How jellyfish bycatch could be valuable collagen source for cosmetics and biotech

Q&A with Dr Ainara Ballesteros and Raquel Torres, authors of a recently published Frontiers in Marine Science article

Frontiers

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Collagen obtained from bycatch jellyfish showed the same main structural features and very similar quality to collagen from carefully collected specimens.

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Credit: COLMED

What inspired you to become a researcher?

Ballesteros: We have always been fascinated by nature and by the many unanswered questions surrounding marine ecosystems. The sea is dynamic, complex, and full of interactions that are still not fully understood. For us, becoming researchers was a natural way to combine curiosity with the possibility of contributing useful knowledge to society.

Jellyfish are fascinating animals. They have inhabited the oceans for millions of years, play important ecological roles, and possess unique biological characteristics that we are still discovering. However, they often carry a negative reputation, usually associated only with stings or blooms. Part of our work is to help people understand them better, showing their true role in marine ecosystems as well as their scientific and biotechnological potential.

We were especially drawn to applied marine science—the kind of research that not only advances knowledge but can also help address real environmental and social challenges. In our case, working with fisheries, marine resources, jellyfish, and focusing on sustainability allows us to connect science directly with coastal communities and ocean conservation.

Can you tell us about the research you’re currently working on and why it’s important?

Ballesteros: Our current research focuses on the sustainable use of marine biological resources, particularly species that are often overlooked, underused, or considered problematic. This work is aligned with current circular bioeconomy and zero-waste policies and strategies, which aim to reduce waste and give new value to materials that have traditionally been discarded.

Torres: Our research is important because it shows that environmental challenges can sometimes become opportunities when approached creatively and collaboratively.

Jellyfish bycatch is often seen as a nuisance for fishers because it damages nets, increases workload, and can reduce the value of commercial catches. However, jellyfish are also rich in collagen, a biomaterial widely used in cosmetics, medicine, food technology, and tissue engineering.

By demonstrating that jellyfish bycatch can provide collagen without compromising quality, we propose a circular bioeconomy solution: reducing waste, creating new economic opportunities, and supporting small-scale fisheries at the same time.

Can you tell us about the collaboration with fishers? Were you surprised by any of their attitudes towards recycling jellyfish bycatch? What did they identify as opportunities and difficulties?

Torres: The collaboration with fishers was one of the most valuable parts of the project. Their practical knowledge of the sea, seasonal changes, fishing gear, and species behavior is incredibly valuable and often underappreciated.

We were especially impressed by their high level of involvement. Many reported almost daily on catches – or non-catches. They also shared photographs and observations directly from the sea. This was particularly important, as data on non-catches are extremely valuable for understanding patterns of presence and distribution. All of this showed a clear willingness to collaborate and a genuine commitment to the project.

We were also positively surprised by how open and interested many fishers were. Most participants saw the potential of transforming jellyfish bycatch into something useful, especially if it could generate additional income and reduce waste.

At the same time, they were realistic about the barriers. They highlighted the lack of infrastructure, limited market demand, the absence of clear incentives, and the need for specific training. In other words, they were willing to participate—but they need systems that make participation truly viable.

Can you tell us about the analyses you ran in the lab? Is the collagen from jellyfish bycatch of the same quality as jellyfish that wasn’t caught accidentally?

Torres: In the laboratory, we extracted collagen from R. pulmo jellyfish collected in two different ways: individuals caught accidentally in fishing nets, and individuals carefully collected by hand-net to better preserve their structure.

We then compared the collagen using several analytical techniques which allowed us to assess the protein profile and apparent molecular weight distribution, structural integrity, and the characteristic molecular and crystalline features of collagen.

The key result was very encouraging: collagen obtained from bycatch jellyfish showed the same main structural features and very similar quality to collagen from carefully collected specimens. In other words, despite being considered a discarded material, the accidental capture did not significantly damage the collagen. This supports the feasibility of using jellyfish bycatch biomass as a sustainable raw material and demonstrates its significant biotechnological value.

What potential applications of collagen harvested from jellyfish bycatch are possible? Which one are you most excited about?

Torres: Jellyfish collagen has a wide range of possible applications. It could be used in cosmetics, for example in skin-care products; in biomedical fields, such as wound dressings, scaffolds for tissue regeneration, or drug delivery systems; and potentially in nutraceutical or food-related products.

One of the most exciting areas for us is regenerative medicine. Marine collagen is attracting attention as an alternative to mammalian collagen because it may reduce concerns linked to zoonotic diseases, religious restrictions, or consumer preferences.

Are there any common misconceptions about this area of research? How would you address them?

