In Florida, researchers from Florida Atlantic University demonstrated that a compound derived from a deep water sponge can fight back against antibiotic resistant super bugs like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). More than 11,000 people die from MRSA infections each year since current antibiotics aren’t effective against it and bacteria in general has grown resistant to antibiotics like penicillin. However, ocean sponges of the genus Spongosorites can provide serious antibacterial fighting power with the compound named dragmacidin G. Researchers are also looking at how the sponge’s antibiotic compound may help fight pancreatic cancer cells.
The University’s marine biomedical and biotechnology program focuses on finding and studying marine materials, like sponges, to better understand diseases and perhaps serve as medicines. They maintain a library of marine materials that are tested against many diseases in hopes of finding real solutions to today’s medical problems, such as antibiotic resistant bacteria and various cancers.