#biotechnology — Public Fediverse posts

AstraZeneca reports tozorakimab COPD trial results

AstraZeneca reported Phase III OBERON and TITANIA results showing tozorakimab reduced moderate and severe COPD exacerbations across broad…
#EuropeSays #Britain #Europe #EU #AstraZeneca #Biotechnology #COPDtreatment #FDAPriorityReview #IL-33antibody #PhaseIIItrial #respiratorymedicine #tozorakimab
https://www.europesays.com/britain/120279/

https://www.europesays.com/britain/120279/ AstraZeneca reports tozorakimab COPD trial results #AstraZeneca #Biotechnology #COPDTreatment #FDAPriorityReview #IL33Antibody #PhaseIIITrial #RespiratoryMedicine #tozorakimab

https://www.europesays.com/britain/120060/ AstraZeneca COPD drug tozorakimab shows positive late-stage trial results #AstraZeneca #AstraZenecaPLC #BiotechAndPharmaceuticals #Biotechnology #BreakingNews:Business #Business #BusinessNews #GileadSciencesInc #GSKPlc #HealthCareIndustry #ISharesBiotechnologyETF #Medication #Pharmaceuticals #RegeneronPharmaceuticalsInc #SanofiSA #Science #UnitedStates

https://www.europesays.com/dk/162138/ bne IntelliNews – Northway Biotech opens €61mn cell therapy centre in Vilnius #BalticBusiness #Biotechnology #LifeSciencesLithuania #Lithuania #NorthwayBiotech #Vilnius

https://www.europesays.com/dk/162071/ bne IntelliNews – Northway Biotech opens €61mn cell therapy centre in Vilnius #BalticBusiness #Biotechnology #LifeSciencesLithuania #Lithuania #NorthwayBiotech #Vilnius

https://www.europesays.com/ch/127377/ Novartis enters into exclusive promotion and distribution agreement with Novartis Healthcare | Capital Market News #AntivascularEndothelialGrowthFactorTherapy #Biotechnology&MedicalResearch(NEC) #BreakthroughTherapy #CalvinAGrant #CancerTreatments #ClinicalMedicine #Genentech #Health #India #medicine #Novartis #NovartisHealthcare #NovartisIndia #Pharmaceuticals(NEC) #ranibizumab

https://www.laviezine.com/1634786/kolon-life-science-to-join-hong-kong-biotech-expo-biohk2026/ Kolon Life Science to Join Hong Kong Biotech Expo BIOHK2026 #BIOHK2026 #biotechnology #HongKongBiotechExhibition #HongKongConventionAndExhibitionCentre #JointResearch #KolonLifeScience #R&DPartnership #seoul

https://www.laviezine.com/1634786/kolon-life-science-to-join-hong-kong-biotech-expo-biohk2026/ Kolon Life Science to Join Hong Kong Biotech Expo BIOHK2026 #BIOHK2026 #biotechnology #HongKongBiotechExhibition #HongKongConventionAndExhibitionCentre #JointResearch #KolonLifeScience #R&DPartnership #seoul

https://www.europesays.com/dk/161149/ Novo Nordisk stops two cardiovascular studies aimed at lowering inflammation #Biotechnology #cardiology #DrugDevelopment #Novartis #NovoNordisk #Pharmaceuticals #STAT+

📢 Call for Papers: Computational and Experimental Advances in Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes

⏳ Submission Deadline: 31 May 2027

🔗 Submit your work: https://spj.science.org/journal/csbj/si/carbohydrate-active-enzymes

#CallForPapers #CAZymes #CarbohydrateActiveEnzymes #EnzymeEngineering #ComputationalBiology #StructuralBiology #Bioinformatics #ArtificialIntelligence #MachineLearning #ProteinEngineering #SyntheticBiology #Metagenomics #Biotechnology #BiomassValorization #CircularBioeconomy

The video 🎥 of the #BeilsteinTalk “Tungsten aldehyde #oxidoreductase – a new type #hydrogenase” with Maciej Szaleniec from the Polish Academy of Sciences is NOW available 🔓 in the video portal @TIB_AVPortal of the @tibhannover:
🔗 https://av.tib.eu/media/73257

#biochemistry #biotechnology #EnzymeKinetics #EnzymeAssays #biocatalysis #enzymes #BeilsteinTalks

🦠 Could we outsmart antibiotic resistance by turning bacteria against themselves?

