Mitsubishi Corp, SBC in 3rd phase of microalgae research
KUCHING: Mitsubishi Corporation ( MC) and Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC) yesterday moved into Phase III of their research collaboration to implement an outdoor facility to demonstrate and validate commercially viable microalgal biomass production technologies with the technical assistance of Japanese biotechnology organistion, the CHITOSE Group.
The collaboration will devise new designs in cultivation technology on a long term semicontinuous basis and generate knowhow to upscale production of indigenous algal strains to reach market size and is extended until next year.
Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg witnessed the official exchange of agreement documents at SBC, between deputy general manager of New Business Development Office, Energy Business Group CEO Office Tokyo, Nunji Nakanishi on behalf of MC and SBC chairman who is also State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani.
The collaboration between MC and SBC is a joint effort towards the commercialisation of microalgae research that combines industrial biotechnology and the unique bio-resources from the state to provide an answer to global demand for sustainable feedstock from renewable sources.
The collaboration specifically aims to develop a large scale outdoor microalgae cultivation system which consists of 1,000 m2 closed photobioreactors to inform the engineering and construction of a larger commercial facility in the state.
Microalgae are the sustainable feedstock for aquaculture and important high value biochemicals and anti- oxidants.
It is vital as food to not only fish species, but also to shellfish, abalone and crustaceans, and the high value bio- chemicals contained in various algae strains can be harnessed to supply growing demands for health supplements.
The collaboration between MC and SBC, which started since 2012, in the previous phases established a collection of 500 microalgae strains isolated locally from various locations in the state, including rivers, lake, brackish and coastal waters.
Laboratory research at SBC in Semenggoh identified several strains of microalgae, which are robust and have desired bio- chemical contents suitable as supplements.