diversity and Partnered Biodiscovery

The BioMolecular Diversity and Partnered Biodiscovery project had two general components: one based on marine natural product lead identification from Western Australian marine biodiversity (macro-organism) in conjunction with one complimentary biomedical partner (the former WA Institute for Medical Research – WAIMR); the second being an opportunity associated with investigation and elaboration of marine microbes and the secondary metabolites they elicit.

Aims

• To identify valuable lead compounds from Western Australia’s marine biodiversity utilising a hypothesis driven approach to optimize discovery potential as well as adding to the knowledge about the role of marine secondary metabolites in nature.
• To perform proof-of-principle studies on a carefully selected group of marine samples in order to identify ones that have novel anticancer properties. Fifty compounds isolated from up and down the WA coast were carefully selected for potential anticancer activity.