HARBOR BRANCH SCIENTISTS "QUEST FOR CURES" TAKES THEM INTO UNEXPLORED WATERS Fort Pierce, FLA., May 6, 2000 - Scientists from Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution near Fort Pierce are about to set off on a three-week biomedical research cruise that will taken them into waters never before explored by manned submersibles. Dr. Shirley Pomponi, Director of the Biomedical Research Division, says the main thrust of the mission will be to discover new sponges and other marine invertebrates that can be used for biomedical research. "It's also very important for us to develop methods for the sustainable use of our oceans for this type of research that ultimately benefits all of us," Pomponi said. The cruise will take the R/V Edwin Link, the Johnson-Sea Link 2 submersible, a crew of 15 and more than a dozen scientists through the waters of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao. Scientists from all three countries will accompany the Harbor Branch scientists as they explore the waters, and Pomponi said it's especially exciting for the government and scientific agencies in Curacao. "They've never had a submersible working in their waters, and they can't wait to see what we might find," Pomponi said. The Johnson Sea-Link submersible is capable of diving to depths of 3,000 feet. It is used to research deep-water specimens that are then tested for their potential to fight cancer and other disease. One compound called discodermolide that was isolated from a deep-water sponge is in advanced pre-clinical trials, and has been shown to stop the growth of certain cancer cells. The "Quest for Cures" mission begins May 7th, and daily dispatches along with digital images from onboard the ship and submersible will be posted on Harbor Branch's "At-Sea" website, at www.at-sea.org. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc. is one of the world's leading nonprofit oceanographic research organizations dedicated to the exploration of the earth's oceans, estuaries and coastal regions for the benefit of mankind.