Ballesteros: One common misconception is that jellyfish are only harmful organisms with no positive value. While blooms can create challenges, jellyfish are natural components of marine ecosystems and can also provide ecosystem services and useful biomaterials.

Another misconception is that waste materials are automatically low quality. Our results show that, with proper handling and scientific validation, bycatch biomass can become a valuable resource.

Finally, some people assume sustainability and profitability are incompatible. Innovative circular economy models can help support both environmental goals and coastal livelihoods.

What are some of the areas of research you’d like to see tackled in the years ahead?

Ballesteros: We would like to see more long-term studies on jellyfish bycatch patterns in different fisheries and regions, as climate change and other environmental and human-driven factors may alter their abundance, distribution, and interactions with fisheries.

We are already expanding this line of work to other areas of the Spanish Mediterranean to understand the perceptions of more fishing communities and to assess more deeply the impact that jellyfish are having on the sector. New research groups have joined in to replicate and expand the study in other regions, which reflects the growing scientific and social interest in this topic.

We would also like to see further progress in optimizing collagen extraction methods, scaling up production processes, and evaluating commercial applications in real industrial settings.

Another very important area is understanding how fishers, policymakers, consumers, and scientists can jointly design practical, participatory solutions adapted to each territory. Sustainable innovation only works when all stakeholders are actively involved in decision-making.

How has open science benefited the reach and impact of your research?

Ballesteros: Open science is essential for increasing visibility, transparency, science communication, and collaboration. By publishing openly, our findings can be accessed not only by scientists, but also by fishers, environmental organizations, policymakers, students, and entrepreneurs.

This is especially important in sustainability-focused research, where knowledge should be as accessible, understandable, and as widely shared as possible. Open access also supports science communication, allows ideas to move more quickly into practice, encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, and increases the real-world impact of the work.

For a topic like jellyfish valorization, open science helps connect people who might otherwise never meet and who together can create solutions.

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Journal

Frontiers in Marine Science

DOI

10.3389/fmars.2026.1760045 

Method of Research

Case study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Engaging small-scale fishers in a circular bioeconomy: valorization of Rhizostoma pulmo (Macri, 1778) jellyfish bycatch for sustainable collagen production

Article Publication Date

11-May-2026

 

Fishers brought practical knowledge of the sea, seasonal changes, fishing gear, and species behavior to the project. 

 

Jellyfish bycatch on fishing vessel

 

Jellyfish bycatch in net

Credit

COLMED

 

Relaxing rules on carbon markets would undermine climate action, scientists warn

University of East Anglia

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Researchers have cautioned that well‑intended suggested changes to carbon markets risk worsening climate impacts if core safeguards are weakened.

Climate change, biodiversity loss and human rights are deeply interconnected challenges, often sharing solutions that can deliver shared benefits.

Responding to a recent comment article in the journal Nature Climate Change that calls for rethinking ‘additionality’ requirements in carbon markets to better recognise Indigenous stewardship and conservation, a group of scientists emphasise that disregarding this principle could lead to higher net carbon emissions, ecosystem degradation and increased social inequality - disproportionately affecting Indigenous peoples.

The principle of additionality means that emission credits cannot be generated by activities that would have happened under a business-as-usual scenario, for example the continued protection of existing carbon stores.

“Indigenous land stewardship has maintained intact ecosystems and vital carbon sinks for centuries or millennia,” said Dr Phil Williamson, Honorary Associate Professor at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and first author of the Correspondence article published in response today in Nature Climate Change.

“We acknowledge that carbon crediting systems often reward restoration of previously degraded land while overlooking longstanding stewardship, and we recognise that such stewardship may not be able to continue indefinitely without dedicated support.

“However, we argue that carbon markets are not the appropriate mechanism to address this historical inequity. The primary purpose of carbon markets is to prevent dangerous climate change by reducing net greenhouse gas emissions as rapidly and efficiently as possible”.

While Indigenous stewardship of land and tidal wetlands is widely recognised as highly effective in protecting natural carbon stores, the authors stress that there are alternative ways to support this stewardship that do not result in increased net emissions.

These include public government programmes, private philanthropy, and non‑carbon market financial instruments, such as blue or green bonds and insurance products.

“Additionality is fundamental to the environmental integrity of carbon markets,” said co-author Dr Axel Michaelowa of the University of Zurich and Perspectives Climate Research, who has worked on the concept of additionality in international carbon markets over the last 20 years.

“If emission credits are awarded for activities that would have happened anyway - such as the continued existence of a natural carbon sink - new emissions are not truly offset, and net emissions increase.”

