Sharks evolved to resist cancer

Studies at Nova Southeastern University have found that great white and hammerhead sharks possess genes that have evolved hundred of millions of years to resist cancer and accelerate wound healing. It is amazing to see how sharks and rays have become the efficient predators they are today. Their immunity has adapted to resist disease and allow them to regenerate at high rates.

Scientists found two genes, legumain and Bag1, that help sharks combat cancer and the interesting thing is that these genes have their counter parts in humans. This can better help scientists find possible alternative solutions to cancer therapy.They also found that sharks contain certain antibodies that accelerate healing from open wounds. Although, the all of the data is still in process, it presents the potential for use in the future. 

I believe many of the solutions to our problems can be found right in nature. By studying this, I see great potential for using this science to heal wounds faster in human beings, and create a vaccine or serum which can make the immune system more resistant to cancer if not entirely. 

Original release from Nova Southeastern

Is the Great White Shark Related to Humans?

While the great white shark can be considered one the oldest extant jawed vertebrates, surprisingly little is known about its genome. It had always been assumed that they were closely related to bony fish. However, researchers from Cornell University and Nova Southeastern University made the shocking discovery that the genetic makeup of these sharks is actually more closely related to human beings. The study observed the RNA sequences expressed ( transcriptone) by each of three organisms: the great white shark, zebra fish, and human being. The comparison was made using heart tissue extracted from the great white shark. When examining the heart tissue, they found that the gene products that are associated with metabolism were more similar to that of the human genome than the zebra fish. There are many theories circulation as to why this may be possible. According to Mahmood Shivji, the director Save Our Seas Shark Research Center and Guy Harvey Research Institute, one theory is that it “might be due partly to the fact that the white shark has a higher metabolism because it is not a true cold-blooded fish like bony fishes.” It might just be that sharks are more closely related to mammals than expected.