An Underwater Guinea Pig
At Mote, sharks and skates (close relatives of the sharks) are maintained as long-term, controlled laboratory animals, the way mice or guinea pigs are used in classic biomedical research programs. “For example, we’re trying to understand some of the immune cells function in these animals,” explains Dr. Carl A. Luer, manager of Mote’s Biomedical Program, “and this means that we can monitor chronic changes in cell function.” Sharks show remarkable natural resistance to disease in general and cancer in particular, even when exposed to cancer- and mutation-causing chemicals, and scientists are keenly interested in understanding why.
Sharks have many other important biomedical uses. For example, “we have a very strong research program going here looking at the possible beneficial effects and products from shark cartilage,” says Hueter. “Unfortunately the way it is currently being sold in the commercial marketplace”—as anti-cancer pills, a completely unsubstantiated claim—“is not something that we support.”
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