Coastal wetlands - including mangroves, saltmarsh and seagrass - can contribute to climate mitigation, but determining additionality in these ecosystems remains especially challenging, even for restoration projects. Providing carbon credits without demonstrable additionality, the authors warn, would undermine climate goals.

“Equity, biodiversity protection and climate mitigation must advance together,” said Dr Williamson, of UEA’s School of Environmental Sciences. “But weakening the foundations of carbon markets risks worsening climate change and its social consequences.

“Non‑carbon market approaches offer viable, credible ways to support Indigenous stewardship while preserving the integrity of climate action.”

The Correspondence article ‘Carbon markets rule change would harm mitigation and Indigenous peoples’ is also co-authored by Dr Sophia Johannessen, of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. It is published in Nature Climate Change on May 11.

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Journal

Nature Climate Change

DOI

10.1038/s41558-026-02629-6 

Article Title

Carbon markets rule change would harm mitigation and Indigenous peoples

Article Publication Date

11-May-202

 

A new study explains how carbon dioxide cools the upper atmosphere—and warms earth below

Researchers have solved a long-standing atmospheric puzzle: How rising carbon dioxide cools the stratosphere even as it warms Earth’s surface and lower atmosphere.

Columbia Climate School

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View of Earth taken during International Space Station Expedition 66

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Credit: NASA

Even as temperatures rise on Earth’s surface and in the lower atmosphere, the planet’s upper atmosphere has cooled dramatically. This paradoxical pattern is a well-known sign of humanity’s climate impacts—but until now, the underlying physics has remained a mystery.

In a new study, researchers from Columbia University describe the phenomenon’s mechanics, illuminating how it is largely determined by the way carbon dioxide (CO2) interacts with different wavelengths of light.

“It explains a phenomenon that’s a fingerprint of climate change, has been known to occur for decades, and has not been understood,” says Robert Pincus, a research professor of ocean and climate physics at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which is part of the Columbia Climate School, and co-author of the study published in Nature Geoscience.

In the lower atmosphere, CO2 molecules trap heat that would otherwise escape into space. Higher in the atmosphere, though, the dynamics change. In the stratosphere—the atmospheric layer that extends from about 11km to 50 km above Earth’s surface—CO2 molecules function almost like a radiator, absorbing infrared energy from below and emitting some of that energy into space. When more CO2 is added, the stratosphere radiates heat away more efficiently and it cools.

This was predicted in the 1960s by climatologist Syukuro Manabe’s Nobel Prize-winning models of Earth’s climate and CO2-induced global warming. The stratosphere has cooled by roughly 2 degrees Celsius since the mid-1980s. That’s estimated to be more than 10 times the amount of cooling that would have occurred in the absence of human-caused CO2 emissions.

However, though the basic principles of stratospheric cooling are understood, the specifics have remained cloudy. “The existing theory was incredibly insightful, but at the moment we lack a quantitative theory for CO2-induced stratospheric cooling,” says Sean Cohen, a postdoctoral research scientist at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which is part of the Columbia Climate School, and the study’s lead author.

Cohen, Pincus, and Lorenzo Polvani, a geophysicist in Columbia Engineering’s Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, developed their theory through an iterative method of identifying the key processes involved in stratospheric cooling, assigning mathematical values to them, comparing the results of their pen-and-paper models to comprehensive simulations and real-world data, tweaking their equations and repeating. Over several months they deduced the equations that best fit.

The researchers arrived at a central factor: how CO2 molecules interact with light, and in particular infrared—also known as longwave—light. Not every infrared wavelength passes through them in the same way. Some wavelengths contribute to cooling more than others, and the team determined that wavelengths in a certain “Goldilocks zone” are especially efficient. As CO2 accumulates in the atmosphere, that zone expands.

“It’s those changes in efficiency that are going to ultimately be what’s driving stratospheric cooling,” says Cohen.

The researchers also quantified the roles played by ozone and water vapor. These are implicated in similar processes as CO2—they too can trap heat in the lower atmosphere but contribute to cooling in the stratosphere by radiating heat—but turn out to have little influence compared with CO2.

The researchers’ equations fit with three well-described phenomena: How stratospheric cooling varies by altitude, with the least cooling occurring at its lowest level and the most at its highest level; how each doubling of CO2 translates to a cooling of 8 degrees Celsius at the stratopause, or the stratosphere’s upper reaches; and how a cooler stratosphere lets less infrared energy escape to space, increasing CO2’s heat-trapping effect. In other words: CO2 makes the stratosphere better at radiating, which cools it—but because it becomes colder, the Earth system ends up losing less heat to space overall, strengthening warming below.

