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- Novomar-Multipolar centre for the valorisation of marine resources and residues
Valorisation of marine resources and by-products from fishing through biomedical developments is the framework where NOVOMAR project and this Valorisation Multipolar Centre are placed. Therefore a wider vision of the concept valorisation is adopted: “To use by-products from fishing activities which are underused to obtain high added value products as well as marine organisms which under specific conditions increase their properties or become a very useful source of molecules and compounds in certain fields of industry”
Ficha del proyecto
Title
Novomar-Multipolar centre for the valorisation of marine resources and residues
Lead Partner
University of Minho
Funding source
FEDER-POCTEP
Lifetime
2007 - 2013
Abstract
Valorisation of marine resources and by-products from fishing through biomedical developments is the framework where NOVOMAR project and this Valorisation Multipolar Centre are placed. Therefore a wider vision of the concept valorisation is adopted: “To use by-products from fishing activities which are underused to obtain high added value products as well as marine organisms which under specific conditions increase their properties or become a very useful source of molecules and compounds in certain fields of industry”
- Iberomare-MultipolarCcentre for the Valorisation of Marine Resources and Residues
Iberomare project intends to create a Multipolar Centre aiming at the discovery of alternatives for the valorization of marine resources and residues from fishing, aquaculture and food (seafood and seaweed) processing industries. IBEROMARE’s specific goals are: increasing the added value of the natural resources of the rías, coastal areas and river basins inside the involved areas; promoting the networking interaction between the industrial tissue and the R&D institutions; encouraging R&D activities in a traditional sector of the economy; establishing a schedule for public actions to disseminate the generated knowledge..
Ficha del proyecto
Title
Iberomare-MultipolarCcentre for the Valorisation of Marine Resources and Residues
Lead Partner
Minho University - 3Bs Research Group
Funding source
INTERREG 0330_IBEROMARE_1_P Programa Operacional de Cooperaçao Transfronteiriça Espanha - Portugal 2007-2013 Área de Cooperaçao Norte de Portugal - Galiza
Lifetime
2007 - 2013
Abstract
Iberomare project intends to create a Multipolar Centre aiming at the discovery of alternatives for the valorization of marine resources and residues from fishing, aquaculture and food (seafood and seaweed) processing industries. IBEROMARE’s specific goals are: increasing the added value of the natural resources of the rías, coastal areas and river basins inside the involved areas; promoting the networking interaction between the industrial tissue and the R&D institutions; encouraging R&D activities in a traditional sector of the economy; establishing a schedule for public actions to disseminate the generated knowledge..
- BIOTECMAR-BIOTECnological exploitation of MARine products and by-products
Establishing an integral network for the production of high added value ingredients using Atlantic marine products. BIOTECMAR will support the industries/SMEs from Atlantic area to develop the use of modern biotechnologies and contribute to the diversification of the activities coming from the exploitation of marine biomass in the restricted framework of the sustainable management of marine natural resources
Ficha del proyecto
Title
BIOTECMAR-BIOTECnological exploitation of MARine products and by-products
Lead Partner
University of Bretagne Occidentale (UEB-UBO)
Funding source
FEDER Funds – INTERREG IIIB
Lifetime
2007 - 2013
Abstract
Establishing an integral network for the production of high added value ingredients using Atlantic marine products. BIOTECMAR will support the industries/SMEs from Atlantic area to develop the use of modern biotechnologies and contribute to the diversification of the activities coming from the exploitation of marine biomass in the restricted framework of the sustainable management of marine natural resources
- CVMAR-Multipolar Centre for the Valorization
The Multipolar Centre for the Valorisation has the mission of acting as a consulting and supporting organism for companies, administrations and public and private institutions about valorisation of marine resources and residues related to food, cosmetics, biomedical, pharmaceutical and agricultural sectors
Ficha del proyecto
Title
CVMAR-Multipolar Centre for the Valorization
Lead Partner
University of Minho - Group 3B's
Funding source
FEDER Funds - POCTEP Program
Lifetime
2007 - 2013
Abstract
The Multipolar Centre for the Valorisation has the mission of acting as a consulting and supporting organism for companies, administrations and public and private institutions about valorisation of marine resources and residues related to food, cosmetics, biomedical, pharmaceutical and agricultural sectors
- MARMED-Development of innovating biomedical products from marine resources valorisation
MARMED project’s objective is the valorization of by-products and residues for biomedical applications, in close cooperation with industries which will evaluate the market potential of these applications to be developed or studied. MARMED’s ambition is to allow for the continuous, sustainable and economically viable exploration of the natural resources from coastal regions, fluvial basins and aquaculture by adding value to many of the constituents of these resources. It aims to develop environmentally friendly technologies for the conversion of residues into products with industrial application, through the establishment of simple, efficient and economically viable methods to extract and purify the substances found in marine and fluvial flora/fauna and aquaculture
