A team led by USF’s Bill Baker has long been studying a species of sea squirt found only in Antarctica that contains a bacterium capable of killing melanoma cancer cells. “This ascidian produces a bacterium that contains a toxic compound that kills melanoma cancer cells while not harming normal human cells. That selectivity is critical in drug development because you want to treat the disease without harming the patient.”

Specimens collected during the most recent expedition are moving through a series of analyses focusing on DNA, chemistry, and biology. The findings could help researchers determine how the compounds are produced naturally and whether they can eventually be harnessed for medical applications. One focus of the team’s upcoming research is developing ways to produce promising anti-melanoma compounds from the ascidians in the lab rather than relying on Antarctic collections.

• Billy Baker