🔗 Rational Targeting and gRNA Design for Enhancing Quorum Quenching in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal (CSBJ). DOI: https://doi.org/10.34133/csbj.0089

📚 CSBJ - A Science Partner Journal: https://spj.science.org/journal/csbj

#AntimicrobialResistance #AMR #CRISPR #GeneEditing #SyntheticBiology #SystemsBiology #Microbiology #Biotechnology #DrugResistance #QuorumSensing #Biofilms #Genomics

Lonely, stressed, depressed as a jobless life sciences grad? You're not alone!
Limited jobs, skills gap? Upgrade with BioResire programs.
Contact: [email protected] WhatsApp: 6301352398
Join WhatsApp community: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb5u2Tp77qVTb1D7bu3r
#BiotechGraduates #MentalHealth #JoblessStruggles #BioResire #LifeSciences #BiotechJobs #StudentStress #DepressionAwareness #CareerSkills #IndiaBiotech #Biotechnology #ResearchCareers #MentalHealthIndia #GraduationBlues #SkillUpgrade #Bioinformatics #PharmaJobs

Chromatography Quick Lab Guide by BioResire!
Separate biomolecules via stationary/mobile phases in paper, TLC, column, HPLC.
Internships open: [email protected] #Chromatography #HPLC #TLC #Biochemistry #MolecularBiology #LabTechniques #Biotechnology #BioResire #AnalyticalChemistry #LabEquipment #Science #Chemistry #Research #Biomolecules #SeparationScience #Pharma #Forensics #LabGuide #LifeSciences #BiotechInternship

Centrifugation separates cells and biomolecules using centrifugal force, enabling accurate laboratory diagnostics, research workflows, and clinical sample processing.
#Centrifuge #LabTechniques #Biotechnology #ClinicalDiagnostics #LaboratoryScience #LifeSciences #ResearchMethods #BiotechStudents #MedicalLab #ScienceEducation

🧪 ELISA techniques enable accurate antigen detection 🔬, supporting diagnostics, research, and clinical testing through sensitive immunoassays 📊.
#ELISA #Immunoassay #ClinicalDiagnostics #Biotechnology #Immunology #LifeScienceStudents #LaboratoryTechniques #MedicalTesting #ResearchLabs #BioResire

🔬 Spectrophotometry simplifies analysis using Beer–Lambert Law 📊, helping students quantify biomolecules accurately in research and diagnostic laboratories 🧪.
#Spectrophotometer #BeerLambertLaw #AnalyticalTechniques #BiochemistryLab #LifeScienceStudents #LaboratoryInstruments #Biotechnology #ResearchTools #ClinicalDiagnostics #BioResire

Das Lübecker #Startup CellTec Systems entwickelt ein neues #Bioreaktorverfahren, das adhärente #Zellen nachhaltig im großen Maßstab wachsen lässt – von kultiviertem Fleisch bis zu pharmazeutischen Minifabriken. Wie das funktioniert, erklärt Gründer Charli Kruse im Laborjournalartikel von Tobias Ludwig: https://www.laborjournal.de/editorials/0106.php?id=2251201

#zellkultur #CultivatedFood #CulturedMeat #Biotechnology #Stammzellen #Nachhaltigkeit

Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have discovered something new about a very old #organism and used it to transform waste from a #chocolate factory into #C-phycocyanin, a valuable blue #pigment
#Biotechnology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2025/12/btech12012501.html

https://youtube.com/shorts/72DpX3TnlM4?si=NdqleZ97LrHy-CQY

The DNA Mastermind: James Watson's Triumphs and Troubles

Linktr.ee/562AlexD

#JamesWatson
#DNADiscovery
#DoubleHelix
#FrancisCrick
#RosalindFranklin
#ColdSpringHarbor
#NobelPrize
#Genetics
#Biotechnology
#HumanGenomeProject
#ScientificLegacy
#IQControversy

Coming up on Thursday, October 23, 2025 🕒 3–4 pm CEST: Online #BeilsteinTalk “Tungsten aldehyde #oxidoreductase – a new type #hydrogenase” with Maciej Szaleniec from the Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences 🇵🇱.

