Discovering Natural Product HDAC Inhibitors from Marine Microbial Crude Extracts

This research, conducted at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography over the summer, focused on exploring marine microbial communities as a source of novel cancer therapeutics. The ocean’s vast biodiversity, particularly its microbial populations, represents an underexplored reservoir of bioactive compounds with significant potential for biomedical research. Employing microbiological culturing techniques alongside advanced analytical chemistry methods, such as compound isolation and structure elucidation, I identified natural products from marine microbes and evaluated their inhibitory effects on cancer cell proliferation through cell-based assays. The results revealed several bioactive compounds, some of which demonstrated significant cancer-inhibiting properties in initial tests, showcasing the promising role of marine microorganisms in drug development. These findings provide new insights into how the ocean can contribute groundbreaking solutions for human health, particularly in cancer treatment. Moreover, the identification of these bioactive compounds highlights the critical role marine ecosystems play in advancing biomedical discoveries. This research underscores the importance of ocean conservation, as preserving marine biodiversity not only sustains the environment but also ensures continued access to invaluable resources for future therapeutic discoveries.  

Presentation Preference: Poster

Primary Presenter: Julia Sutton, Howard University (julia.sutton@bison.howard.edu)

Authors:

Douglas Sweeney, University of California - San Diego  (dsweeney@ucsd.edu)

Alexander Bogdanov, University of California - San Diego  (abogdanov@ucsd.edu)

Paul Jensen, University of California - San Diego  (pjensen@ucsd.edu)