Imagine the ocean is a giant library of biological recipes, but we can only read a few pages because most microbes won't grow in a lab. This project builds a high-tech 'digital scanner' and tiny lab-on-a-chip tools to find these hidden recipes without needing to grow the microbes first. It helps us find natural proteins that can eat plastic or create new medicines much faster than traditional methods.
Traditional marine bioprospecting is too slow, expensive, and environmentally damaging. Most marine microbes cannot be grown in labs, leaving a massive source of bioactive compounds untapped.
A hybrid discovery workflow combining bioinformatics and microfluidics to identify and validate enzymes, rhodopsins, and antimicrobials without traditional cultivation.
If you are an enzyme producer dealing with slow discovery cycles and high costs — this project developed a hybrid in silico and microfluidics workflow that aims to commercialize ≥400 enzymes for biocatalysis.
If you are a recycling firm dealing with non-biodegradable polymers — this project developed new solutions for plastic/polymer degradation to create a circular blue bioeconomy.
If you are a pharma company dealing with the high cost of sampling marine biodiversity — this project developed fast discovery tools for antimicrobials and bioactive compounds to reduce time to market.
Based on available project data, the implementation of these microbiome-based solutions is expected to increase the revenue of industrial partners by 10-15%.
The project focuses on creating tools for the exploration and exploitation of microbiomes, with a specific goal of commercializing ≥400 enzymes, suggesting a path toward industrial scale.
Based on available project data, the project includes a dedicated goal to create a road for generated solution products to reach the market through exploitation and engagement with societal actors.
The project activities span 48 months, from December 2022 to November 2026.
It replaces cumbersome and expensive conventional bioprospecting with a hybrid workflow of computer-based mining and microfluidics to reduce environmental burden.
The consortium is well-balanced for commercialization, featuring a 27% industry ratio with 4 industrial partners and 2 SMEs. By combining 7 universities and 3 research organizations across 7 countries, the project bridges the gap between academic discovery and market application, specifically targeting sectors from pharma to materials science.
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Contact us to connect with the BLUETOOLS consortium for enzyme licensing.
