A groundbreaking research initiative is set to explore the untapped medicinal potential of marine sponges found at Busselton Jetty, with the goal of identifying new lead candidates for cancer treatment options.

The Busselton Jetty, Australia’s largest artificial reef, offers a unique ecosystem, housing over 300 marine species and a largely unexplored diversity of temperate sponges. Scientists from the University of Western Australia (UWA) have embarked on an innovative research project to discover cancer-fighting compounds in these sponges.

The Busselton Jetty has raised $25,000 to help fund the trial.

Led by Dr Darren Holland from The University of Western Australia’s School of Molecular Sciences, the project aims to investigate the unique compounds produced by the ancient organisms, contributing to the fight against cancer.