Ficha del proyecto
Title
MARMED-Development of innovating biomedical products from marine resources valorisation
Lead Partner
University of Minho-Group 3B's
Funding source
INTERREG-Atlantic Area
Lifetime
2007 - 2013
Abstract
MARMED project’s objective is the valorization of by-products and residues for biomedical applications, in close cooperation with industries which will evaluate the market potential of these applications to be developed or studied. MARMED’s ambition is to allow for the continuous, sustainable and economically viable exploration of the natural resources from coastal regions, fluvial basins and aquaculture by adding value to many of the constituents of these resources. It aims to develop environmentally friendly technologies for the conversion of residues into products with industrial application, through the establishment of simple, efficient and economically viable methods to extract and purify the substances found in marine and fluvial flora/fauna and aquaculture
- VALBIOMAR-Biotechnological valorisation of marine resources
Biotechnological valorization of marine resources by using marine organisms and byproducts from fishing to obtain biological activity ingredients to apply in the feed and food industry, cosmetics and pharmaceutical sectors transferring the technology to SMEs
Ficha del proyecto
Title
VALBIOMAR-Biotechnological valorisation of marine resources
Lead Partner
University of La Rochelle
Funding source
FEDER Funds- INTERREG IIIB
Lifetime
2007 - 2013
Abstract
Biotechnological valorization of marine resources by using marine organisms and byproducts from fishing to obtain biological activity ingredients to apply in the feed and food industry, cosmetics and pharmaceutical sectors transferring the technology to SMEs
- MARPIPE. Improving the flow in the pipeline of the next generation of marine biodiscovery scientists
- MarPipe is a Research and Training Network of 11 academic and industrial partners based in 8 European countries working in collaboration to train young researchers in the field of marine drug-discovery. This consortium aims at improving the feasibility of using marine natural products in drug discovery programmes by overcoming the historical and complex bottlenecks, such as low quantities of secondary metabolites, supply issue of biological samples, cultivability and low microbial chemodiversity in standard lab conditions, difficulties in isolation, chemical structure elucidation of compounds, early and reliable validation of bioactivity and the best mechanisms of flow-through into exploitation. Marpipe will give trainning 11 ESRs in marine drug-discovery, providing these researchers with unique skills toward becoming world leaders in this research field and to advance their careers in academia or industry. MarPipe PhDs will be trained in a programme including training-by-research, joint courses of technical, scientific and transferrable skills, active participation to public scientific events, and an intense inter-sectoral networking exchange plan. Marine organisms have the capacity to produce a variety of biologically potent natural products, including antibiotic and anticancer compounds. MarPipe aims at further development of antimicrobial and anticancer lead compounds originating from a previous EU project (PharmaSea), and will also explore the bioactivity of deep-sea samples (5000m) collected during the recent Eurofleet-2 project in the sub-Antarctic. The PhD students will thus be involved in all phases of the drug discovery pipeline, from isolation of new microbial strains to pre-clinical development of lead compounds. Importantly, they will also be trained to overcome existing bottlenecks in the field, e.g. low yields and low chemodiversity, isolation of known compounds, toxicity of compounds. The discovery rates of new bioactive antimicrobial and anticancer molecules will be enhanced through 11 PhD projects that cover all phases of the biodiscovery pipeline. As a final outcome of the project, we envisage the creation of a marine biodiscovery start-up company, which will include most of the MarPipe partners. The scientists of the future will be trained to become conscious about the socio-economic and policy context of their work, since several specific MarPipe PhD projects focus on legal, policy, innovation and entrepreneurship themes
Ficha del proyecto
Title
MARPIPE. Improving the flow in the pipeline of the next generation of marine biodiscovery scientists
Lead Partner
Funding source
Lifetime
2016 - 2020
Abstract
MarPipe is a Research and Training Network of 11 academic and industrial partners based in 8 European countries working in collaboration to train young researchers in the field of marine drug-discovery. This consortium aims at improving the feasibility of using marine natural products in drug discovery programmes by overcoming the historical and complex bottlenecks, such as low quantities of secondary metabolites, supply issue of biological samples, cultivability and low microbial chemodiversity in standard lab conditions, difficulties in isolation, chemical structure elucidation of compounds, early and reliable validation of bioactivity and the best mechanisms of flow-through into exploitation.
