SCIENCE SNAPS > EXPLORE > Sensational Seaquirts with Professor Marcel Jaspers from the University of Aberdeen



Expert Professor Marcel Jaspars (University of Aberdeen) explores
Sensational seasquirts
Pharmacognosy using Marine Invertebrates and Cyanobacteria: Natural products are traditionally the cornerstone of drug discovery. Despite advances in synthetic chemistry and in the understanding of the mechanisms of drug action, the ideal of rational drug design is still a long way off. Natural product discovery from new sources will continue to be essential to provide novel lead compounds which the synthetic chemist can modify. Studies performed at the National Cancer Institute in the USA have shown that marine organisms represent a significant source of biologically active lead compounds. We are looking at the isolation of novel drug candidates from soft-bodied marine organisms collected in UK and Indo-Pacific waters. The isolation of bioactive compounds from the crude organism extracts is guided by their biological activity. Once a pure compound is isolated, its structure is defined using one and two dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance methods as well as advanced mass spectrometric techniques. Chemical Ecology: As well as the discovery of biologically active natural products we are also interested in the role of these compounds in nature. We are currently investigating production of the microcystin toxins by cyanobacteria (blue green algae) of the genus Microcystis. We hope to discover the chemical cues that stimulate the production of these toxins. Listen to the SCIENCE SNAP from Sat 19th March Ask the Expert Explore this topic further: My Australian Adventure - Marcel Jaspars , University of Aberdeen www.abdn.ac.uk/chemistry/research/mj/adventure.hti Drugs from the deep – a diver’s tale www.noisenet.ws/science/index.htm CHEMSOC - The RSC's chemical science network www.chemsoc.org/ Royal Society of Chemistry www.rsc.org/

Photo of Professor Marcel Jaspers from Marine Natural Products Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen

Professor Marcel Jaspars

Marine Natural Products Laboratory,
Department of Chemistry,
University of Aberdeen

I have been diving since I was 14 years old. I caught the bug on a holiday, where I was snorkelling all day long, captivated by the colourful fish, corals and sponges. As a chemistry PhD student I wanted to combine my love of marine life with my interest in chemistry. When I found out that there was a way to do this, by investigating compounds produced by marine organisms for potential medical use, I was determined to do research in this field. I got the chance by joining a research group in California which was investigating anti-cancer compounds from the Indo-Pacific. I worked in a group including chemists and biologists, and we interacted with cancer specialists regularly.

One qualification that I needed, unusually for a chemist perhaps, was that of research diver, so that I could take part in expeditions. This involved learning to work efficiently underwater, rather than just being a sightseer, as time is very limited. The other part of my training was to learn how to isolate and identify the structures of the compounds we isolated. This involved the use of nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers, which work on the same principle as bodyscanners in a hospital.

The main message I took away after leaving this group to set up my own laboratory was that the discovery of new treatments for cancer can only come about by an interaction between many scientists, chemists, biologists, biochemists, pharmacologists, oncologists and many others.

Sensational seasquirts