The TASCMAR team plans to collect marine invertebrates and their symbionts (organisms which live inside/on the animal, with mutual benefit) from a depth of between 30 and 100 metres in the Indian Ocean, the Andaman Sea, the Gulf of Thailand, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea. Researchers will then seek to extract molecules with potentially powerful anti-ageing bioactivity.

These 'new' compounds could be ingredients for new medical drugs without harmful side effects, nutraceuticals (e.g. dietary supplements), cosmetic products and technologies for bioremediation – a form of waste management that uses organisms to remove pollutants. A selection of in-vitro, cell-based and in-vivo tests will be used to identify substances with anti-ageing properties.

To ensure supply of any valuable compounds, the team plans to build pilot-scale equipment for their cultivation.

With sustainability in mind, all activities will be assessed for societal, economic and environmental impact.