Marpipe will give trainning 11 ESRs in marine drug-discovery, providing these researchers with unique skills toward becoming world leaders in this research field and to advance their careers in academia or industry. MarPipe PhDs will be trained in a programme including training-by-research, joint courses of technical, scientific and transferrable skills, active participation to public scientific events, and an intense inter-sectoral networking exchange plan.
Marine organisms have the capacity to produce a variety of biologically potent natural products, including antibiotic and anticancer compounds. MarPipe aims at further development of antimicrobial and anticancer lead compounds originating from a previous EU project (PharmaSea), and will also explore the bioactivity of deep-sea samples (5000m) collected during the recent Eurofleet-2 project in the sub-Antarctic. The PhD students will thus be involved in all phases of the drug discovery pipeline, from isolation of new microbial strains to pre-clinical development of lead compounds. Importantly, they will also be trained to overcome existing bottlenecks in the field, e.g. low yields and low chemodiversity, isolation of known compounds, toxicity of compounds.
The discovery rates of new bioactive antimicrobial and anticancer molecules will be enhanced through 11 PhD projects that cover all phases of the biodiscovery pipeline. As a final outcome of the project, we envisage the creation of a marine biodiscovery start-up company, which will include most of the MarPipe partners. The scientists of the future will be trained to become conscious about the socio-economic and policy context of their work, since several specific MarPipe PhD projects focus on legal, policy, innovation and entrepreneurship themes
- The GHaNA project aims to explore and characterize a new marine bioresource, for blue biotechnology applications in aquaculture, cosmetics and possibly food and health industry. The project will determine the biological and chemical diversity of Haslea diatoms to develop mass-scale production for viable industrial applications by maximising biomass production and associated high-value compound production, including terpenoids, marennine-like pigments, lipids and silica skeletons. The genus Haslea species type H. ostrearia, produces marennine, a water-soluble blue pigment used for greening oysters in Western France, which is also a bioactive molecule. Haslea diatoms have thus a high potential for use in (1) existing oyster farming, (2) production of pigments and bioactive compounds with natural antibacterial properties, (3) application as a colouring agent within industry, and (4) use of silica skeletons as inorganic “biocharges” in the formulation of new elastomeric materials. This will be achieved through fundamental and applied-oriented research to isolate fast- growing strains of Haslea, optimising their growth environment to increase marennine and other high-value compound productivity; to develop blue biotechnology specifically applied to benthic microalgae (biorefinery approach, processes); and to develop industrial exploitation of colouring and bioactive compounds through commercial activities of aquaculture, food, cosmetics and health
Ficha del proyecto
Title
Lead Partner
Funding source
Lifetime
2017 - 2021
Abstract
The GHaNA project aims to explore and characterize a new marine bioresource, for blue biotechnology applications in aquaculture, cosmetics and possibly food and health industry. The project will determine the biological and chemical diversity of Haslea diatoms to develop mass-scale production for viable industrial applications by maximising biomass production and associated high-value compound production, including terpenoids, marennine-like pigments, lipids and silica skeletons. The genus Haslea species type H. ostrearia, produces marennine, a water-soluble blue pigment used for greening oysters in Western France, which is also a bioactive molecule. Haslea diatoms have thus a high potential for use in (1) existing oyster farming, (2) production of pigments and bioactive compounds with natural antibacterial properties, (3) application as a colouring agent within industry, and (4) use of silica skeletons as inorganic “biocharges” in the formulation of new elastomeric materials. This will be achieved through fundamental and applied-oriented research to isolate fast- growing strains of Haslea, optimising their growth environment to increase marennine and other high-value compound productivity; to develop blue biotechnology specifically applied to benthic microalgae (biorefinery approach, processes); and to develop industrial exploitation of colouring and bioactive compounds through commercial activities of aquaculture, food, cosmetics and health
