HIGH-VALUE COMPOUNDS AND

PHARMACEUTICALS
FROM MICROALGAE

Dr. Michele Fabris

Algal Biosystems and Biotechnology
Climate Change Cluster (C3) - UTS

Science-Industry Connect - July 20th 2016

UTS CRICOS PROVIDER CODE: 00099F

UTS:SCIENCE
c3.uts.edu.au

How to turn this.

www.greenovation.com

.into this?

c3.uts.edu.au

Outline
Algae
Biotech applications
Algae as bio-factories
UTS-C3 Algal Biosystems and Biotech group
Our research focus
Current projects
How to engage with us?

c3.uts.edu.au

Algae
Eukaryotic, photosynthetic microorganisms
Enormous diversity

http://web.mst.edu

Dr. M. Huysman

Genomics, transcriptomics & metabolomics

resources are gradually unveiling their traits
www.algae-mart.com

Massive Biotechnology Opportunity

c3.uts.edu.au

Algaes industrial potential

Biofuels

Anaerobic digestion

Aquaculture

c3.uts.edu.au

Algaes industrial potential

PUFAs (omega 3)

Pigments

Secondary metabolites
Phenols
Terpenoids
Flavonoids

c3.uts.edu.au

Algaes industrial potential

Using GM technology and synthetic biology
Bulk chemicals
High-value metabolites

Hempel et al., 2012

Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB)

Recombinant proteins

Interferon -2A

c3.uts.edu.au

Cell-sized algal bio-factories

Nutraceuticals, therapeutics and cosmetics
Huge diversity more than 200.000 species
Natural products - only minimally characterised
Microbes use of biomass is maximised
Fast growth - high densities
Extremely inexpensive medium requirements
Resistant to stresses
Scalable in contained systems
Genetic engineering is feasible
c3.uts.edu.au

Recombinant therapeutics from algae

Very low

Short/medium

Very high

(Very) high

Low risk

Adapted from Ma, et al, Nat Rev Gen 2003

Algae

Ideal organisms for synthetic biology applications

c3.uts.edu.au

Bio-therapeutics form algae - research challenges

Algal strains are natural isolates,
not fit to thrive in highly artificial
environment (industrial settings)

Optimization of cultivation conditions

Optimization of organism

Algal genetic toolbox is in an early

stage

Synthetic biology and molecular

genetics

Lack of high-throughput pipelines

Methods development

c3.uts.edu.au

Algal Biosystems and Biotechnology

Cross-disciplinary
Top-level instrumental set-up
Areas of application:
Aquaculture
Biofuels
Nutraceuticals
Cosmetics
Bio-therapeutics

c3.uts.edu.au

GE-UTS Algal Bio-Factory - Research focus

Molecular biology, genetic engineering,
bioinformatics and synthetic biology

Cultivation strategies

Downstream processing, purification and

quality control

c3.uts.edu.au

Molecular toolbox for efficient and controlled gene expression

Secondary metabolites

Cultivation-production strategies

Novel species as expression platforms

High-throughput algal transformation & screening

Current Projects
GE UTS Algal biofactory research
program

Our algal strains

C. reinhardtii, N. gaditana, N. oceanica, more to come
Our products:
Human membrane proteins of the CLIC family
Interferon alpha 2A
Anti-inflammatory peptides
Future: antibodies?anti-cancer drugs? vaccines?

c3.uts.edu.au

Summary
Algae
Biotech applications
Algae as bio-factories
UTS-C3 Algal Biosystems and Biotech group
Our research focus
How to engage with us?

c3.uts.edu.au

We work on fundamental biological

questions that have an impact in industrial
and pharmaceutical applications
.amongst others.
We welcome industry engagement to help
direct our research and provide future
challenges.

Collaborations
Advanced Algal Innovation Network
Membership
Sponsorship
Engagement

Get in touch with us, and let us help

you find your ideal algae!
c3.uts.edu.au

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Prof. Peter Ralph
Dr. Audrey Commault
Dr. Mathieu Pernice
Dr. Brenton Hamdorf
Jack Adriaans
Alex-Lincoln Dodgson
Dr. Pavlina Sasheva
Dr. Bojan Tamburic
Dr. Christian Evenhuis
Dr. Milan Szabo
Algal Biosystems & Biotech group
Tech-staff

GET IN TOUCH WITH US

Dr. Michele Fabris
C3 Research Associate
Michele.Fabris@uts.edu.au
Prof. Peter Ralph
Algal Biosystems and Biotechnology Group Leader
C3 Executive Director
Peter.Ralph@uts.edu.au

Dr. Brenton Hamdorf

C3 Industry Engagement Manager
Brenton.Hamdorf@uts.edu.au

IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY