Sensbiosyn:
Biosensors and Sensors for the industrial biosynthesis process of widely used commercial antioxidants: nutraceuticals as additives for food and aquaculture promoting public health and safety.
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Project Description
WorkPackage
Strategic Objectives
Potential Impact
SENSBIOSYN is a project funded by the European Commission within the Call FP 7-SME-2008-01
The purpose of this 2-years project is to develop sensors and biosensors for on-line monitoring growth parameters of industrial bioprocesses for the production of algal biomass and antioxidant compounds such as Xanthophylls. This is a major challenge faced by microalgae companies today, especially in the production of natural carotenoids in comparison with the relatively cheap synthetic analogues. SENSBIOSYN intends to offer a solution to the lack of existing devices able to provide online rapid automatic and reliable information on active compounds accumulation profile and efficacy during their biosynthesis.
WP1
Industrial Bioprocess and Biosensors Design (Main responsible Partner 6, Ben-Gurion University).
WP2
Selection and purification of biomediators for the PSII-based biosensor (Main responsible Partner 5, National Research Council).
WP3
Biosensors manufacture (Main responsible Partner 1, Biosensor).
Demonstration activities - DEM:
WP4
Experimental Testing and In-field Validation (Main responsible Partner 4, National Institute for Biological Sciences, Centre of Bioanalysis).
Other activities - MGT:
WP5
Accompanying Workpackage: Project Management and Coordination (Main responsible Partner 1, Biosensor).
- Develop sensors and biosensors for on-line monitoring growth parameters of algal biomass and their bioactive compounds produced by large scale systems, with a particular focus on the natural synthesis of antioxidant Xanthophylls.
- Use as sensing mediator engineered Photosystem II complex extracted from the algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
- Develop an optical sensor to measure the fluorescence emitted by chlorophyll inside the Haematococcus pluvialis cells in culture medium.
- Develop an optical sensor to measure the density of the Haematococcus pluvialis cells culture medium through a light transmission measurement.
- Develop an electrochemical biosensor to measure the antioxidant potential of astaxanthin by measuring the amperometric current generated by stabilised Phosphatidylcholine derivatives bound to magnetic nano-particles.
- Develop an electrochemical biosensor to measure the astaxanthin concentration by measuring the output current of a NanowireFET.
- Develop micro and nanofluidic systems.
- Increase production efficiency and product quality.
- Economic and business exploitation of project results.
SENSBIOSYN targets a particularly effective application field, for which it is possible to preview in the medium period a market of interesting dimensions: the natural production of Xanthophyll metabolites and, more in general, of algal biomass.
This project is significantly relevant to the industrial and applied research and development. The prototypes developed, intended for field trials, feature a high potential for commercialisation. The manufacturer SME participants, Biosensor and Nanosens, will gain significant competitiveness on the market of the devices and instruments for industrial process control, by offering brand new products.
SMEs will have the chance of collaborating with research performers with a deep knowledge and experience in algae, microalgae, their large scale cultivation systems and monitoring tools, biomediators and biosensors. SMEs will have the opportunity to push the production of new products toward real problems solution with the help of a directly involved end-user, Algatechnologies, with specific knowledge and patents on photobioreactor systems.
SENSBIOSYN will contribute to increase the applicant SMEs’ market share being attractive worldwide to international companies, public/private research institutes and laboratories, operating in the above mentioned fields and in the more recent field of algae-based bioenergy.
An efficient and constant interface between partners from scientific institutions and enterprises will be supported to help joining expertise and offering research contracts and new employments in the companies. Will give the opportunity to the involved young people of both scientific and industrial training on the latest respective advances and products.
SENSBIOSYN will be the result of the convergence of Molecular Biology, Nanotechnologies, Electronics, Software and Automation.
Every time a multidisciplinary innovative project is proposed, the creation of a transnational partnership is sought to combine different expertises and to access several markets, thus achieving scientific and technological excellence and increasing products and SMEs’ visibility, future sales, commercialization and license agreements in different countries.