EMBRIC · Project

Unlocking Marine Organisms for Industrial Biotech Products and Aquaculture Breeding

environmentTestedTRL 5

Imagine the ocean is a massive pharmacy and farm that we've barely opened the door to. EMBRIC connected six major European research networks so that companies can actually access marine organisms — from microbes that produce useful chemicals to fish with better genetics for farming. Think of it like building a one-stop-shop where a biotech company can walk in, say "I need a marine microbe that does X," and get connected to the right lab, the right data, and the right screening tools. The project also linked technology transfer offices across maritime regions so discoveries don't just sit in university labs.

By the numbers

9,041,611

EUR EU contribution invested

partner organisations in consortium

European countries represented

research infrastructures linked (EMBRC, MIRRI, EU-OPENSCREEN, ELIXIR, AQUAEXCEL, RISIS)

industry partners including SMEs

total deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies in marine biotechnology, aquaculture, and bio-based products struggle to access marine biological resources for R&D because labs, data, screening tools, and organism collections are scattered across dozens of institutions in different countries. This fragmentation means biotech firms either spend months navigating academic bureaucracies or simply miss out on marine-derived compounds and genetic resources that could give them a competitive edge.

The solution

What was built

The project built prototype pipelines going from marine microorganism collection through to product discovery, a pilot data warehouse for marine biological data, transgenic lines with commercially relevant traits made available to the blue biotech industry, and genomic datasets deposited in public databases. Across 29 deliverables, it created integrated service workflows connecting 6 European research infrastructures.

Audience

Who needs this

Marine biotech startups searching for new bioactive compounds from ocean organismsAquaculture breeding companies wanting genomic tools for faster genetic selectionCosmetics and nutraceutical firms sourcing marine-derived natural ingredientsPharmaceutical companies exploring marine natural products for drug discoveryBlue bioeconomy investors evaluating marine bioresource access platforms

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Marine biotechnology / Pharmaceuticals

SME

Target: Biotech companies searching for new natural compounds from marine organisms

If you are a biotech company struggling to find new bioactive compounds from natural sources — this project built prototype pipelines that go from marine microorganism sampling all the way to product discovery. With 6 research infrastructures linked and 32 partner organisations across 10 countries, you get streamlined access to marine biological collections, screening platforms, and genomic data that would otherwise take years to assemble on your own.

Aquaculture

mid-size

Target: Fish and shellfish farming companies looking to improve breeding stock

If you are an aquaculture company dealing with slow genetic improvement in your breeding programs — this project developed transgenic lines with traits of interest specifically made available to the blue biotech industry, plus marker-assisted selection tools for aquaculture. Instead of trial-and-error breeding over many generations, you can use genomic datasets deposited in public databases to speed up selection for disease resistance, growth rate, or feed efficiency.

Cosmetics and Bioproducts

any

Target: Natural ingredients companies sourcing marine-derived compounds

If you are a cosmetics or specialty ingredients company looking for marine-derived actives but struggling with supply chain access to marine organisms — this project created integrated workflows connecting biological resource centers, analytical services, and data platforms. The 4 industry partners in the consortium validated these access pathways, and the pilot transnational access program demonstrated that companies can tap into cluster facilities across 10 European countries.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost my company to access these marine bioresource pipelines?

The project offered pilot transnational access to cluster facilities and services during its run (2015-2019). Now that the project has closed, access would go through the individual research infrastructures (EMBRC, MIRRI, EU-OPENSCREEN, etc.), each with its own access policies. Based on available project data, specific pricing for commercial access was not published.

Can these marine biotechnology pipelines work at industrial production scale?

The project built prototype pipelines from microorganism to product discovery — the word 'prototype' is key. These workflows were designed as proof-of-concept service chains, not full-scale production lines. Scaling to industrial volumes would require additional development with your own manufacturing capabilities.

Who owns the intellectual property from this research?

With 32 partners across 10 countries, IP ownership is governed by the consortium agreement under EU Horizon 2020 rules. Genomic datasets were deposited in public databases, meaning that data is freely accessible. For proprietary results like the transgenic lines, you would need to negotiate licensing with the specific partner institution that developed them.

Is this still active or has everything shut down after the project ended?

