University of Kent - AlgaeCytes FLIP Interchange

藻类是一类不同的生物体，从小的单细胞物种到非常大的多细胞物种，如我们在海洋和海滩上看到的海藻。它们主要是光合作用的，因此可以在(阳光)光下生长，而不需要额外的营养补充剂。它们明显简单的生长要求，二氧化碳的中和性和多功能的生物合成使它们成为生物技术领域的候选材料，特别是作为合成生物学的底盘。新的生物形式，可以通过工程技术以新的方式生产产品。我们希望开发处理藻类的新方法，这将涉及(I)在藻类生物技术方面领先的海藻生物技术公司algaeCytes和肯特大学生物科学学院(在工业生物技术方面有着丰富的历史)之间富有成效的合作伙伴关系；(Ii)开发培训、工具和专业知识，使新工艺的开发能够促进英国在这一重要领域的学术和工业福祉。微藻在工业生物技术中提供了巨大的希望，但这个承诺还没有实现，这个行业仍然很小。解决方案是开发更具成本效益的平台，使用两种新的方法：我们将开发一种新的、非常有希望的藻类菌株，用于商业提取天然高价值化合物，并开发一个实验室藻类模型，用作高价值植物萜类化合物的细胞工厂。每个合作伙伴都在汇集他们的资源(AC-商业知识、专有菌株和用于大规模生长微藻的定制基础设施，以及UOK-微藻操纵和高价值产品优化和分析的技术专业知识)，以提高中小企业和大学在这一创新领域的竞争地位，并提供可用于生产各种高价值产品的新方案和微藻菌株。申请者(CR和GKR)在分子生物处理和小分子生物转化及其向工业转化方面拥有经过证明的跟踪记录，并可以提供有效测试新系统的设施。与英国主流生物技术部门的联系将确保这项新技术得到更广泛的传播。AC在董事会和研发团队拥有丰富的技术和商业经验。到目前为止，它一直在以一种商业模式运营，这一模式赢得了投资者的高度赞扬。团队的每个成员都带来了互补的经验、技能和知识，在植物、微生物技术和工业生物技术领域的可再生能源领域总共积累了80年的商业和科学经验。AC团队在他们的职业生涯中参与了20多项基于技术的衍生产品，从创意到商业化。他们还以顾问或董事会成员的身份参与指导了100多家以技术为基础的公司初创企业。拟议的FLIP方案将促进一个世界领先的工业生物技术领域的学术实验室与一家位于肯特郡的中小企业之间的新合作，该中小企业走在微藻生物技术的前沿，提供一系列对公共卫生具有重要意义的产品。该项目的成果将使UOK和AC能够通过加快利用合成生物学提高藻类品种生产力的学习曲线，为新兴的英国藻类生物技术部门做出贡献。这将有助于支持该领域的定制培训，并使用这一新的平台技术方法产生新的精细和特种化学品和天然产品。合作伙伴将寻求对任何新技术和试剂的知识产权保护，因为这些将对行业产生巨大兴趣，并具有更广泛的社会效益和应用。

Algae are a diverse group of organisms and range from small, single celled species to very large multicelled species such as the kelp we see in the sea and on beaches. They are principally photosynthetic and can therefore grow on (sun)light with few additional nutrient supplements. Their apparently simple growth requirements, CO2 neutrality and versatile biosynthesis make them attractive candidates for use in biotechnology, especially as chassis for use in Synthetic Biology ie. novel biological forms that can be engineered to produce products in new ways. We wish to develop new ways of working with algae and this will involve (i) a productive partnership between AlgaeCytes (a leading algal biotechnology company), and the School of Biosciences, University of Kent (which has a rich history in industrial biotechnology) (ii) development of training, tools and expertise to enable the development of new processes that will progress the academic and industrial wellbeing of the UK in this important sector. Microalgae offer great promise in industrial biotechnology, but this promise has not been realised yet and the industry remains small. The solution is to develop platforms that are much more cost-effective, using two novel approaches: we will develop a new and highly promising algal strain for commercial extraction of natural high-value compounds, and develop a model laboratory alga for use as a cell factory for high-value plant terpenoids. Each of the partners are pooling their resources (AC- commercial knowledge, proprietary strains and bespoke infrastructure for the large scale growth of microalgae and UoK - technical expertise in the manipulation of microalgae and the optimisation and analysis of high-value products) to advance the competitive position of an SME and a university in this innovative sector and provide new protocols and microalgal strains that can be used for the production of a wide range of high value products. The applicants (CR and GKR) have proven track records in the area of molecular bioprocessing and small molecule biotransformations and their translation to industry and can offer facilities to efficiently test new systems. Links with the mainstream biotechnology sector in the UK will ensure the wider dissemination of the new technology. AC has a vast experience technically and business-wise on its Board and in its R&D team. It has been operating with a business model which has drawn high praise from investors to date. Each member of the team brings complementary experience, skills and knowledge, amounting to a total of 80 years commercial and scientific experience in the field of renewable energy with plants, microbial technology and industrial biotechnology. The AC team have been involved in taking over 20 technology-based spin outs from idea to commercialisation in their careers. They have also been involved in guiding over 100 technology-based company start ups in their roles as advisors or board members. The proposed FLIP programme will facilitate the development of a new collaboration between a world-leading academic laboratory in the field of industrial biotechnology and a Kent-based SME that is at the forefront of microalgal biotechnology to deliver a range of products of importance in public health. The outcomes of the project would enable UoK and AC to contribute to the emerging UK Algal Biotechnology Sector by accelerating the learning curve for improving the productivity of algal strains using synthetic biology. This will help underpin bespoke training in the field and generate new fine and speciality chemicals and natural products using this novel platform technological approach. The partners will seek protection of IP of any new technologies and reagents as these will be of immense interest to industry and have wider societal benefits and applications.