- ABACUS gathers 2 large industries, 3 algae SMEs and 4 RTOs. It aims at a business-oriented and technology-driven development of a new algal biorefinery, thereby bringing to the market innovative algae-based ingredients for high-end applications, spanning from algal terpenes for fragrances to long-chain terpenoids (carotenoids) for nutraceuticals and cosmetic actives. One key objective of ABACUS is to obtain more than 10% photosynthates of targeted terpenoids. For this purpose, ABACUS selects and optimizes unique algae strains from 4 large culture collections owned by project’s partners. Moreover, ABACUS focuses on optimizing cultivation steps and mastering production of target products by online monitoring and automated control of photobioreactors with the development of specific sensors for terpenes and for the parameters relevant to terpene’s production (light, PO2, PCO2, nutrients). ABACUS investigates the fractionation steps to provide green low-cost downstream processing with a view to reduce operational expenses of the whole production line. Life cycle analysis and techno-economic analysis are fundamental guidelines of ABACUS’s developments to ensure that technologies and products are economically and environmentally sustainable. Applicability of targeted ingredients is assessed by the industrial partners (SMEs and large industries with established access to markets) considering cosmetic and nutraceutical applications. ABACUS aims to demonstrate biorefining processes allowing valorizing up to 95% of the algal biomass into high value ingredients and by-products. EU standards and market regulations associated to innovative bioprocesses and new ingredients are reviewed in order to demonstrate the acceptability of the ABACUS biorefinery. ABACUS key advantage lies in its business-oriented workplan, gathering key players along the whole product development chain and incorporating most-advanced technologies for efficient growth and fractionation of microalgae.
Ficha del proyecto
Title
Lead Partner
Funding source
Lifetime
2017 - 2020
Abstract
ABACUS gathers 2 large industries, 3 algae SMEs and 4 RTOs. It aims at a business-oriented and technology-driven development of a new algal biorefinery, thereby bringing to the market innovative algae-based ingredients for high-end applications, spanning from algal terpenes for fragrances to long-chain terpenoids (carotenoids) for nutraceuticals and cosmetic actives. One key objective of ABACUS is to obtain more than 10% photosynthates of targeted terpenoids. For this purpose, ABACUS selects and optimizes unique algae strains from 4 large culture collections owned by project’s partners. Moreover, ABACUS focuses on optimizing cultivation steps and mastering production of target products by online monitoring and automated control of photobioreactors with the development of specific sensors for terpenes and for the parameters relevant to terpene’s production (light, PO2, PCO2, nutrients). ABACUS investigates the fractionation steps to provide green low-cost downstream processing with a view to reduce operational expenses of the whole production line. Life cycle analysis and techno-economic analysis are fundamental guidelines of ABACUS’s developments to ensure that technologies and products are economically and environmentally sustainable. Applicability of targeted ingredients is assessed by the industrial partners (SMEs and large industries with established access to markets) considering cosmetic and nutraceutical applications. ABACUS aims to demonstrate biorefining processes allowing valorizing up to 95% of the algal biomass into high value ingredients and by-products. EU standards and market regulations associated to innovative bioprocesses and new ingredients are reviewed in order to demonstrate the acceptability of the ABACUS biorefinery. ABACUS key advantage lies in its business-oriented workplan, gathering key players along the whole product development chain and incorporating most-advanced technologies for efficient growth and fractionation of microalgae.
