SBIR Phase I: Improving Pearl Quality and Yield Using Biotechnology: Plugs, Patches, Therapeutants and Delivery Systems

SBIR 第一阶段：利用生物技术提高珍珠质量和产量：塞子、贴片、治疗剂和输送系统

• 批准号: 9960694
• 负责人: Neil Sims
• 金额: $ 9.98万
• 依托单位: Black Pearls Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2000
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2000-01-01 至 2000-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9960694&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Improving; Pearl; Quality

This SBIR Phase I project applies biomedical principles and practices to the lucrative, but poorly understood process of pearl culture. Despite the value of the world pearl industry (around US$3 billion per annum), it is still based on turn-of-the-century technology. The Pearl Development Group addresses this immense opportunity by bringing together a unique consortium of pearl seeding technicians, farmers, biologists,entrepreneurs and biomedical scientists. Their collective efforts are focussed on using rigorous scientific methods with state-of-the-art biotechnology to improve pearl production. Preliminary trials by PDG reveal two areas of particular promise with the pearl seeding operation. Firstly, improved sterility from use of antibiotics or sealants to reduce the risk of post-operative infection; and secondly, cellular adhesion protein coatings on the nucleus to improve pearl sac formation. Both could result in more pearls, of better quality. These improvements could have a compounding effect, as better yields result in more oysters being subsequently reseeded. Sealants may also allow technicians to insert larger nuclei, resulting in geometrical increases in value of successive pearls. These innovations will be tested on a large scale on our farm, and evaluated by comparing post-seed rejection rates and early assays of pearl sac growth and pearl formation. If successful, these technologies could be marketable to other pearl farms worldwide, through established farm suppliers, as well as leading to increased profitability for our subsidiary and partner farms. Slight improvements in the pearl seeding operation can dramatically improve farm profitability. For our Majuro farm model, production improvements of, say, 35% yield revenue increases of $1.1 million for minimal added costs. The price margin on these products might then be $10 per seeding operation. Extrapolated to the Tahitian pearl industry alone, this is a value-added of over $42 million p.a.

这个SBIR第一阶段项目将生物医学原理和实践应用于利润丰厚但鲜为人知的珍珠养殖过程。尽管世界珍珠产业的价值(每年约30亿美元)，它仍然是基于世纪之交的技术。珍珠发展集团通过将珍珠播种技术人员、农民、生物学家、企业家和生物医学科学家组成的独特联盟聚集在一起，抓住了这一巨大机遇。他们的集体努力集中在使用严谨的科学方法和最先进的生物技术来提高珍珠产量。PDG的初步试验显示，珍珠播种作业有两个特别有希望的领域。首先，通过使用抗生素或密封剂来改善不孕症，以降低术后感染的风险；其次，在细胞核上覆盖细胞黏附蛋白涂层，以促进珍珠囊的形成。两者都可能产生更多的珍珠，质量更好。这些改进可能会产生复合效应，因为更高的产量会导致更多的牡蛎随后被补种。密封剂还可以让技术人员插入更大的核，从而导致连续珍珠的几何价值增加。这些创新将在我们的农场进行大规模测试，并通过比较种子后排斥率和珍珠囊生长和珍珠形成的早期测试进行评估。如果成功，这些技术可以通过现有的养殖场供应商销往世界各地的其他珍珠养殖场，并增加我们子公司和合作伙伴养殖场的盈利能力。珍珠播种作业的轻微改进可以显著提高养殖场的盈利能力。对于我们的Majuo农场模式，比如说，产量提高35%，收入就会增加110万美元，而增加的成本最低。因此，这些产品的利润率可能是每次播种作业10美元。仅以塔希提珍珠产业来推算，这一年的附加值就超过了4200万美元。