Deep in the ocean off Portugal's coast, scientists have collected thousands of living organisms — bacteria, microalgae, even coral and sponges — that could help create new medicines, clean up pollution, or develop better skincare products. Until now, finding out exactly what was stored where meant searching through separate databases at different institutions. A new digital platform is changing that.
CIIMAR, a marine research center in Porto, has built the Blue Biobanks Digital Research Platform. The tool brings together more than 10,000 records from five Portuguese marine biobanks into one place, making it easy for researchers, companies, and even policymakers to find exactly what they need. It works like a map for underwater treasure.
"Figuratively speaking, biobanks safeguard underwater treasures, while the platform serves as the map that leads to those treasures," said Ana Paula Mucha, who led the project at CIIMAR.
The five biobanks now connected include collections at the University of Porto, the University of Aveiro, and government institutions. Together, they store living bacteria, cyanobacteria, and microalgae alongside preserved organisms like corals and sponges collected from oceans, estuaries, and coastal areas. Some of these tiny organisms produce chemicals that humans have never seen before — chemicals that might one day become new antibiotics, biodegradable plastics, or natural ingredients for cosmetics.
Before this platform existed, a scientist looking for a specific marine bacteria would have to contact multiple institutions separately, compare different databases, and hope the information was up to date. Now, they can search by organism type, location, or even by what the organism might be used for — biotechnology, cleaning up oil spills, farming fish, or improving water quality.
The platform also lets users contact biobanks directly, request samples, or get expert advice on how to use these materials for new products and research projects. Everything follows so-called FAIR principles, meaning the data is designed to be findable, accessible, and easy to share between different systems.
Marine biotechnology is a growing field worldwide. Companies are increasingly interested in ocean organisms as sources for new ingredients because many sea creatures have evolved unique chemicals to survive in harsh environments. Portugal, with its long Atlantic coastline and diverse marine life, has been building these collections for years. The new platform essentially opens that library to the world.
Looking ahead, CIIMAR plans to add more biobanks to the platform and expand the number of records available. The goal is to support Portugal's "blue economy" — the businesses and jobs connected to the ocean — while also protecting marine life for future generations.
"The platform creates a direct link between scientific knowledge and innovation," Mucha said. And for the scientists who spent years collecting and caring for these organisms, it is a way to finally share their underwater treasure with the people who need it most.