Project description:
The CALYPSO project (‘Contribution to the regeneration of industrial and agricultural waste through the cultivation of algae and the application of their polysaccharides in biomedical and environmental products that generate a positive impact on society’), is led by the Spanish Algae Bank of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (managed by the Fundación Canaria Parque Científico Tecnológico de la ULPGC), and is 85% financed by ERDF funds from the Interreg VI-D Madeira-Azores-Canarias Territorial Cooperation Programme (MAC) 2021-2027 in its first call for projects.
CALYPSO brings together 21 public and private entities from the Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, Cape Verde, Mauritania and Ivory Coast, from various disciplines such as seaweed farming, aquaculture, agricultural research and health, among others, under the representation of entities from the quadruple helix (academia, industry, public administration and civil society).
Its objective, over the next four years, is to strengthen and improve the networking of its partners, collaborators and stakeholders, expanding the supply of quality genetic resources and the development of bioprocesses aimed at increasing the production, consumption and sustainable use of algae and derived products. These bioproducts will be obtained from renewable raw materials or industrial by-products, favouring the diversification of the business fabric of the cooperation area and contributing to the objectives of the European Green Deal and the transition towards a bluer, circular and carbon neutral cooperation area.
The biotechnological activity of this project will focus on the production of algal polysaccharides for application in the agri-food, environmental and biomedical sectors.
The Aquaculture Research Group (GIA) will participate in three of the project activities listed below, in addition to the other cross-cutting training and dissemination activities.
A. CHARACTERISATION AND USE OF WATER FROM AQUACULTURE WATERS (BIOFILTER/INDOOR-OUTDOOR/ MACROALGAE SELECTION):
-Selection of 2 strains of macroalgae with bioremediation power in aquaculture systems and polysaccharide producers.
-Cultivation on a demonstration scale of 2 strains selected from aquaculture effluents available in Macaronesia.
-Creation of replicable macroalgae and halophyte plant bioremediation demos in different locations.
B. AQUACULTURE and BIORemediation (N-P and CO2).
FISH OUTPUT BIOFILTER AND NOVEL CO-CULTURE (LONG-LINE) OF MACROALGAE AND HALOPHYTES. HALOPHYTES SEEDING/GROW IN AQUAPONICS.
-Life cycle analysis of the most promising biomass production process.
C. POTENTIAL USES OF MICROALGAE BIOACTIVES (WITH AND WITHOUT BIO-ENCAPSULATION) FOR FISH AND PLANTS IN AQUACULTURE/AQUAPONICS (BASED ON THE RESULTS OBTAINED FROM ACTIVITIES 2.1 AND 2.2. )
-Study of the feasibility of using bioactives and biomaterials produced from selected strains of the project in enrichers and other feed products
-Evaluation of the usefulness of bioactive extracts of microalgae strains selected in the project in the reduction of steatosis in fish
-Results of applicability in aquaculture feed, of the encapsulation of bioactives from microalgae using biomaterials from microalgae strains of the project.
Main researcher:
Dr. Lidia Esther Robaina Robaina
Number of researchers involved: 21
Funding scope: European
Budget: 4,133,609.40 euros
Start/end date: 11/2024 - 10/2028
