Depok, July 15, 2026 — Research on green and brown macroalgae collected from the waters of West Nusa Tenggara has opened new opportunities for the development of natural products as potential anticancer agents. In addition to assessing the ecological characteristics of macroalgae in East Lombok, the study also identified bioactive compounds with the potential to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
The findings were presented by Abdullah Rasyid during his doctoral dissertation defense in the Biology Doctoral Program at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Universitas Indonesia (UI), held at the Prof. G.A. Siwabessy Auditorium, FMIPA UI, Depok, on Friday (July 3, 2026). Abdullah earned his doctoral degree with cum laude honors after completing his studies in six semesters, achieving a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.88.
The dissertation, entitled Ecological Study and Correlation of Secondary Metabolite Profiles of Green and Brown Macroalgae from the Waters of West Nusa Tenggara with Their Selective Cytotoxic Activity Against Cancer Cells (MCF-7 and HT-29), was supervised by Dr. rer. nat. Yasman, M.Sc., from the Department of Biology, FMIPA UI, as the promoter. The co-promoters were Prof. Dr. Masteria Yunovilsa Putra from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and Dr. Windri Handayani, M.Si., from the Department of Biology, FMIPA UI.
The research integrated ecological assessment and macroalgal bioprospecting to investigate the relationship between coastal environmental conditions and the bioactive compounds produced by these organisms. Fieldwork was conducted at three sites in East Lombok: Dasan Ujung Beach, Telong Elong Beach, and Pink Beach.
The study identified 15 macroalgal species across the three study sites. Dasan Ujung Beach exhibited the highest level of species diversity, whereas Pink Beach showed the lowest diversity due to the dominance of Ulva lactuca which was associated with eutrophic environmental conditions.
In terms of bioactive compounds, Halimeda opuntia exhibited the highest total phenolic content, while Dictyota dichotoma contained the highest total flavonoid content. In anticancer activity assays, the extract of Ulva reticulata was the most effective in inhibiting MCF-7 breast cancer cells, whereas the petroleum ether and ethyl acetate fractions of Dictyota dichotoma demonstrated the strongest activity against HT-29 colorectal cancer cells.
“The anticancer potential of these brown macroalgae is highly promising. However, further research is needed to isolate their active compounds in order to achieve greater selectivity against cancer cells,” said Abdullah.
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis also identified several major bioactive compounds in Dictyota dichotoma that are believed to contribute to its anticancer activity.
Abdullah noted that the study demonstrates the importance of conserving coastal ecosystems not only for preserving biodiversity, but also for supporting the sustainable utilization of marine resources in the development of natural product-based medicines.
“Indonesia’s marine biodiversity holds tremendous potential for innovation in the health sector. Therefore, conservation efforts and scientific research must continue to advance hand in hand,” said Abdullah.
Macroalgae are known to produce secondary metabolites as a defense mechanism against environmental stress and predation. Previous studies have demonstrated that these compounds possess a wide range of biological activities, including antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anticancer properties.
Although West Nusa Tenggara is home to a rich diversity of macroalgae, research on their anticancer potential has largely focused on red macroalgae. Abdullah’s study broadens this scope by investigating green and brown macroalgae, two groups that have received relatively little scientific attention to date.
The doctoral promotion examination was chaired by the Dean of FMIPA UI, Prof. Dr. Tito Latif Indra, M.Si. The findings of this research are expected to serve as a reference for the development of anticancer drug candidates based on Indonesia’s marine biodiversity through further studies on active compounds that are safer and more selective.
