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UWI TODAY
– SUNDAY 11 JUNE, 2017
FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 2017
Oil and gas, cocoa, scorpion peppers
– Trinidad has always
been blessed with abundant, unique and profitable natural
resources. Researchers at UWI St. Augustine’s Faculty of
Science and Technology have found another, one with
the potential to form the basis of a robust, export-driven
industry. Yet the resource is invisible to the naked eye –
microorganisms.
Why are these tiny organisms so potentially valuable?
Because the processes they create have antibiotic as well as
other properties. Inotherwords, researchingmicroorganisms
can lead to the development of pharmaceuticals, an industry
whose world market revenue is estimated at over US$1
trillion. And in the case of Trinidad, UWI scientists have
found several sites with microbial activity well above the
norm.
“We have some tremendously exciting hot spots
in Trinidad. The diversity is enormous,” says Dr. Adesh
Ramsubhag, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology and Head of
the Department of Life Sciences. “We collaborate with some
of the world leaders in genomics and metagenomics. They
carried out a project where they collected samples from
oceans around the world twice. The microbial diversity
results were not comparable to these Trinidad hot spots.”
“We are trying to show proof of concept. And we are
very close. We have discovered a novel antibiotic and we
have at least two others that are potentially novel. I believe
this can be one of our greatest economic resources,” he says.
But like any resource, it will require sustainable
investment. So far the discoveries and the hard work behind
them have been driven by researchers within the Faculty,
including several students. Furthering this work will require
resources in equipment and manpower. It will also require
intellectual property protection. Biotechnology (products
from biological sources) is a dynamic and competitive
business, if Trinidad and Tobago does not see the value of
its bio-resources, invest in them and protect them, others
will. They may be doing so already.
Under aMicroscope
“Every year I give my students a few projects in
microbiology,” Dr. Ramsubhag says. “I give them to explore
indigenous microorganisms fromdifferent environments to
see those that might be producing antibiotics. One day this
group came excitedly knocking on my office door.”
The students had struck gold. They had discovered
a microorganism with phenomenal antibiotic properties.
A small amount eliminated a dish full of bacteria. They
conducted the experiment several times and the result
was the same. One of the Life Sciences students, Antonio
Ramkissoon, is continuing the research as his thesis, in
collaboration with the Department of Chemistry.
“Even for me that was one of the biggest effects I
have seen in my life,” says Professor Jayaraj Jayaraman.
A professor of biotechnology and plant microbiology,
Jayaraman has been a faculty member at universities in
India, Canada and the USA.
In the microscopic world, the rule of survival of the
fittest applies. Organisms are in competition, and the more
diversity of organisms, the greater the competition. The
greater the competition, the greater likelihood of organisms
having distinct and powerful antibiotic effects to eliminate
rivals.
The enormous diversity in the Trinidad hot spots leads
to organisms like the one discovered by Antonio and its
novel antibiotic compounds can potentially be developed
into a drug. And because many pathogens have developed
a resistance to existing antibiotics because of their overuse,
drugs developed fromnovel compounds can be both highly
beneficial to human health and highly profitable.
You don’t have to look far for an example of just such a
process of profitable natural products. From 2013 to 2017,
the biotechnology industry of Cuba was expected to earn
US$5 billion. In the previous five-year period, it brought
in US$2.5 billion. The Cuban biotech industry is a major
producer and exporter of pharmaceuticals and could be
Research for
EL DORADO
B Y J O E L H E N R Y
UWI scientists discover
a bio-diversity treasure
that could make Trinidad
a powerhouse in the
natural product industry
A lot of their
[Cuba’s] industry
is based on novel
compounds they
developed into
drugs. It is one
of their biggest
foreign exchange
earners. Trinidad
and Tobago has
probably equal
opportunities
with our
biodiversity.
Dr. Adesh Ramsubhag
PHOTO: ARTHUR SUKHBIR
