MARBLES concludes after five years of advancing sustainable marine biodiscovery

After five years of research and collaboration, the EU-funded project MARBLES has concluded, demonstrating the huge potential of marine microorganisms to support drug discovery, sustainable aquaculture and climate-resilient agriculture.

By exploring the microbiomes associated with marine sponges, fish, microalgae and salt-tolerant plants, MARBLES developed a novel, ecology-driven approach to marine biodiscovery. The project generated valuable biological resources, datasets, microbial strain collections and bioactive compounds that will support future research and innovation well beyond the project's lifetime.

Key achievements include the identification of marine microbial communities capable of suppressing important fish pathogens, offering promising alternatives to antibiotic use in aquaculture. In agriculture, researchers discovered marine and salt-marsh-associated bacteria able to improve crop growth under salt stress, providing new opportunities for sustainable food production in challenging environments.

MARBLES also established an advanced natural product discovery pipeline, leading to the identification of several promising bioactive compounds with potential applications in human health, veterinary medicine and crop protection. Through sustainability assessments, policy engagement and close collaboration with industry partners, the project helped lay the foundations for the future development and commercialisation of these innovations.

The project's achievements were celebrated during two events:

• The MARBLES Stakeholder Summit, held on 26 March 2026 at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, the Netherlands, under the theme "Transforming Marine Biodiversity into Innovation"
• The MARBLES Exhibition and Outreach event, held on 25-26 April 2026, also at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden.

The MARBLES Stakeholder Summit event brought together representatives from industry, policy, research, the blue economy to discuss the future potential of marine biodiscovery while the MARBLES Exhibition and Outreach event introduced the fantastic world of marine microbiomes to the public.

As MARBLES comes to an end, its legacy includes not only new scientific knowledge and candidate products, but also an integrated and sustainable approach to marine bioprospecting that will continue to drive innovation and support a more sustainable future!