The Brief USF researchers traveled to Antarctica this year to continue their research into a tiny organism that could help in the fight against melanoma. USF researchers traveled to Antarctica this year to continue their research into a tiny organism that could help in the fight against melanoma. "What’s fun about sea squirts — I guess in a nerdy sort of way — is that, if you pick one up and squeeze it, it squirts," Baker explained. Melanoma cancer cell findingsThe backstory:Baker has been studying sea squirts for a while and first made this discovery 20 years ago. His research discovered that the toxic chemical from the sea squirts can kill melanoma cancer cells and leave normal human cells alone.