Participation is FREE – just register 🔗 https://www.beilstein-institut.de/en/talks/biochemistry-tungsten-aldehyde-oxidoreductase/?M=y

#biochemistry #biotechnology #EnzymeKinetics #EnzymeAssays #biocatalysis #enzymes #BeilsteinTalks

Coming up on Thursday, October 23, 2025 🕒 3–4 pm CEST: Online #BeilsteinTalk “Tungsten aldehyde #oxidoreductase – a new type #hydrogenase” with Maciej Szaleniec from Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences 🇵🇱.

Participation is FREE – just register 🔗 https://www.beilstein-institut.de/en/talks/biochemistry-tungsten-aldehyde-oxidoreductase/?M=y

#biochemistry #biotechnology #EnzymeKinetics #EnzymeAssays #biocatalysis #enzymes #BeilsteinTalks

Save the date: 📅 October 23, 2025 🕒 3–4 pm CEST

Online #BeilsteinTalk “Tungsten aldehyde #oxidoreductase – a new type #hydrogenase” with Maciej Szaleniec from the Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow 🇵🇱.

Registration is FREE 🔗 https://www.beilstein-institut.de/en/talks/biochemistry-tungsten-aldehyde-oxidoreductase/?M=y

#biochemistry #biotechnology #EnzymeKinetics #EnzymeAssays #biocatalysis #enzymes #BeilsteinTalks

From stomach flu to #manufacturing? 🤯

The #bacteria turning waste #plastic into #painkillers https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gvm1kjxxvo

#ecoli #bioengineering #biotechnology #recycling #bioprospecting

The team created “AstroCapsules,” small hydrogel capsules that enclose human #astrocytes ⎯ star-shaped #brain cells that support healthy #nervous system function. Inside the capsules, the cells were engineered to release interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, an anti-inflammatory protein.
#Bioengineering #Biotechnology #Neuroscience #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2025/09/btech09262501.html

Thursday, September 4, 2025

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2025/09/thursday-september-4-2025/

🔬 New Review Published!
Explore the exciting world of enzymatic protein fusion—where we combine enzymes to enhance biological activity and precision. From biocatalysis to gene therapy and biosensing, fusion proteins are reshaping biotech innovation.
🧬 Read the full article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cis.2025.103473

#FusionProteins #ProteinEngineering #EnzymeTechnology #SyntheticBiology #Biocatalysis #GeneTherapy #Biosensing #Bioengineering #Biotechnology #MolecularBiology #NextGenBiotech #ScienceMastodon

The Global Sample Preparation Market is driven by increasing demand for sample analysis

Global sample preparation market is estimated to be valued at USD 8.63 Bn in 2025 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 6.6% during the forecast period (2025-2032).

Global Sample Preparation Market - https://prateikcmi.hashnode.dev/the-rise-of-sample-preparation-market-harkens-technological-advancements-driving-optimized-laboratory-workflows

#SamplePreparationMarketDemand #AnalyticalTesting #LifeSciencesR&D #Biotechnology #ClinicalDiagnostics #SamplePreparationMarket #CoherentMarketInsights

In situ bioremediation (Microbiology 🦠)

Bioremediation is the process of decontaminating polluted sites through the usage of either endogenous or external microorganism. In situ is a term utilized within a variety of fields meaning "on site" and refers to the location of an event. Within the context of bioremediation, in situ indica...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_situ_bioremediation

#InSituBioremediation #Microbiology #Biotechnology #Biodegradation #Bioremediation #BiodegradableMaterials

📣 Last chance to register for the International Biodeterioration
and Biodegradation Symposium taking place 9 - 12 Sept. 2024 in Berlin at BAM. Get one of the few remaining spots now!

Session topics will include #biodeterioration and #bioremediation mediated by microbes, insects, and higher organisms.

#MIC #Biokorrosion #hazardouswaste #spillremediation #biotechnology #chemicalengineering

The 19th triennial symposium of DECHEMA is taking place in cooperation with BAM.

https://ibbs19.org/Speakers+and+Programme.html

Food Without Agriculture

In an article published in Nature Sustainability, researchers write that food production can be more sustainable by focusing less on traditional agriculture and more on alternative methods, like chemical and biological processes.

The article highlights a specific example where dietary fats can be produced with significantly lower CO2 emissions compared to current methods used in palm oil production in Brazil or Indonesia. While acknowledging challenges like potential impacts on agricultural economies and the need for consumer acceptance, the abstract suggests that these new methods could greatly reduce the environmental impact of agriculture, especially in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, land, and water use in the next decade.