- Microalgae are a source of secondary metabolites useful as new bioactive compounds. The antibacterial activity of a few microalgae extracts has been reported. However, neither isolation nor characterization of the compounds responsible of the activity observed has been achieved. Most importantly, activity of microalgae extracts on biofilm formation has not been determined yet. Biofilm formation is especially important in infections and tissue inflammation related to implants and catheters. These problems finally cause a release of the implant, which must be removed and replaced by a new one, entailing an increase in antibiotic consumption, together with a health costs of 50,000-90,000 € per infection episode. The overall objective of NOMORFILM project is to search for antibiofilm compounds isolated from microalgae that will be useful in the treatment of this kind of infections and could be incorporated in the manufacturing of medical prosthetic devices. Most industrially interesting antibiofilm molecules will be incorporated into nanoparticles in order to develop manufacturing methodologies able to incorporate these compounds into real prosthetic devices matrixes. Several objectives in the project deal with improving directly the health of the EU citizens as well as the associated health cost, by generating potential new drug candidates to combat important health problems as prosthetic devices biofilm infections. This implies that efforts trying to reduce the percentage of prosthetic devices replaced due to biofilm infection will play an important role at a socioeconomic level: less money invested in replacement of implants and in antimicrobial treatments, and fewer expenses associated to hospitalization days.
Ficha del proyecto
Title
Lead Partner
Funding source
Lifetime
2015 - 2019
Abstract
Microalgae are a source of secondary metabolites useful as new bioactive compounds. The antibacterial activity of a few microalgae extracts has been reported. However, neither isolation nor characterization of the compounds responsible of the activity observed has been achieved. Most importantly, activity of microalgae extracts on biofilm formation has not been determined yet. Biofilm formation is especially important in infections and tissue inflammation related to implants and catheters. These problems finally cause a release of the implant, which must be removed and replaced by a new one, entailing an increase in antibiotic consumption, together with a health costs of 50,000-90,000 € per infection episode. The overall objective of NOMORFILM project is to search for antibiofilm compounds isolated from microalgae that will be useful in the treatment of this kind of infections and could be incorporated in the manufacturing of medical prosthetic devices.
Most industrially interesting antibiofilm molecules will be incorporated into nanoparticles in order to develop manufacturing methodologies able to incorporate these compounds into real prosthetic devices matrixes. Several objectives in the project deal with improving directly the health of the EU citizens as well as the associated health cost, by generating potential new drug candidates to combat important health problems as prosthetic devices biofilm infections. This implies that efforts trying to reduce the percentage of prosthetic devices replaced due to biofilm infection will play an important role at a socioeconomic level: less money invested in replacement of implants and in antimicrobial treatments, and fewer expenses associated to hospitalization days.
- The overall objective of BIOSEA is the development and validation of innovative, competitive and cost-effective upstream and downstream processes for the cultivation of 3 microalgae (Spirulina platensis, Isochrysis galbana and Nannochloropsis sp.), and 2 macroalgae (Ulva ohnoi and Saccharina latissima) to produce and extract at least 6 high value active principles at low cost (up to 55% less than with current processes) to be used in food, feed and cosmetic/personal care as high-added value products. The innovation will be on applying them on algae or in combination with other techniques for recovery of multiple compounds from the same feedstock, which will require technological adjustment & optimizations. BIOSEA process will be effective and environmental friendly and the compounds will be obtained at low cost and will be used in food, feed and cosmetic/personal care markets. By this way, the industrialization of the process could be addressed once the project ends
Ficha del proyecto
Title
Lead Partner
Funding source
Lifetime
2017 - 2020
Abstract
The overall objective of BIOSEA is the development and validation of innovative, competitive and cost-effective upstream and downstream processes for the cultivation of 3 microalgae (Spirulina platensis, Isochrysis galbana and Nannochloropsis sp.), and 2 macroalgae (Ulva ohnoi and Saccharina latissima) to produce and extract at least 6 high value active principles at low cost (up to 55% less than with current processes) to be used in food, feed and cosmetic/personal care as high-added value products.
The innovation will be on applying them on algae or in combination with other techniques for recovery of multiple compounds from the same feedstock, which will require technological adjustment & optimizations.
