A New Network for the Advancement of Marine Biotechnology in Europe and Beyond

Abstract

Safarik, Ivo/0000-0002-3108-7319; Reyes, Fernando/0000-0003-1607-5106; Reyes, Fernando/0000-0003-1607-5106; Deniz, Irem/0000-0002-1171-8259; Erdogan, Aysegul/0000-0002-3174-7970; Dailianis, Thanos/0000-0002-4102-9331; Ceglowska, Marta/0000-0002-6601-5825; Torunska-Sitarz, Anna/0000-0003-1274-2688; Barbier, Michele/0000-0003-3845-6233; Carvalho, M. Fatima/0000-0002-7181-0540; Nielsen, Soren Laurentius/0000-0003-4309-5153; Dubnika, Arita/0000-0001-8940-5335; Gaudencio, Susana P./0000-0002-5510-1170; Rebours, Celine/0000-0001-9502-7676 ; WOS: 000531442800001 ; Marine organisms produce a vast diversity of metabolites with biological activities useful for humans, e.g., cytotoxic, antioxidant, anti-microbial, insecticidal, herbicidal, anticancer, pro-osteogenic and pro-regenerative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, cholesterol-lowering, nutritional, photoprotective, horticultural or other beneficial properties. These metabolites could help satisfy the increasing demand for alternative sources of nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, cosmeceuticals, food, feed, and novel bio-based products. in addition, marine biomass itself can serve as the source material for the production of various bulk commodities (e.g., biofuels, bioplastics, biomaterials). the sustainable exploitation of marine bio-resources and the development of biomolecules and polymers are also known as the growing field of marine biotechnology. Up to now, over 35,000 natural products have been characterized from marine organisms, but many more are yet to be uncovered, as the vast diversity of biota in the marine systems remains largely unexplored. Since marine biotechnology is still in its infancy, there is a need to create effective, operational, inclusive, sustainable, transnational and transdisciplinary networks with a serious and ambitious commitment for knowledge transfer, training provision, dissemination of best practices and identification of the emerging technological trends through science communication activities. A collaborative (net)work is today compelling to provide innovative solutions and products that can be commercialized to contribute to the circular bioeconomy. This perspective article highlights the importance of establishing such collaborative frameworks using the example of Ocean4Biotech, an Action within the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) that connects all and any stakeholders with an interest in marine biotechnology in Europe and beyond. ; European UnionEuropean Union (EU) [774499]; Research Council of NorwayResearch Council of Norway [244244, 294946, 267474]; CEEC program - FCT/MCTES [CEECIND/02968/2017]; ACTINODEEPSEA project [POCI-01-0145-FEDER-031045]; COMPETE 2020, Portugal 2020, ERDF; FCTPortuguese Foundation for Science and Technology; FCTPortuguese Foundation for Science and Technology [UIDB/04423/2020, UIDP/04423/2020]; ERDFEuropean Union (EU); ERDFEuropean Union (EU) [1.1.1.2/VIAA/1/16/048]; MAR2020 projects [OSTEOMAR/16.02.01-FMP-0057, ALGASOLE/16.02.01-FMP-0058]; INTERREG/ALGARED C and Atlantic Area [BLUEHUMAN/EAPA/151/2016]; Marine Institute under the Marine Research Programme by the Irish Government [PBA/MB/16/01]; Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit-UCIBIO - FCT/MCTES [UID/Multi/04378/2019]; FCT/MCTESPortuguese Foundation for Science and Technology [IF/00700/2014]; European Union's Interreg V-A Italia-Malta Programme [C1-1.1-9]; European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme [710566]; National Science Centre in PolandNational Science Center, PolandNational Science Centre, Poland [NCN 2016/21/B/NZ9/02304]; Statutory Programme of the Institute of Oceanology, PAS [II.3]; General Secretariat for Research and Technology (GSRT)Greek Ministry of Development-GSRT; Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HRFI) [239]; Slovenian Research AgencySlovenian Research Agency - Slovenia [P1-0245]; [FCT/UID/Multi/04326/2019] ; AR and TR: the publication is part of a project that has received funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement no. 774499 - GoJelly project. AMB: research supported by grant 267474 from Research Council of Norway. MFC: wishes to acknowledge the funding from CEEC program supported by FCT/MCTES (CEECIND/02968/2017); ACTINODEEPSEA project (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-031045) co-financed by COMPETE 2020, Portugal 2020, ERDF and FCT; Strategic Funding UIDB/04423/2020 and UIDP/04423/2020 through national funds provided by FCT and ERDF. AD: supported by the ERDF Activity 1.1.1.2 "Post-doctoral Research Aid" of the Specific Aid Objective 1.1.1, Operational Programme "Growth and Employment" (No. 1.1.1.2/VIAA/1/16/048). MLC: acknowledges funding from Portuguese FCT/UID/Multi/04326/2019, MAR2020 projects/OSTEOMAR/16.02.01-FMP-0057 and ALGASOLE/16.02.01-FMP-0058, INTERREG/ALGARED C and Atlantic Area/BLUEHUMAN/EAPA/151/2016. RF: gratefully acknowledges support from the Marine Institute under the Marine Research Programme by the Irish Government (GrantAid Agreement No. PBA/MB/16/01). SG: this work was supported by the Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit-UCIBIO which is financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES (UID/Multi/04378/2019). SG thanks financial support provided by FCT/MCTES through grant IF/00700/2014. AM-G: acknowledges the financial contribution of the project BYTHOS funded by the European Union's Interreg V-A Italia-Malta Programme under project code C1-1.1-9. CR: gratefully acknowledge the Research Council of Norway for their financial contributions through the PROMAC (244244) and the Norwegian Seaweed Biorefinery Platform (294946) projects. XS: acknowledges the funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement no. 710566 for the project MARINA. HM-M, AT-S, and MC: National Science Centre in Poland (project number NCN 2016/21/B/NZ9/02304) and the Statutory Programme of the Institute of Oceanology, PAS (grant no. II.3). MMa and TD: acknowledge the funding from the General Secretariat for Research and Technology (GSRT) and the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HRFI) under grant no. 239 (SPINAQUA project). AR: this research was funded by the Slovenian Research Agency (research core funding P1-0245).