Davis, S.J., Alexander, K., Moreno-Cruz, J. et al. Food without agriculture. Nat Sustain (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01241-2

#Research paper in @Nature Sustainability: Dietary #fats can be produced in a lab with significantly lower #CO2 emissions/#climate impact compared to current #palmoil production in #Brazil and #Indonesia #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/01/21/food-without-agriculture/

#Research in @Nature finds switching to lab-produced #palmoil has enormous potential to reduce #GHG emissions, #deforestation, water use. Reducing the climate impact of #agriculture over the decades #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/01/21/food-without-agriculture/

https://youtu.be/M1sArNV-ENM

Davis, S.J., Alexander, K., Moreno-Cruz, J. et al. Food without agriculture. Nat Sustain (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01241-2

Abstract

Efforts to make food systems more sustainable have emphasized reducing adverse environmental impacts of agriculture. In contrast, chemical and biological processes that could produce food without agriculture have received comparatively little attention or resources. Although there is a possibility that someday a wide array of attractive foods could be produced chemosynthetically, here we show that dietary fats could be synthesized with <0.8 g CO2-eq kcal−1, which is much less than the >1.5 g CO2-eq kcal−1 now emitted to produce palm oil in Brazil or Indonesia. Although scaling up such synthesis could disrupt agricultural economies and depend on consumer acceptance, the enormous potential reductions in greenhouse gas emissions as well as in land and water use represent a realistic possibility for mitigating the environmental footprint of agriculture over the coming decade. Read original

Plain English Summary of Results

Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates can be made without traditional agriculture by using different carbon sources and a variety of chemical and biological methods. This article compares how much energy each process uses, with some details still uncertain. The processes vary in their continuous or batched nature. The article also discusses the challenge chemical methods face in distinguishing between molecular forms, unlike bioenzymatic methods which are more precise but limited to conditions suitable for life. The focus is on fats because they are simpler to make, have been produced at scale in the past, are a basic calorie source in many foods, and the production of oil crops like soy and palm has a huge environmental impact.

Synthesizing fats from natural gas or air-captured carbon using renewable energy could greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional agriculture. Finally, the potential environmental benefits of synthetic fats are highlighted, showing that replacing a portion of soy and palm oil with synthetic alternatives could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and land use, particularly in countries where these crops are intensively farmed.

Plain English Summary of Discussion Notes

Producing macronutrients without traditional agriculture can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and land use, especially for dietary fats. Even using coal-based electricity for production can be more climate-friendly than some current agricultural methods. Beyond environmental benefits, such as reduced water use and pollution, synthetic foods can improve food security and lessen the need for labor-intensive farming jobs. This opens up possibilities for reforestation and biodiversity improvements.

However, there are challenges. The estimates are based on data that might not capture all relevant factors, and more detailed analysis is needed. The cost of synthetic foods could be higher than agricultural products, and social acceptance is a major hurdle, given the public’s skepticism about synthetic foods and potential unforeseen environmental impacts. The shift to synthetic foods could also impact the global labor force, especially smallholder farmers in the global South, as agriculture employs a significant portion of the world’s workforce.

Synthetic food production could lead to a smaller environmental footprint for agriculture, requiring much less water and can be produced anywhere with the right resources. This could make food systems more resilient but might also create new dependencies. Sustainable synthetic food production would ideally use renewable energy and atmospheric carbon.

Finally, the move towards synthesized foods prompts a reevaluation of humanity’s relationship with nature. The domestication of plants and the Haber-Bosch process for nitrogen fixation were pivotal in human history. Now, with the majority of habitable land and water used for agriculture, synthetic food offers a path to reduce the environmental burdens of agriculture and align food security with ecosystem restoration.

Read original

Davis, S.J., Alexander, K., Moreno-Cruz, J. et al. Food without agriculture. Nat Sustain (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01241-2

ENDS

Read more about deforestation and ecocide in the palm oil industry

The Indigenous Malaysian concept of ‘Badi’: respecting the land and wildlife

The Indigenous Semai #indigenous people of #Malaysia can teach us a lot about how to protect people, planet and biodiversity. The Indigenous concept of #badi is not superstition or taboo, it’s about respecting…

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Deforestation Devastates Tesso Nilo National Park’s Endangered Creatures

Act now to save Tesso Nilo Park. This vital Indonesian park has lost 78% of its primary forest, threatening the habitat of Sumatran tigers and elephants

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Deforestation Shifts Tree Species in Brazilian Forests

Deforestation in Brazilian forests causes shift towards fast-growing, small-seeded trees, threatening biodiversity, carbon storage. Take action!

