Research Programs
Agricultural crops have been studied and bred for centuries. Yet the scientific community has invested relatively little time and few resources in the study of algae.
There’s not yet a critical mass of scientists or business leaders to advance the work of deriving energy and other high-value products from algae and delivering them to market. The San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology can change that through its scientific, educational, and industrial outreach programs. Here are some of the areas our researchers are studying:
Biofuel development
Developing a sustainable renewable energy industry based on algae has the potential to provide energy security and millions of new green-collar jobs. That makes it SD-CAB's highest priority. Producing biofuels from algae economically and at the necessary scale requires a fundamental understanding of all aspects of algal biology, genetics and gene expression, as well as the development of molecular tools to modify algae.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration
Climate change is a reality that’s happening at an alarming rate. Algae-based biofuel production could significantly impact climate change by mitigating the release of CO2 into the atmosphere (algae can sequester CO2 during photosynthetic growth).
Algal physiology and photosynthesis
Algae are a diverse set of species unified by a common theme: Sunlight, energy, and CO2 combine to produce an unrivaled array of useful products. Understanding the details of the biological processes that drive algal growth and photosynthesis is essential to tapping into this rich resource.
Genomic analysis of diverse algal species
The natural diversity of algae and their chloroplasts is tremendous, with organisms capable of living in extremes of pH, salinity, and temperature. Identifying and understanding the genetic blueprint of important algae species will allow scientists to exploit the full potential of these natural qualities for a host of biotechnology applications.
Molecular genetic analysis of algal gene expression
Obtaining the DNA sequence information on algal genomes isn’t enough. We also need to understand how these genes are coordinately regulated to produce the most useful biomolecules, including biofuel precursors.
Proteomic and metabolomic analysis of algal species
Because a single gene can code for different enzymes with widely diverse functions, we need to complement the genomic and molecular studies with protein and small molecule analysis. These approaches are called proteomic and metabolomic analysis, and together they define the biological diversity within an algal cell.
Development of molecular tools for engineering algae
Once the underlying biology has been defined, we need to develop the molecular tool kit that can make algae a robust biotechnology platform capable of producing a variety of bio-products from sunlight and CO2.
Co-product development
Algae have tremendous potential for other applications, including industrial enzymes, medical therapeutics, and even animal feeds. We call this new area "green biotechnology."
Water remediation
Algae are prodigious scavengers of nutrients from water, with the potential to filter harmful nutrients from wastewater before we release it back into the environment. Utilizing nutrients from wastewater could also help reduce the cost of algae-based bioproducts by reducing the requirement for adding nutrients to algae growth facilities.
Economics and public policy
We are all stakeholders in this new green transformation. An informed transparent discussion, based on sound science and economics, will allow all parties to help plan our future. SD-CAB will provide the scientific and economic research required to make informed policy decisions, and create a forum where scientists and the public come together to discuss the opportunities and challenges ahead.