“Here’s this process that we’ve known about for 50-plus years, and we had a pretty decent qualitative understanding of how it worked. However, we didn’t understand the details of what actually drove that process mechanistically,” says Cohen.

Cohen and Pincus say the implications of the work are less about adding one more piece of evidence to support global warming—that reality is already clear—than developing a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in stratospheric cooling. “This is really telling us what is essential,” says Pincus, and it can inform future research on the process. The findings may also help scientists studying conditions outside of Earth.

“Maybe we can better understand what’s going on in the stratospheres of other planets in our solar system or exoplanets,” says Cohen.

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Journal

Nature Geoscience

DOI

10.1038/s41561-026-01965-8 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

A New Study Explains How Carbon Dioxide Cools the Upper Atmosphere—and Warms Earth Below

Article Publication Date

11-May-2026

Beyond acute-phase support: how “ibasho” aids disaster mental health recovery

Authors propose that rebuilding community, routine, and social roles is essential for long-term recovery after disasters

Juntendo University Research Promotion Center

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Belonging, purpose, and community ties through ibasho may be just as vital as clinical care in post-disaster recovery.

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Credit: Dr. Hidetaka Tamune from Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan

As disasters increasingly disrupt lives through displacement, conflict, and climate-related emergencies, addressing long-term mental health recovery remains a major challenge. A correspondence from Juntendo University discusses that, while acute symptom assessment remains important, disaster psychiatry may benefit from a community-led approach to care. The authors discuss the importance of ibasho (community spaces of belonging and social purpose) and suggest that rebuilding routines, roles, and neighborhood connections may support long-term recovery and resilience.

Natural disasters drastically affect human lives—destroying homes, separating families, leading to disruption of daily routines, which affects their stability. While emergency mental health responses are crucial in the beginning of the crisis, new correspondence discusses that psychological recovery may rely on a more meaningful approach to help restore a sense of place and belonging.

Ibasho: A Community-led Place for Belonging and Meaning

In this context, authors from Juntendo University, Japan, led by Associate Professor Hidetaka Tamune from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, along with Dr. Yutaka Igarashi from Nippon Medical School, Japan, and Dr. Yuzuru Kawashima from the Disaster Psychiatric Assistance Team, Japan, discussed the approach of ibasho (a community-building concept in Japan) for people affected by disasters. The details were made available online on April 3, 2026, and published in Volume 407, Issue 10537 of The Lancet journal on April 11, 2026.

Dr. Tamune says, “Disaster recovery is not only about reducing acute psychiatric symptoms. It is also about restoring the social environments that give people stability, dignity, and a sense of purpose. In Japanese, the places that make this possible are called ibasho.”

Ibasho means a place of belonging where people are engaged in social networks, routines, and meaningful roles. The authors suggested that restoring this sense of connection among people affected by disasters may be just as important as detecting early symptoms, as it plays a vital role in supporting community recovery. Supporting this, the correspondence places ibasho within the internationally recognized Sphere humanitarian framework, which focuses on survival with dignity, continuity with care, and coordinated support systems during crises. It also suggests that ibasho aligns closely with those principles by offering social infrastructure for displaced and affected communities.

Ibasho in Japan: Community-Led Recovery in Practice

Compared to conventional interventions, ibasho refers to safe, community-led spaces where individuals can reconnect with others and resume daily routines. This may include neighborhood gathering spaces, shared community programs, and locally led recovery hubs. To support this perspective, the authors cited the evidence from disaster-affected regions in Japan. These include examples from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima nuclear accident. Notably, there was an increase in the dementia consultations and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) among older adults near the evacuation zones of the affected areas. In contrast, the communities where older residents were helped by leading ibasho-style programs reported stronger recovery and more stable routines with improved social and family relationships. This suggests that recovery improved when people were able to regain meaningful roles in community life. The older adults not only receive support but are also actively contributing to the recovery efforts and rebuilding community life.

“What appears to be most important is not simply access to services, but whether people can reclaim their place within the community and continue to feel valued, useful, and connected.　In Japan, a disaster-prone and super-aged society, we have both the experience and the responsibility to share what we have learned about caring for older adults with dementia, especially those who develop BPSD and delirium,” explains Dr. Tamune.

Redefining Recovery Through Connection, Culture, and Dignity

Although particularly relevant to natural disasters, the correspondence suggests that preparedness and recovery both depend not only on services but also on whether people can remain connected to local networks, routines, and meaningful social roles. The authors further note that trauma-informed support should remain culturally congruent; in some communities, restoring routines, roles, and communal life through ibasho may be the most acceptable first step.