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Deforestation and Mining Threaten Rare Species at Lake Poso

Deforestation, mining, and palm oil expansion are pushing rare endemic species at Indonesia’s Lake Poso to the brink. Urgent action needed, boycott palm oil!

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Palm Oil Workers Exposed to Hazardous Pesticides

Palm oil workers in Colombia, Ghana, and Indonesia are regularly exposed to hazardous EU-banned pesticides like Paraquat for palm oil. Take action!

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

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2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

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Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

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Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

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Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

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The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

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How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

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3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20

https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20

https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

#Agriculture #biotechnology #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #Brazil #Climate #climateChange #CO2 #deforestation #fats #food #GHG #Indonesia #industrialAgriculture #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #ReasonsToBeHopeful #research

Extremophile bacteria can offer genetic alternatives useful for a variety of applications.

For example, cold tolerant bacteria (psychrophiles) can be used in food production and medicine stability, because they remain active at temperatures that would freeze other bacteria.

Scientists from Uruguay and Brazil have developed a metagenomic screen model for Antarctic Pseudomonas species for use in biotechnology.

#Metagenomics #Biotechnology #Extremophile #Science #Scicomm

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acssynbio.2c00543

Light-Activated Therapy Improves Vision in Inherited Disease Trial

A clinical trial shows a light-activated #protein from an injected #gene improves visual abilities in people with advanced retinitis pigmentosa, an #inherited #eye disorder.

https://sciencebusiness.technewslit.com/?p=44734

#News #Science #Business #Biotechnology #GeneTherapy #RP #Vision #Genetic #LightActivated #Chemistry #ClinicalTrial #Retina #RareDisease

RSV Vaccine Breakthrough Examined at AAAS Meeting

As three #vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus reach #FDA review, a scientific conference explored a key breakthrough researchers achieved to get to this point.

https://sciencebusiness.technewslit.com/?p=44528

#News #Science #AAAS #AAASmtg #RSV #Biotechnology #Antibodies #Proteins #Chemistry #ClinicalTrials #NIH #DrugMakers #Pharmaceuticals

Humble Algae: The Solution to Palm Oil Ecocide

Consumers, businesses and researchers have shown growing interest in microalgae in recent years. Use of Arthrospira platensis (spirulina) as a food supplement is one example. Others include how microalgae can be used as crop support tools, bioplastics or biofuels. Take action for your health and be #vegan and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

#Agriculture is destroying the planet – #algae is a #climatechange resilient answer needing no land to grow, it has a superb nutrients for human #health and more 🌱🍃🥕🥦 #Boycottpalmoil go #vegan 🌴🔥❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/12/28/soy-and-palm-oil-agriculture-is-destroying-the-planet-algae-is-the-answer/

Agriculture is destroying the planet: algae is the answer

The emerging and predicted impacts on agriculture and food supplies are stark, according to the panel. For instance, heat waves, drought and increasing rainfall variability could adversely affect crop yields and livestock productivity. This, in turn, could cause problems with food availability and nutritional quality, as well as risks of malnutrition and hunger.

Written by Jules Siedenburg, Research fellow, School of International Development, University of East Anglia. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Some parts of the world disproportionately bear this burden: over three billion people are currently deemed highly vulnerable to climate change, most of them in Africa, South Asia and Latin America. Small-scale farmers and pastoralists are particularly at risk.

The need for climate action is now evident, but finding viable pathways can be challenging. Yet effective climate actions can reduce climate-related risks while fostering sustainability. “Climate smart” agricultural technologies offer various proven climate actions, such as agroforestry or drought-tolerant seeds. Such technologies can potentially raise farm productivity while also mitigating (that is, combating) climate change or helping farmers adapt to it, or both.

Growing interest in microalgae

Microalgae are a diverse group of microscopic aquatic organisms. Maryna Lahereva/Shutterstock

Microalgae are a diverse group of microscopic aquatic organisms. Like plants, they typically generate energy from sunlight through photosynthesis. But they differ from plants in basic ways. For instance, they grow in water instead of on land and absorb nutrients directly instead of via roots. While some microalgae are seen as harmful, others provide useful products.

One question that has remained largely unexamined, however, is whether “agri-food” applications of microalgae might offer promising options to mitigate or adapt to climate change.

