Aquapreneur » marine biotech cluster

Marine biotech in Norway continues to make waves

Admin — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:13:30 +0000

Some 30 million NOK are to be made available for new initiatives alongside continuing support for established programmes such as MABIT and Marbank.

The Norwegian government acknowledged awareness of the importance of marine biotech to the economy by allocating dedicated funds within the new budget in October. Some 30 million NOK (3,84 million EUR) are to be made available for new initiatives alongside continuing support for established programmes such as MABIT and Marbank.

“We will have the first call for proposals from the new biotech program (BIOTEK2021) in February says special adviser Steinar Bergseth, who has long championed the sector.” Also I am pleased to say that internationally Norway is taking a lead in this area – perhaps only naturally considering our marine traditions and the length of our coastline.

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Marine Science Park construction underway in Argyll

Admin — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:56:20 +0000

Construction of the European Marine Science Park is underway at Oban in Argyll, where a turf-cutting ceremony was recently held to mark the occasion.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is investing £7.5m to create the first phase – which will take advantage of significant opportunities in marine science, marine biotechnology and renewable energy.

The 20,000 sq ft of office and laboratory space will support businesses in Scotland’s growing Life Sciences and Energy sectors and has the potential to support up to 125 jobs.

The site of the development, Dunstaffnage near Oban, is already an internationally recognised centre of excellence for marine science, with the Scottish Marine Institute being home to the Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS), and the European Centre for Marine Biotechnology. These provide marine science research and education as well as incubation space for new and growing businesses.

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Juneau Economic Development Council reports progress on marine-related business development plans

Admin — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:32:40 +0000

Champions of Juneau Economic Development Council’s 10 action initiatives for its ocean products working group reported progress and opportunities at a recent teleconference.

The Development Council was contracted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service to complete an economic development asset map and a strategic plan for southeast Alaska. “The map and plan would focus on actions to strengthen select industry sectors in the region, such as fishing, tourism and timber,” according to JEDC.

Previously, the Southeast Alaska Ocean Products Working Group identified their 10 action initiatives between Jan. and May of this year.

The group discusses ways to develop region-wide mariculture zoning, increase wild salmon production through habitat restoration, develop a sea otter management program in southeast Alaska, establish a marine industry technology and workforce improvement consortium, include the seafood industry in USDA programs, enhance salmon production, study the conversion of southeast Alaska fish byproduct to biogas and fertilizer through anaerobic digestion, further develop renewable energy, protect long term access to fishery resources and ensure southeast’s fishing future through targeted education and training in the acquisition and financing of fishing permits, quota and fishery businesses.

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North Carolina Marine Biotechnology Center of Innovation Seeks CEO

Admin — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 19:47:52 +0000

The North Carolina Marine Biotechnology Center of Innovation is seeking a seasoned business executive to lead the development of

a new scientific commercialization venture in eastern North Carolina. The CEO requires a hands-on leader to work with the local, national, and global biotechnology communities and research institutions for collaboration in the development of both academic and commercial opportunities, related to marine biotechnology.

The ideal Chief Executive candidate will effectively create, engage, inform, and communicate with a marine biotechnology network, ranging from universities to businesses and state leaders. The goal is to successfully cultivate collaborative innovation and accelerate North Carolina’s bioscience research engine to deliver economic benefits statewide.

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Marine Biotechnology Center of North Carolina breaks ground this week

Admin — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 21:43:28 +0000

UNCW’s MARBIONC Center, or the Marine Biotechnology Center of North Carolina, will break ground the first week of September at the Center for Marine Science.

For students in the marine biotechnology program, this could mean big opportunities.

“Students will have the chance to do research that could result in permanent future employment,” said Dr. Jeffery Wright of the Marine Science department.

The center will also help set UNCW’s marine biotechnology students on a path for success.

“The MARBIONC will prepare students for careers in biotechnology and transform how we traditionally approach educating future marine scientists,” said Kevin Zelnio, an independent scientist and assistant editor of Deep Sea News. “It recognizes there is an industry for students that combines very useful research with a marine science education.”

Other hopes for the center include job creation and spinoff companies.

But the main goal of the center is to develop new products and commercialize them.

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The 3rd “Rendez-vous de Concarneau”: “Where Industry meets Science in Marine Biotechnology” 30-31 August 2011, France

Admin — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 22:27:19 +0000

The ‘Rendez-vous de Concarneau’ constitutes a series of workshops aiming at promoting relationships and strengthening bridges between Industry and academic research, and further at providing technology and knowledge transfer among stakeholders within European marine biotechnologies.

