Grand Challenges in Algae Biotechnology

ISBN-13: 9783030252328 / Angielski / Twarda / 2020 / 591 str.

Armin Hallmann; Pabulo H. Rampelotto

Spis treści

Introduction

Part 1. The Promise of the Algae Biotechnology 

The first part of the book discusses how algae biotechnology may provide new solutions to some of the grand challenges of the 21st Century (Section 1) and explores the economic potential of algae biotechnology (Section 2). Section 3: legal aspects.

Section 1. Algae Biotechnology in the 21st Century

Topics include: 

- Human Health: Discovery and production of algae-derived pharmaceuticals 

- Food: Algae for sustainable production of healthy foods and nutraceuticals

- Industrial Products and Processes: Algae for the development of new industrial products and processes

- Energy and biofuels: Algae for energy supply 

- Environment: Algae for environmental applications (e.g. biological tool for measurement of environmental toxicants, wastewater treatment, carbon dioxide fixation)

Section 2. Algae Biotechnology for a Growing Bioeconomy

Topics include: 

- The Role of Algae Biotechnology in the Bioeconomy

- Techno-Economic Analyses

- The Regional and Global Market for Algae Biotechnology

- Venture Capital for Algae Biotechnology

- Business Strategies of Long-time Economically Successful Companies 

Part 2. Supporting the Development of Algae Biotechnology: 

Despite significant progress, algae biotechnology is yet far from fulfilling its potential. How to unleash this enormous potential is the challenge that the own field is facing; and the second part of the book is dedicated toward this purpose, on discussing key enabling technologies (Sections 3) as well as national and international strategies, policies and programs (Sections 4) to support the development of algae biotechnology.

Section 3. Developments in Key Enabling Technologies

Topics include: 

- ‘Omics’ Driven Technologies and Systems Biology 

- Genetic and Metabolic Engineering

- Novel Screening Technologies 

- New Cultivation Technologies and Bioprocess Engineering 

- Novel Harvesting Methods and Downstream Processing

- Integrated Biorefining (including Wastewater Purification)

Section 4. Strategies, Policies and Programs

Topics include: 

- National and International Strategies and Policies

- Legal Aspects of Algae Biotechnology

- Grand Projects, Programs and Initiatives (e.g. 

- EnAlgae 

- SPLASH

- BIOFAT Project

- FUture European League 4 Microalgal Energy (FUEL4ME)

- Algae Cluster

- MIRACLES

- Flemish Algae Platform

- The Algae Industry Incubation Consortium 

- Algae Biomass Association (ABO)

- European Algae Biomass Association (EABA)

- Algae Technology Educational Consortium (ATEC)

- The Algae Foundation

- others

O autorze

Pabulo Henrique Rampelotto is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Springer Book Series “Grand Challenges in Biology and Biotechnology”. He is also Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, Senior Editor, Guest Editor and member of the editorial board of several scientific journals on the field of Life Sciences and Biotechnology. Furthermore, Pabulo is member of four Scientific Advisory Boards of Lifeboat Foundation, alongside several Nobel Laureates and other distinguished scientists, philosophers, educators, engineers and economists. Most of his recent work has been dedicated to the editorial process of several scientific journals in life science and biotechnology, as well as on the organization of special issues and books in his fields of expertise. In his special issues and books, some of the most distinguished team leaders in the field have published their work, ideas and findings, including Nobel Laureates and several of the highly cited scientists according to the ISI Institute.

Armin Hallmann is professor and head of the Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology of Plants at Bielefeld University, Germany. Since more than 25 years, he utilizes eukaryotic microalgae as model systems for his research in the fields of developmental biology, molecular cell biology, biochemistry and biotechnology. Before he came to Bielefeld University in 2003, he taught at the University of Regensburg, Germany and at the Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA. He is author, reviewer and editor of numerous scientific publications (articles, reviews, book contributions) that appeared in international leading scientific journals.

Blurb

In this book, researchers and practitioners working in the field present the major promises of algae biotechnology and they critically discuss the challenges arising from applications. Based on this assessment, the authors explore the great scientific, industrial and economic potential opened up by algae biotechnology. The first part of the book presents recent developments in key enabling technologies, which are the driving force to unleash the enormous potential of algae biotechnology. The second part of the book focuses on how practical applications of algae biotechnology may provide new solutions to some of the grand challenges of the 21st century.

Algae offer great potential to support the building of a bio-based economy and they can contribute new solutions to some of the grand challenges of the 21st century. Despite significant progress, algae biotechnology is yet far from fulfilling its potential. How to unleash this enormous potential is the challenge that the own field is facing. New cultivation technologies and bioprocess engineering allow for optimization of the operation strategy of state-of the art industrial-scale production systems and they reduce the production costs. Parallel to this, new molecular technologies for genetic and metabolic engineering of (micro)algae develop quickly. The optimization of existing biochemical pathways or the introduction of pathway components makes high-yield production of specific metabolites possible. Novel screening technologies including high-throughput technologies enables testing of extremely large numbers of samples and, thus, allow for large scale modelling of biomolecular processes, which would have not been possible in the past. Moreover, profitable production can demand for integrated biorefining, which combines consecutive processes and various feedstocks to produce both transportation fuel, electric energy and valuable chemicals.