A new academic paper set out to provide provisional answers. It reviewed the available evidence on microalgae as food supplements, livestock feeds, biofertilisers, biostimulants and biochar feedstocks. It then assessed the potential of these five microalgae applications to serve as the basis for climate actions.

Agri-food applications and climate action

Microalgae have been used as traditional foods in various countries where suitable species occur naturally, such as Mexico and Chad.

Nowadays microalgae food supplements are principally eaten by health-conscious consumers. Yet they can also be used to address malnutrition and to improve health in places where diet is poor. As foods, microalgae can be potent sources of nutrients, including high-quality proteins, lipids and vitamins.

• Microalgae production has characteristics that clearly distinguish it from plant or animal production.
• It doesn’t require fertile land.
• It is largely independent of local weather patterns and could potentially recycle water.
• It has elevated productivity and scope for continuous harvests.

Microalgae is climate resilient

This technological profile is well suited to coping with climatic shocks, so microalgae production can be climate resilient. The delivery of microalgal biomass for use as a food or for other applications can thus also be climate resilient.

Novel feeds like microalgae, seaweed and insects offer options to improve the sustainability of livestock production by providing protein-rich complements to staple feeds like grasses and feed crops. Microalgae feeds have been tested on cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, poultry and fish. The results have typically included improved productivity, better nutritional quality of products, or both. Microalgae could also provide a secure source of feeds in places where livestock deaths linked to climate change are a growing concern.

Global crop production continues to rely heavily on chemical fertilisers to boost crop productivity. However, such products can sometimes undermine agricultural sustainability or not cope well with climate change impacts.

Biofertilisers and biostimulants are natural alternative options for boosting crop production. Biofertilisers provide nutrients to plants. Biostimulants promote plant growth by stimulating biological or chemical processes in plants or microbes associated with roots.

Early studies of microalgae-based biofertilisers and biostimulants suggest they can boost productivity while also building the resilience of crops to climate-related stresses like elevated temperatures, water scarcity and soil salinity. Treated maize plants, for example, showed more developed roots than untreated plants. This resulted in better resistance to drought.

Microalgae could also support crop production

by using algal biomass to make biochar, or charred biomass. Applying biochar to fields can improve soil fertility and enhance soil’s capacity to hold water. Such effects could help crops cope with climate change impacts like erratic rainfall and extreme weather events.

Biochar was a traditional soil management tool in some cultures, and treated fields sometimes remain distinct. For instance, fields treated many centuries ago in South America were found to contain up to 9% carbon compared with 0.5% on neighbouring fields. Moreover, their productivity was twice as high as that of untreated fields. Early studies on biochar made from microalgae have suggested it could be an effective soil amendment.

Mitigating and adapting to climate change

Taken together, these five agri-food applications of microalgae could be seen as possible ways to enhance the climate resilience of food production, and hence as climate change adaptation measures. Concretely, they offer options to help secure both food supplies and agricultural livelihoods despite climate change.

These five applications were also found to offer possible ways to mitigate climate change, whether by reducing greenhouse gas emissions or transforming these gases into physical form. One example is partially replacing an imported livestock feed like soymeal – associated with transport emissions and tropical deforestation – with microalgae-based feeds that need comparatively little land and could be locally sourced. Another example is using microalgae-based biochar to build up soil organic carbon in stable form.

In future, such mitigation measures could perhaps be supported by the carbon markets. These markets offer mechanisms to pay for projects that mitigate climate change. In theory this could provide cash flows to participating stakeholders, including farmers. Such projects might moreover be attractive to potential participants given sharp rises in carbon credit prices in recent years, even if these initiatives have sometimes proven disappointing in the past. Several institutional developments would, however, be needed to make this possible.

The five microalgae applications examined clearly hold promise, both as avenues for fostering climate resilient food production and as climate change mitigation measures. These applications could thus be framed as climate actions. But more research is needed to explore and verify this potential, and to examine issues like consumer acceptance and managing possible contamination risks.

In the meantime, these five microalgae technologies merit greater attention from consumers, farmers and governments as timely and hopeful innovations.

Here are some other ways you can help by using your wallet as a weapon and joining the #Boycott4Wildlife

What is greenwashing?

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Why join the #Boycott4Wildlife?

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Greenwashing Tactic #4: Fake Labels

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The Counterpunch: Consumer Solutions To Fight Extinction

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Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded

Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.