EMBRIC closed in May 2019, but the underlying research infrastructures it connected — EMBRC, MIRRI, EU-OPENSCREEN, ELIXIR, AQUAEXCEL — are permanent European infrastructures that continue operating. The integration workflows and technology transfer networks built during EMBRIC likely persist through these ongoing infrastructures.

How do I actually connect with the right lab for my specific need?

The project federated technology transfer services across maritime regions and linked 6 research infrastructures. Your entry point would be EMBRC (European Marine Biological Resource Centre), which serves as the central biological resource infrastructure. Based on available project data, the project website embric.eu may still provide partner directories.

What kind of data and biological materials can I actually get?

Concrete outputs include: genomic datasets deposited in public databases, transgenic lines with traits of interest for blue biotech, a pilot data warehouse, and prototype pipelines for product discovery from microorganisms. The 29 deliverables produced across the project cover biological, analytical, and data resources.

Consortium

Who built it

The EMBRIC consortium is heavily research-oriented: 16 research organisations and 10 universities form the backbone, with only 4 industry partners (12% industry ratio). This tells a business buyer two things — first, the science is deep and credible, led by Sorbonne Université and spanning 10 countries from Norway to Israel. Second, commercial translation was not the primary driver; only 4 SMEs participated directly. The geographic spread across Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Israel, Italy, Norway, Portugal, and the UK means broad access to diverse marine ecosystems and regulatory environments, which matters for sourcing marine biological materials.

SORBONNE UNIVERSITECoordinator · FR
UNIVERSITETET I TROMSOE - NORGES ARKTISKE UNIVERSITETparticipant · NO
UNIVERSITE COTE D'AZURparticipant · FR
THE SCOTTISH ASSOCIATION FOR MARINE SCIENCE LBGparticipant · UK
UNIVERSITEIT GENTparticipant · BE
EUROPEAN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORYparticipant · DE
FORSCHUNGSVERBUND BERLIN EVparticipant · DE
CHAMBRE DE COMMERCE ET D'INDUSTRIE DE REGION PARIS ILE-DE-FRANCEthirdparty · FR
HELLENIC CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCHparticipant · EL
STAZIONE ZOOLOGICA ANTON DOHRNparticipant · IT
THE UNIVERSITY COURT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWSparticipant · UK
MARINE SCOTLANDparticipant · UK
UNITED KINGDOM RESEARCH AND INNOVATIONparticipant · UK
CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHEparticipant · IT
CENTRO DE CIENCIAS DO MAR DO ALGARVEparticipant · PT
HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM FUR INFEKTIONSFORSCHUNG GMBHparticipant · DE
INSTITUT PASTEURparticipant · FR
TEL AVIV UNIVERSITYparticipant · IL
TUNATECH GMBHparticipant · DE
XELECT LIMITEDparticipant · UK
LEIBNIZ-INSTITUT DSMZ-DEUTSCHE SAMMLUNG VON MIKROORGANISMEN UND ZELLKULTUREN GMBHparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITE GUSTAVE EIFFELparticipant · FR
EUROPEAN INFRASTRUCTURE OF OPEN SCREENING PLATFORMS FOR CHEMICAL BIOLOGY EUROPEAN RESEARCH INFRASTUCTURE CONSORTIUM (EU-OPENSCREEN ERIC)participant · DE
MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOMparticipant · UK
INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE POUR L'AGRICULTURE, L'ALIMENTATION ET L'ENVIRONNEMENTparticipant · FR
CAB INTERNATIONALparticipant · UK
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSparticipant · FR
UNIVERSIDAD DEL PAIS VASCO/ EUSKAL HERRIKO UNIBERTSITATEAparticipant · ES
UNIVERSITETET I BERGENparticipant · NO
UNIVERSIDAD DE VIGOparticipant · ES

How to reach the team

Sorbonne Université (France) coordinated this 32-partner project. SciTransfer can help identify the right contact within the coordination team.

Order a report on this consortium See SORBONNE UNIVERSITE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want access to marine biotech pipelines or aquaculture genetics from this EUR 9M research cluster? SciTransfer connects you with the right research team — contact us for a matchmaking brief.

Order a report on this topic More in Environment & Climate