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Enzymicals AG and the Institute of Marine Biotechnology e.V. establish cooperation

Admin — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 22:47:05 +0000

Enzymicals AG, an emerging company in the field of industrial (white) biotechnology, and the Institute of Marine Biotechnology e.V. (IMaB), an association in the area of marine (blue) biotechnology, have signed a comprehensive agreement to cooperate in the future. The two institutions, both located in Greifswald, Germany, combine their competencies in the commercialization of alternative expression systems and functional genome analysisfor the production of fine chemicals. The signed contract includes the joint use of innovative technologies for the identification and production of novel enzymes from aquatic sources, among others. Dormant potentials of marine habitats for biotransformations can be deciphered and brought into market by the focused application of proteomics-based biotechnology, says Prof. Dr. Thomas Schweder of the IMaB. Together with Enzymicals AG, we can offer our expertise in the field of de novo genome sequencing and gene annotation to a wide audience as a service.

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Biotec Pharmacon subsidiary ArcticZymes receives Norwegian grant to develop new marine enzymes for research and diagnostics

Admin — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 14:16:05 +0000

Biotec Pharmacon subsidiary, ArcticZymes AS, has received a grant of MNOK 7.2 from the Research Council of Norway for a project with the title “Development of new marine enzymes for research and diagnostics”. The total project budget is 14.4 MNOK over 3 years.

The project is a user-driven innovation project in the FUGE-program aiming to establish a stronger product development platform for the development of new enzymes for use in molecular biology applications.

ArcticZymes develops, produces and sells enzymes used in molecular DNA technologies and diagnostics. The market is highly expansive, and the rapid and diversifying technological development creates a strong market demand for new and improved enzymes. ArcticZymes is involved as commercial partner in several marine bioprospecting activities that form a large source and pipeline for new commercial enzymes from the Arctic marine environment, including being a commercial partner of the Sfi MabCent consortium and the MARZymes projects at the University of Tromsø.

The strengthened pipeline of product candidates through strategic partnerships with MabCent, MARZymes and others makes it necessary to increase product development speed and capacity. The partnership with The University of Tromsø in this project will strengthen the entire product development chain and increase capacity from early stage to final product.

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Norway makes another solid investment in marine biotechnology

Admin — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 14:01:28 +0000

Nofima’s bioprocessing pilot plant in Tromsø will be co-located with the new biotechnology facility being built in Kaldfjord near Tromsø and expanded from 150 m² to around 1000 m².

This expansion will enable companies to take what they do in the laboratories a step further than what is possible at Nofima’s current bioprocessing pilot plant, from production on a pilot scale to a larger scope of product and process development on both a pilot and industrial scale.

“Marine bioprospecting deals with mapping the active substances found in marine species. Marine bioprocessing involves taking a step further so that the research results in new products. The new plant will be able to assist the companies with this. This bioprocessing pilot plant will be marketed to industrial players not only nationally, but also internationally,” says project manager Even Stenberg at Nofima.

RDA Troms has allocated NOK 22 million towards the expansion. RDA is business-oriented funding scheme that was introduced when the scheme for differentiated employers’ social security contributions were phased out.

The total budget is NOK 26 million.

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BioMar-Innovation Consortium signs partnership with CBB (Biotechnology Center in Bretagne, France)

Admin — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:58:19 +0000

BioMar-Innovation Consortium, an initiative of the Centre québécois de valorisation Biotechnology (CQVB) and Centre for Marine Biotechnology Research (MBRC) is pleased to announce a partnership with CBB (Biotechnology Center in Bretagne) .

Marine Biotechnology represents a significant growth potential on both sides of the Atlantic. The two organizations will promote interaction and networking between businesses in Quebec and France to allow the transfer and technological and business partnership. The partnership will help develop economic and technological companies in the biotechnology sector and recovery of marine aquatic biomass, both in Quebec and France.

Negotiated as part of the 2nd Symposium Franco-Quebecois competitive clusters and niches of excellence, the agreement will take effect from 1 April 2011.

Launched in 2009 by CQVB and the MBRC, BioMar-Innovation Consortium is intended to stimulate development of new products or processes in the field of marine biotechnology, within companies in Quebec to promote technology transfer and exploitation of marine biomass.

Supported financially by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ) and the Ministry of Economic Development, Innovation and Export (MDEIE), which supports this initiative through ACCORD project, the Consortium BioMar-Innovation has held six meetings and networking technology, including 30% of participants were manufacturers. In addition, 13 publications were disseminated to stakeholders and the Quebec industrial area to facilitate the sharing and distribution of information technology and strategy between them. The contents of technology meetings and publications are available at CQVB.

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