Europe has been slow to exploit the potential of marine life, writes Lorna Siggins, Marine Correspondent.
European scientists can be a pretty insular lot. That's the conclusion of a new report, which highlights the dearth of research into the potential medical benefits offered by compounds derived from marine life.
Take Lophelia pertusa, the deep-water coral identified off these shores by a Franco-Irish research expedition last summer, which could be used in bone re-formation.
Or the shellfish that clings so tightly to rocks on the shore. Its adhesive qualities could be applied to hip replacements and other prosthetic procedures where other glues won't work.
"It's generally known that we've run out of antibiotics, but there could be new types of compounds in the sea which we haven't exploited before," says Dr Maura Grealy of NUI Galway's biochemistry department.
She is a member of a European Science Foundation study group that has published a report calling for "more emphasis on, and more funding for, research into marine biotechnology".
Marine biotechnology involves using modern biological techniques to harness the unique properties of marine plants, animals and bacteria. The ESF report, which was presented to Science Foundation Ireland by Dr Peter Heffernan of the Marine Institute last week, outlines the key areas for development in Europe.
Some work has already been done - derivatives from seaweed being an obvious example. However, the report notes that Europe is way behind Asia and the US, and points out that national initiatives of single countries within the EU rarely focus directly on marine biotechnology.
Not surprisingly, the Japanese - who are making the most of the benefits of seaweed - have taken the initiative. In the 1980s, industry and government co-operated to set up two marine biotechnology institutes, and a dedicated centre was opened in 1990. It has modified a US-designed submersible vehicle to retrieve specimens from the deep ocean floor.
The report says the development of new cell culture techniques from marine organisms could lead to sustainable production of new drugs and other products. The horseshoe crab is already furnishing scientists with useful biochemicals which could be applied to early detection of infection in humans. It is no surprise that the crab (known as the "living fossil") has a good defence against bacteria, the authors note, as it thrives in areas where there are large numbers.
Marine organisms could be a source for new genes, and micro- organisms could play a role in environmental waste management, the report says. New composite materials, biopolymers and enzymes for industry could also be discovered.
The report has been published as the European Commission is preparing its sixth framework programme for marine research. "If we can get co-ordinated funding for this area under the new programme, the benefits could be enormous," Grealy says.
The Marine Institute supports this approach, and this could lead to incentives at national level here, she adds. "The challenge is to get biotechnologists talking to marine scientists and working together."
• Marine Biotechnology: A Euro-pean Strategy for Marine Biotechnology, published by the ESF Marine Board, is available from the Marine Institute (01-4766500) or at www.esf.org/publication/ 127/biotech.pdf