"Mollusk of the Year: A Promising Cure for Cancer?"
The Chilean abalone, an endangered mollusk whose blood contains a component effective against bladder and prostate cancer, has been named "International Mollusk of the Year" and awarded a full genome sequencing. The abalone's numbers were drastically diminished in the late 20th century due to overfishing. Little is known about the genomic basis for the diversity of mollusk species, their adaptive abilities, or the natural products they produce. The award is hoped to amplify the cultural, ecological, and potentially medicinal value of the species.