BIOSEA process will be effective and environmental friendly and the compounds will be obtained at low cost and will be used in food, feed and cosmetic/personal care markets. By this way, the industrialization of the process could be addressed once the project ends
- The biotechnology of microalgae has gained considerable importance in recent decades, as they represent a largely untapped reservoir of novel and valuable bioactive compounds. The biological and chemical diversity of the microalgae, has been the source of unique bioactive molecules with the potential for industrial development as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, nutritional supplements. The proposed project will combine both basic and applied research in the fields of –omics technologies, biochemistry, applied and enzyme biotechnology in order to exploit microalgae resources for the development: 1) Natural UV sunscreens, based on algae mycosporine-like aminoacids, 2) Algae-based nutraceuticals as functional foods and food supplements, 3) Algae-derived proteases with applications in cosmetic (skin repair enzymes) and food industry. The implementation of the project will offer to the involved academic and SMSs the opportunity to translate scientific research into well defined knowledge-based ‘green’ products and analytical tools. Apart from scientific objectives, the project will enhance the European’s capacity in the field of Blue Growth and Marine Biotechnology by exchanging interdisciplinary knowledge, developing and disseminating joint research activities, thus strengthening the intersectoral links between academia and industry for sustainable growth.
Ficha del proyecto
Title
Lead Partner
Funding source
Lifetime
2018 - 2021
Abstract
The biotechnology of microalgae has gained considerable importance in recent decades, as they represent a largely untapped reservoir of novel and valuable bioactive compounds. The biological and chemical diversity of the microalgae, has been the source of unique bioactive molecules with the potential for industrial development as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, nutritional supplements. The proposed project will combine both basic and applied research in the fields of –omics technologies, biochemistry, applied and enzyme biotechnology in order to exploit microalgae resources for the development: 1) Natural UV sunscreens, based on algae mycosporine-like aminoacids, 2) Algae-based nutraceuticals as functional foods and food supplements, 3) Algae-derived proteases with applications in cosmetic (skin repair enzymes) and food industry. The implementation of the project will offer to the involved academic and SMSs the opportunity to translate scientific research into well defined knowledge-based ‘green’ products and analytical tools. Apart from scientific objectives, the project will enhance the European’s capacity in the field of Blue Growth and Marine Biotechnology by exchanging interdisciplinary knowledge, developing and disseminating joint research activities, thus strengthening the intersectoral links between academia and industry for sustainable growth.
- Genis is based in Siglufjördur, a village in the North Iceland traditionally focused on the fishing industry. After the fishery crisis worsen in 2008, Siglufjördur started to pay attention to the marine biotechnology, with Genis at the forefront. Hence, since 2002, we develop health products based in T-ChOS™ (Therapeutic Chitooligosaccharides), which are compounds obtained from chitin extracted from the North Atlantic shrimp exoskeleton. T-ChOS™ show a strong anti-inflammatory effect based in a novel biological pathway discovered by Genis: Inhibition of the YKL-40 chitinase enzyme, whose levels are very high in several diseases as cancer. Our in vitro, in vivo and human studies prove that T-ChOS™ can decrease inflammation and enhance tumour response to chemotherapy. During the Ph1 project, we confirmed the feasibility of developing a nutraceutical based on T-ChOS™ to use as an adjuvant to chemotherapy in cancer patients. In this Ph2 project, we aim to optimise manufacturing, validate through a clinical trial and bring to market SIMECOS: A nutraceutical for cancer patients derived from chitin purified T-ChOS™ molecules. SIMECOS targets lung, breast and pancreatic cancer patients, with survival rates after 5-year of 20%, 82.2% and 5.2%, respectively. SIMECOS is expected to increase their quality of life, thanks to its proven effects to decrease pain and fatigue. The high trends (30%-95%) among cancer patients to use complementary supplements entail a great business opportunity for SIMECOS as in Europe, there are more than 780,000 patients per year diagnosed with breast, pancreatic and lung cancer looking for solutions to decrease chemotherapy side effects and improve the effectiveness of their treatment. Clinically validated SIMECOS will help these patients. We expect SIMECOS to reach the market in 2020.
