Cayman's coral reefs could provide cure for AIDS
(Left to
right): Emily Dixon, Geoffrey Chaiken, undergraduate assistants,
David Gruber, Graduate Student Rutgers University, Dr. Dan Tchernov,
Rutgers University Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Marine
Scientist and Principal Investigator, Dr. Vincent, Pieribone,
Yale University College of Medicine,
Neuroscientist and Principal Investigator, Dr. Carrie Manfrino,
Director, CCMI, and Beth Logan, Undergraduate Assistant from Rutgers
University
Coral reefs around the Cayman Islands could provide a cure for diseases such as AIDS, Alzheimers and cancer.
And international scientists have been in Cayman recently to carry out important research work.
Coral reefs around the world are declining at a rapid pace but those around Cayman are still thriving.
And it has been discovered that organisms which live in the coral could provide cures for deadly diseases.
The Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) in Cayman is a non-profit organisation which has been set up to sustain marine resources.
And Dr. Tchernov from Rutgers University Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences in New Jersey and Dr. Vincent Pieribone from Yale University School of Medicine in Connecticut are working with CCMI to carry out research.
Dr. Tchernov is working on a large-scale project to analyse the diversity of coral reef communities on a molecular level especially as this relates to coral bleaching processes.
He uses advanced molecular biological and fluorescence techniques to identify optical, biophysical and genetic diversity.
Dr. Tchernov states: "In this study, we wish to test our hypothesis that coral bleaching involves the death of important cells (in the coral animal) that result from the accumulation of oxidants in the tiny plants that live otherwise harmoniously and beneficially within the coral animals".
Dr. Pieribone is working to extend a project he began last summer at the Great Barrier Reef to understand "The Distribution and Abundance of Fluorescent Proteins in the Coral Community Surrounding Little Cayman".
One of the great untapped treasures of coral reefs, and a major rationale for protecting them, is the variety of unique compounds produced by coral reef organisms.
Fluorescent proteins, molecules that absorb light of one color and then emit light of another color, are important research tools for studies on diseases such as AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer.
These compounds are also critical to the survival of coral reef organisms, and may prove useful in monitoring the health of threatened coral communities.
The scientists' research plans are to gain a better understanding of the distribution, abundance and function of fluorescent proteins in coral.
The CCMI is currently working to build an education and research facility in the Cayman Islands and operates the Cayman Summer Sea Camp.
The camp is a pre-college-level marine science programme for Cayman's academically-oriented high school youths and is underwritten by Bank Austria and Texaco Caribbean.
The work the scientists are conducting meets the research initiatives of the institute, according to Dr. Carrie Manfrino, CCMI Director and Oceanography Professor.
CCMI is working to catalyze studies in Cayman that have broad and significant applications to reefs globally.