3 October 2008
Malaghan Institute scientists Dr Jacquie Harper and Professor Mike Berridge were key members of a team of marine and cell biologists and chemists from around New Zealand recently awarded the prestigious Arthur E Schwarting Award for best paper published in the international Journal of Natural Products in 2007.
The paper describes the discovery of two novel natural compounds from a sea squirt found in New Zealand's coastal waters that halt the development of inflammation.
Inflammation is common to many debilitating human diseases including arthritis, asthma and cardiovascular disease, and alternative anti-inflammatory treatments are desperately needed.
This research suggests that the simple sea squirt might just hold the answer scientists have been looking for.