Ficha del proyecto
Title
Lead Partner
Funding source
Lifetime
2018 - 2020
Abstract
Genis is based in Siglufjördur, a village in the North Iceland traditionally focused on the fishing industry. After the fishery crisis worsen in 2008, Siglufjördur started to pay attention to the marine biotechnology, with Genis at the forefront. Hence, since 2002, we develop health products based in T-ChOS™ (Therapeutic Chitooligosaccharides), which are compounds obtained from chitin extracted from the North Atlantic shrimp exoskeleton. T-ChOS™ show a strong anti-inflammatory effect based in a novel biological pathway discovered by Genis: Inhibition of the YKL-40 chitinase enzyme, whose levels are very high in several diseases as cancer. Our in vitro, in vivo and human studies prove that T-ChOS™ can decrease inflammation and enhance tumour response to chemotherapy. During the Ph1 project, we confirmed the feasibility of developing a nutraceutical based on T-ChOS™ to use as an adjuvant to chemotherapy in cancer patients. In this Ph2 project, we aim to optimise manufacturing, validate through a clinical trial and bring to market SIMECOS: A nutraceutical for cancer patients derived from chitin purified T-ChOS™ molecules. SIMECOS targets lung, breast and pancreatic cancer patients, with survival rates after 5-year of 20%, 82.2% and 5.2%, respectively. SIMECOS is expected to increase their quality of life, thanks to its proven effects to decrease pain and fatigue. The high trends (30%-95%) among cancer patients to use complementary supplements entail a great business opportunity for SIMECOS as in Europe, there are more than 780,000 patients per year diagnosed with breast, pancreatic and lung cancer looking for solutions to decrease chemotherapy side effects and improve the effectiveness of their treatment. Clinically validated SIMECOS will help these patients. We expect SIMECOS to reach the market in 2020.
- New generations of devices for tissue engineering (TE) should rationalize better the physical and biochemical cues operating in tandem during native regeneration, in particular at the scale/organizational-level of the stem cell niche. The understanding and the deconstruction of these factors (e.g. multiple cell types exchanging both paracrine and direct signals, structural and chemical arrangement of the extra-cellular matrix, mechanical signals…) should be then incorporated into the design of truly biomimetic biomaterials. ATLAS proposes rather unique toolboxes combining smart biomaterials and cells for the ground-breaking advances of engineering fully time-self-regulated complex 2D and 3D devices, able to adjust the cascade of processes leading to faster high-quality new tissue formation with minimum pre-processing of cells. Versatile biomaterials based on marine-origin macromolecules will be used, namely in the supramolecular assembly of instructive multilayers as nanostratified building-blocks for engineer such structures. The backbone of these biopolymers will be equipped with a variety of (bio)chemical elements permitting: post-processing chemistry and micro-patterning, specific/non-specific cell attachment, and cell-controlled degradation. Aiming at being applied in bone TE, ATLAS will integrate cells from different units of tissue physiology, namely bone and hematopoietic basic elements and consider the interactions between the immune and skeletal systems. These ingredients will permit to architect innovative films with high-level dialogue control with cells, but in particular sophisticated quasi-closed 3D capsules able to compartmentalise such components in a “globe-like” organization, providing local and long-range order for in vitro microtissue development and function. Such hybrid devices could be used in more generalised front-edge applications, including as disease models for drug discovery or test new therapies in vitro.