Contribute to my Ko-Fi

Did you enjoy visiting this website?

Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded

Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.

#Agriculture #algae #biotechnology #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottSoy #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #climatechange #consumerism #diet #health #humanhealth #PalmOil #plantBasedDiet #ReasonsToBeHopeful #soyDeforestation #vegan #veganism

Palm oil substitutes can offer beleaguered rainforests a fighting chance

Palm oil is a versatile substance used in a wide range of products from foods to cosmetics. The trouble with it is that the cultivation of oil palm trees has caused massive enviromental harm, especially in Malaysia and Indonesia, which together account for 85% of palm oil production in the world.

But scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the University of Malaya in Malaysia say they have an answer as to how we can wean ourselves off palm oil.

#Algae #biotech 🌱🥬 is a healthy replacement for the #ecocide of #palmoil and offers hope that rainforests, rare #plants and #animals could be saved from #extinction. Take action when you shop #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸☠️⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/11/09/palm-oil-substitutes-can-offer-beleaguered-rainforests-a-fighting-chance/

Article written by Daniel T. Cross and originally published in Sustainability Times under a Creative Commons licence.

But scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the University of Malaya in Malaysia say they have an answer as to how we can wean ourselves off palm oil.

The researchers have extracted edible oils from a common strain of microalgae that have similar properties to palm oil but contain fewer saturated fatty acids. That feature will have health benefits as saturated fats raise levels of LDL cholesterol in our blood, thereby increasing the risk of heart disease.

Better yet: these microalgae can be cultivated at scale, obviating the need for further deforestation to plant yet more oil palms.

Better yet: these microalgae can be cultivated at scale, obviating the need for further deforestation to plant yet more oil palms.

[Pictured] Spirulina algae by Madeleine Steinback on Getty Images

At the same time, the researchers have developed a relatively simple technique to replace the microalgae culture medium with fermented soybean residues while improving microalgae biomass yields. After two weeks the cultured microalgae is washed and dried before being treated with methanol to break down the bonds between the oils and the algae protein. That enables the oils to be extracted through an environmentally friendly processing technology also devised by the scientists.

For a standard 100-gram bar of chocolate, for instance, 160 grams of microalgae would suffice in providing the oil, the scientists say.

“Uncovering this as a potential human food source is an opportunity to lessen the impact the food supply chain has on our planet,” stresses William Chen, director of NTU’s Food Science and Technology Program and head of the research team, who published their findings in a study.

“Our solution is a three-pronged approach to solving three pressing issues. We are capitalising on the concept of establishing a circular economy, finding uses for would-be waste products and re-injecting them into the food chain, Chen explains.

“In this case, we rely on one of nature’s key processes, fermentation, to convert that organic matter into nutrient-rich solutions, which could be used to cultivate algae, which not only reduces our reliance on palm oil, but keeps carbon out of the atmosphere,” the scientist adds.

The reseachers are working on fine-tuning their methods to improve the yield and quality of oils extracted from microalgae and are expecting their inventions to become commercially viable in a couple of years.

Such initiatives aimed at replacing palm oil with greener substitutes cannot come soon enough as deforestation in Sumatra, Borneo and elsewhere in Indonesia and Malaysia have reached massive proportions with huge environmental costs. Critically endangered endemic species such as orangutans and Sumatran rhinos have been pushed by habitat loss to the very edge of extinction.

“If the current destruction of the rainforest continues, then I have absolutely no hope that any orangutans will remain in the wild,” warns Alan Knight, chief executive of the conservationist group International Animal Rescue. “I would probably say 10 years if we cannot stop the destruction. I think the Sumatran [orangutan] will go before then if they don’t sort out the situation they are in.”

Although orangutan populations in the interiors of remaining forests have remained stable, they have been declining to varying degrees in patches of forest interspersed by oil palm plantations, which are a primary source of revenue for Malaysia.

At the same time, Indonesia, the world’s top palm oil producer, is stepping up its plans to ship millions of tons of crude palm oil and its derivatives after a self-imposed three-week ban on exports in May to tackle domestic shortages. As the global market continues being flooded by palm oil, rainforests in Indonesia and Malaysia remain at grave risk of being fragmented further.

In order to give these remaining forests and rare, endangered forest-dwelling species of plants and animals a fighting chance at survival, we’ll need to find eco-friendly substitutes to palm oil as soon as possible.

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Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded

Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.

Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded

Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.

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