Marine bioactive compound extraction

This research focused on investigating the marine sponges and soft corals, particularly those from the Sanya Bay. They are rich sources of bioactive compounds, with about 55% of marine compounds isolated from these organisms. The research team discovered that the producers of many bioactive substances, including antibacterial and antifouling agents, are the bacteria and fungi associated with these marine organisms. These findings potentially benefit drug production by identifying compound-producing microbes. The study isolated and identified over 80 chemical compounds, including 20 novel ones, using bioassay-guided purification. Several compounds have potential anti-tumour properties and are undergoing further experiments.