Researchers are discovering compounds that marine creatures make to defend themselves that could also yield lifesaving medicines.
Researchers are interested in tunicates (also known as sea squirts) because they filter-feed on plankton by continuously drawing water through their barrel-shaped bodies. Along with their food, they regularly also ingest viruses and other pathogens, as a result they need strong chemical defenses to fight off infectious organisms and it is this feature that makes them a promising source of lifesaving medicines!