JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Some chemistry students at the University of North Florida may have found the next miracle drug.

Over the last year, the students collected samples of seaweed, sponges and sand from as far away as the Florida Keys and as close as Big Talbot Island.

"Although it's in the very beginning stages, this could develop a new way for drug discovery," explained Jane Han, who is headed to dental school in the fall.

Some experts believe that in the next ten years, the antibacterials that are currently on the market will no longer be able to fight off infections because bacteria are rapidly evolving.

Dr. Amy Lane, an associate professor of chemistry at UNF, said most of the plants and materials on land have already been explored for their potential medicinal benefits, so she and her students turned to the coast.

"There is a huge need right now for the discovery of new compounds to be those next generations of drugs," said Dr. Lane

So far, Dr. Lane said many of the bacteria the students discovered show promise.

But why fight bacteria with bacteria? Because the microorganisms already go head to head in nature.

"One of the ways bacteria out compete the others in their environment is by producing compounds that kill the other bacteria surrounding them and so we're interested in tapping into that natural ability of bacteria to fight off their competitors," shared Dr. Lane.

The students are isolating the compounds each bacteria uses to compete with those around it. Those compounds could one day become drugs that fight flesh-eating bacteria or staph.

Read the original here:
UNF Students discover potential life-saving bacteria