THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The seventh International Jellyfish Blooms Symposium (JBS7), organised jointly by the University of Kerala and ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, is off to a grand start in Kovalam.
Kerala University vice-chancellor Prof Mohanan Kunnummal inaugurated the event, held at Uday Samudra Hotel on Tuesday. Addressing the event, Mohanan said the symposium is a tremendous opportunity to collaborate and learn from distinguished researchers.
He further added that this will also be the beginning of a greater journey to achieve sustainability, especially in the context of the said United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, 2030. Despite being an invertebrate organism with a limited nervous system, jellyfish play important roles in marine ecosystems and have garnered significant research interest. The jellyfish or the products derived from jellyfish have contributed to at least two Nobel Prize Discoveries (Green Fluorescent Protein and discovery of ion channels).
Jellyfish possess unique physiological and biochemical characteristics that have attracted attention from researchers. Their venom, for example, contains a variety of bioactive compounds that could have potential applications in medicine, including neurotoxins, antimicrobial agents, and proteins with anticancer properties.
The symposium is being attended by 180 registered participants from 30 countries. Many delegates are also attending online.