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SUMMARY:Going small to tackle big challenges – using microalgae to devel
 op sustainable solutions - Prof. Alison Smith
DTSTART:20230227T180000Z
DTEND:20230227T193000Z
UID:TALK197623@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Daniel Lim
DESCRIPTION:Microalgae are unicellular aquatic organisms that live by phot
 osynthesis and so can convert solar energy into anything from biomass for 
 animal feed\, high value compounds such as vitamins\, pigments and even ph
 armaceuticals\, to biofuel feedstocks. However\, to implement this technol
 ogy in a sustainable and economic manner\, it will be necessary to optimiz
 e many parameters. These include establishing effective\, robust and high-
 yielding production strains\, and just as importantly working out how to g
 row them sustainably at scale. I will present our work tackling both how t
 o do this for two applications. The first uses our engineered strains of C
 hlamydomonas reinhardtii and Phaeodactylum tricornutum to produce plant di
 terpenoids\, high value compounds that have therapeutic applications. The 
 other is incorporating algal production into valorisation of waste streams
  from agriculture\, generating several products including biogas\, (more) 
 potable water and biomass for animal feed. The processes can reduce overal
 l energy and input costs and aim to be circular. We carry out these studie
 s in the Algal Innovation Centre\, a large outdoor facility in the Cambrid
 ge Botanic Garden that provides the means to test a range of microalgal-ba
 sed technological and biological solutions to address issues of sustainabi
 lity and feedstock production. It is licenced for non-native and genetical
 ly modified species of algae.
LOCATION:Wolfson Lecture Theatre\,  Department of Chemistry\, Lensfield Ro
 ad
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