11 2010
Unilever and Solazyme to jointly develop oils from algae
Solazyme, Inc., a renewable oil and bioproducts company, has signed a research and development agreement with Unilever to develop oil derived from algae for use in soaps and other personal care products. The agreement follows the culmination of a yearlong collaboration between Solazyme and Unilever, in which Solazyme’s renewable algal oils were tested successfully in Unilever product formulations.
“Algal oil provides important benefits in personal care applications,” explained Jonathan Wolfson, CEO of Solazyme. “Solazyme’s algal oils can help meet the growing demand for completely renewable, natural and sustainable personal care products. Unilever is an acknowledged world leader in sustainability and we are honored to be working with them to develop this new renewable source of natural oils for their world class consumer products.”
20 2010
International Seaweed Symposium to be held in Ensenada Baja California México, February 22-26, 2010
The symposium offers the opportunity to stay abreast of the most recent advances in applied phycology and industrial opportunities. Learn about new topics of global interest such as the use of genomic data in the development of new cultivars, advances in the understanding of plant and animal response mechanisms to seaweed extracts, and exciting advances in the understanding of the metabolism of algal polysaccharides.
Other relevant topics will include the role of seaweeds as carbon sink, seaweeds as a source of biofuels, and the feasibility and implications of large-scale cultivation. The problems associated with the spread of non-indigenous species, seaweed diseases and their effects on seaweed farms, as well as the effect on the ecology of seaweed communities will also be discussed.
15 2010
Research shows effectiveness of natural seaweed extract on Osteoarthritis symptoms
Research published today in Biologics: Targets & Therapy, cites human clinical trials conducted at Southern Cross University NatMed Research Centre, which have demonstrated that the natural seaweed extract can reduce Osteoarthritis symptoms in some patients by up to 52%. The extract used in the clinical trials is a natural complex of concentrated fucoidans – bioactive polysaccharides thought to be responsible for many of the health benefits attributed to brown seaweeds such as wakame. All clinical trial participants had clinically-diagnosed osteoarthritis of the knee and were given a daily dose of the fucoidan-rich extract over a 12 week period during which the changes in their symptoms were observed.
Participants taking 100mg of the seaweed extract each day showed an 18% reduction in osteoarthritis symptoms, using the internationally-validated COAT (Comprehensive Osteoarthritis Test) assessment protocol. Participants taking 1000mg per day reported a staggering 52% reduction in symptoms.
Developed by Australian biotechnology company Marinova Pty Ltd, the natural Maritech® extract used in the clinical trials is derived from seaweed species growing in the pristine ocean waters of Patagonia and Nova Scotia. Unlike most complementary therapies which target osteoarthritis, Maritech® extract has Organic, Kosher and Halal certifications and is suitable for patients with seafood and shellfish allergies.
Full details of the Study can be found at Biologics: Targets & Therapy 2010:4 33-44
12 2010
Six-day conference on marine biotechnology held in Italy, June 2010
A six-day conference on marine biotechnology will be held in Acquafredda di Maratea, Italy from 20 to 25 June 2010.
This conference is designed to promote scientific excellence in marine biotechnology, give a platform for leading scientists and young researchers to present their work and discuss the future of the field in Europe. Organised around seven-half day sessions, event topics will include:
- algae and seaweed biomass;
- aquaculture;
- bioprospecting;
- human and environmental health;
- enzymes;
- marine bionanotechnology and biomaterials;
- marine models;
- pollution and bioremediation;
- bioinformatics and research infrastructures
08 2010
National Seminar on Marine Biotechnology- SEMBIOT ‘10, India
National seminar on Marine Biotechnology is being organised by the Centre for Development of Marine Biotechnology, School of Marine Sciences, CUSAT, Cochin, during 25-27 March 2010 at the School of Marine Sciences.
The seminar will cover the latest developments and applications of marine biotechnology and its implications to the management of marine environment.
Topics to include:
- Marine natural products and composite materials
- Bioactive marine natural products
- Drugs from the sea
- Marine natural products, biopolymers and enzymes for industries
- New types of composite materials
05 2010
International MareLife Innovation Workshop to run a parallel session on second day of The North Atlantic Seafood Forum, Oslo, Norway 3-4. March, 2010
The main objective of the workshop is to provide a meeting place to enhance bio marine innovation through the facilitation of alliances and synergy across otherwise distant sectors and players.
31 2010
Scripps researchers win race to synthesize marine natural product Palau’amine
The compound Palau’amine, discovered in 1993, is so chemically complex that finding a way to produce it in the laboratory became the most hotly pursued synthetic chemistry goal in modern history. Groups around the globe dedicated millions to the challenge, but it is a team of scientists from The Scripps Research Institute that has finally completed the quest.
31 2010
GRC hosts Marine Natural Products conference in California, Feb 2010
The mission of the 2010 MNP GRC is to bring traditional participants in this area, including natural products chemists, synthetic chemists and marine biologists, together with specialists in newly emerging areas of marine microbiology, molecular biology, genetic engineering and genomics in a highly interactive forum where new avenues of research will be developed.
Applications for this meeting must be submitted by February 7, 2010.
31 2010
Collaboraton working with deep sea microorganisms for agriculture solutions
Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc. (MBI), is collaborating with the laboratories of research microbiologist Dr. Paul Jensen and Professor William Fenical at the University of California at San Diego, Scripps Institute, to find deep sea microorganisms with potential applications for pest management. UC’s Industry University Cooperative Research Program (IUCRP) awarded Dr. Jensen’s Lab a Discovery Grant for the joint project.
Dr. Jensen’s lab collaborates with the lab of Dr. William Fenical who is internationally recognized for significant discoveries of new pharmaceutical compounds from naturally occurring marine microorganisms. MBI is also developing a novel marine microorganism discovered by Dupont and Biomar, S.A. for use as a rice herbicide.
28 2010
Federal stimulus dollars go to cooperative group targeting discovery of marine-derived anticancer leads
The overall goal of the National Cooperative Drug Discovery Group (NCDDG) program is to discover marine natural product leads for cancer chemotherapy. There are four laboratory programs operating in a close and synergistic fashion as follows:
- Lab Program #1 led by Prof. Phillip Crews (PI of this NCDDG), University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC)
- Lab Program #2 led by Prof. William Gerwick, Oregon State University (OSU)
- Lab Program #3 led by Dr. Amy Wright, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution (HBOI)
- Lab Program #4 led by Prof. William Fenical, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego (SIO-UCSD).
| Amount of Award: | $273,147 |
| Award Date: | 09/25/2009 |
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