Several years ago, biochemists studying marine ecosystems noticed something unusual: a sponge thriving in the middle of a coral reef that was dying from bacterial infection. The researchers identified a substance made by the sponge in order to defend itself from harmful microbes. They realized that it was a natural antibacterial molecule called “ageliferin”. This molecule can break down the formation of a protective biofilm coating that bacteria use to shield themselves from threats, including antibiotic drugs. Now the same researchers are using this natural compound to create innovative ways to fight drug- resistant bacteria. They have recently modified the structure of ageliferin to make it more potent and formulated to help conventional medications combat otherwise drug-resistant bacteria, such as staph and cholera. The newly-developed chemical does not stop bacteria from proliferating, but it allows the antibiotic to work again. The researchers hope eventually to incorporate the altered ageliferin as a helper drug within commercial antibiotic products, allowing them to fight off formerly drug-resistant strains of diseases.