AIMS is playing a leading role in establishing policy guidelines for how the process of discovering and manufacturing products, such as therapeutic drugs, derived from Australia's rich marine life may benefit those parties with a legitimate interest. These groups may include government resource management agencies, resource owners, private businesses and community groups. She has a background in coral reef ecology, fisheries research, and management issues and has worked extensively on the Great Barrier Reef. She also spent several years working in the cultural and natural environment of Torres Strait. The Marine Bioproducts group, which is developing an international reputation in the burgeoning field of bio-discovery, seeks sea creatures that may help humans.
Marine organisms produce chemicals for functions such as defence, offence and signalling.
The huge chemical arsenal evolved for these purposes is the raw material for many potential pharmaceutical and biotechnology products. Australia is responsible for a vast and biodiverse ocean territory covering nine million square kilometres, which straddles the Indo-Pacific and extends from the tropics to Antarctica. Unlike most other OECD nations at the forefront of biotechnology development, Australia is one of the Earth's 12 mega-biodiverse nations. Most mega-biodiverse countries are in the developing world and do not have the infrastructure available to Australia.