Overall, the correspondence highlights the importance of ibasho in post-disaster mental health. It suggests that, although acute symptom detection matters, recovery also depends on whether people can continue to live safely, sustain relationships, and regain meaningful roles after displacement. In this sense, ibasho may function as a culturally congruent local social infrastructure through which dignity, continuity, and safety are restored in everyday life.

 

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Reference

Title of original paper: Sound mind, sound place: ibasho and post-disaster mental health

Journal: The Lancet

DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00546-5

Author(s) name: Hidetaka Tamune1, Yutaka Igarashi2, Yuzuru Kawashima3,4

Author(s) Affiliation:

1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan

2Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Nippon Medical School, Japan

3Disaster Psychiatric Assistance Team, Japan

4Hanzomon Nobisuko Children’s Clinic, Japan

 

About Associate Professor Hidetaka Tamune from Juntendo University

Dr. Hidetaka Tamune, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Cellular Neurobiology and has an interdisciplinary academic background spanning psychiatry, neuroscience, and primary care. Till date, he has published over 47 peer-reviewed articles, with research focusing on neuropsychiatry, consultation-liaison psychiatry, delirium, disaster mental health, and medical education.

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Journal

The Lancet

DOI

10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00546-5 

Article Title

Sound mind, sound place: ibasho and post-disaster mental health

Good vibrations for quantum communications

First demonstration of atomic spin qubit interaction with a single-quantum sound wave

Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

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A photo of a 5 mm x 5 mm diamond chip on a room-temperature measurement setup, with arrays of mechanical resonators visible.

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Credit: Loncar Lab / Harvard SEAS

Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have demonstrated, for the first time, a single quantum of vibrational energy interacting with a single atomic spin, seeding a pathway to quantum technologies that use sound as an information carrier, instead of light or electricity. The results are published in Nature. 

Led by Marko Lončar, the Tiantsai Lin Professor of Electrical Engineering, the researchers engineered a nanometer-scale mechanical resonator around a single color-center spin qubit in diamond. These color centers, atomic defects in the diamond’s crystal structure, act as quantum memory capable of storing quantum information. The researchers’ new system can host sufficiently strong spin-phonon interactions for quantum information storage – a key challenge thus far in the field. 

“At the heart of the experiment is a phonon — the smallest possible unit of sound,” Lončar said. “When we listen to music, it takes countless phonons working together to move our eardrums and maybe even get us spinning on the dance floor. But qubits are far more sensitive: a single phonon can be enough to change their quantum state — to excite them, or, as in our experiment, to help them relax.”

Mechanical vibrations, like those of a guitar string, can “ring” for a long time while occupying a volume far smaller than a comparative electromagnetic cavity of the same frequency. That combination of long lifetime and compact size makes phonons especially promising as quantum information carriers, or interconnects that link compact quantum memories, processors, and sensors on future quantum chips. 

“Many quantum systems, including superconducting qubits, quantum dots, or solid-state defects are known to interact strongly with phonons,” explained Graham Joe, first author and former Harvard graduate student. “So quantum acoustics holds a lot of promise as a sort of ‘universal quantum bus’ which could connect up disparate sorts of quantum systems into hybrid systems.” 

When one phonon can change the atomic qubit’s state, the spin also acts as an exquisitely sensitive probe of its mechanical environment. The spin could be used to measure very small forces, stresses, or temperature changes by “listening” to the quantum noise of the device. This could lead to precision sensing and other applications. 

The results point to new control over quantum defects in solids, bringing spin-mechanical interactions closer to the threshold of full quantum coherence, or the ability of an otherwise fragile quantum system to remain stable.

“This experiment was both a compelling demonstration of new tools for sensing the environment of a single atom, and a meaningful step towards practical quantum acoustic devices,” Joe said.  

“Purcell-enhanced spin-phonon coupling with a single color-center” was co-authored by Michael Haas, Kazuhiro Kuruma, Chang Jin, Dongyeon Daniel Kang, Sophie W. Ding, Cleaven Chia, Hana Warner, Benjamin Pingault, Bartholomeus Machielse, and Srujuan Meesala. 

U.S. federal support for the research came from the National Science Foundation under grant No. DMR-1231319; the Army Research Office/Department of the Army under award No. W911NF1810432; and the NSF under award No. EEC-1941583. 

The Harvard Office of Technology Development is actively pursuing patent protection and commercialization opportunities for the innovations arising from this research.

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Journal

Nature

DOI

10.1038/s41586-026-10495-7 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Purcell-enhanced spin–phonon coupling with a single colour centre

Article Publication Date

6-May-2026