Ficha del proyecto
Title
Lead Partner
Funding source
Lifetime
2015 - 2020
Abstract
New generations of devices for tissue engineering (TE) should rationalize better the physical and biochemical cues operating in tandem during native regeneration, in particular at the scale/organizational-level of the stem cell niche. The understanding and the deconstruction of these factors (e.g. multiple cell types exchanging both paracrine and direct signals, structural and chemical arrangement of the extra-cellular matrix, mechanical signals…) should be then incorporated into the design of truly biomimetic biomaterials. ATLAS proposes rather unique toolboxes combining smart biomaterials and cells for the ground-breaking advances of engineering fully time-self-regulated complex 2D and 3D devices, able to adjust the cascade of processes leading to faster high-quality new tissue formation with minimum pre-processing of cells. Versatile biomaterials based on marine-origin macromolecules will be used, namely in the supramolecular assembly of instructive multilayers as nanostratified building-blocks for engineer such structures. The backbone of these biopolymers will be equipped with a variety of (bio)chemical elements permitting: post-processing chemistry and micro-patterning, specific/non-specific cell attachment, and cell-controlled degradation. Aiming at being applied in bone TE, ATLAS will integrate cells from different units of tissue physiology, namely bone and hematopoietic basic elements and consider the interactions between the immune and skeletal systems. These ingredients will permit to architect innovative films with high-level dialogue control with cells, but in particular sophisticated quasi-closed 3D capsules able to compartmentalise such components in a “globe-like” organization, providing local and long-range order for in vitro microtissue development and function. Such hybrid devices could be used in more generalised front-edge applications, including as disease models for drug discovery or test new therapies in vitro.
- The objective of SponGES is to develop an integrated ecosystem-based approach to preserve and sustainably use vulnerable sponge ecosystems of the North Atlantic. The SponGES consortium, an international and interdisciplinary collaboration of research institutions, environmental non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations, will focus on one of the most diverse, ecologically and biologically important and vulnerable marine ecosystems of the deep-sea - sponge grounds – that to date have received very little research and conservation attention. Our approach will address the scope and challenges of EC’s Blue Growth Call by strengthening the knowledge base, improving innovation, predicting changes, and providing decision support tools for management and sustainable use of marine resources. SponGES will fill knowledge gaps on vulnerable sponge ecosystems and provide guidelines for their preservation and sustainable exploitation. North Atlantic deep-sea sponge grounds will be mapped and characterized, and a geographical information system on sponge grounds will be developed to determine drivers of past and present distribution. Diversity, biogeographic and connectivity patterns will be investigated through a genomic approach. Function of sponge ecosystems and the goods and services they provide, e.g. in habitat provision, bentho-pelagic coupling and biogeochemical cycling will be identified and quantified. This project will further unlock the potential of sponge grounds for innovative blue biotechnology namely towards drug discovery and tissue engineering. It will improve predictive capacities by quantifying threats related to fishing, climate change, and local disturbances. SpongeGES outputs will form the basis for modeling and predicting future ecosystem dynamics under environmental changes. SponGES will develop an adaptive ecosystem-based management plan that enables conservation and good governance of these marine resources on regional and international levels.
Ficha del proyecto
Title
Lead Partner
Funding source
Lifetime
2016 - 2020
Abstract
The objective of SponGES is to develop an integrated ecosystem-based approach to preserve and sustainably use vulnerable sponge ecosystems of the North Atlantic. The SponGES consortium, an international and interdisciplinary collaboration of research institutions, environmental non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations, will focus on one of the most diverse, ecologically and biologically important and vulnerable marine ecosystems of the deep-sea - sponge grounds – that to date have received very little research and conservation attention. Our approach will address the scope and challenges of EC’s Blue Growth Call by strengthening the knowledge base, improving innovation, predicting changes, and providing decision support tools for management and sustainable use of marine resources. SponGES will fill knowledge gaps on vulnerable sponge ecosystems and provide guidelines for their preservation and sustainable exploitation. North Atlantic deep-sea sponge grounds will be mapped and characterized, and a geographical information system on sponge grounds will be developed to determine drivers of past and present distribution. Diversity, biogeographic and connectivity patterns will be investigated through a genomic approach. Function of sponge ecosystems and the goods and services they provide, e.g. in habitat provision, bentho-pelagic coupling and biogeochemical cycling will be identified and quantified. This project will further unlock the potential of sponge grounds for innovative blue biotechnology namely towards drug discovery and tissue engineering. It will improve predictive capacities by quantifying threats related to fishing, climate change, and local disturbances. SpongeGES outputs will form the basis for modeling and predicting future ecosystem dynamics under environmental changes. SponGES will develop an adaptive ecosystem-based management plan that enables conservation and good governance of these marine resources on regional and international levels.