Microalgae are organisms with unique characteristics that hold great potential for advancing green innovation and fostering a sustainable economy. A key advantage of microalgae lies in their remarkable photosynthetic efficiency, enabling them to harness solar energy to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) and water into valuable biochemicals and oxygen. Moreover, microalgae can thrive in diverse aquatic environments without depending on freshwater resources or agricultural land, thus avoiding competition with food crops. They also produce a wide range of high-value biochemicals, including proteins, peptides, lipids, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), carbohydrates, vitamins, and antioxidants, which are beneficial for the food, feed, and pharmaceutical industries.
This research project aims to develop algae-based carbon capture technologies for commercial applications. It consists of three key components:
- Synthetic Biology for Microalgae Strain Improvement. This component aims to utilize synthetic biology techniques to design and engineer microalgae strains with enhanced CO₂ utilization, heat tolerance, and resilience to high CO2 concentrations. These advancements will enable algae cultivation in challenging environments, such as high-temperature regions or areas with high CO₂ emissions rate and concentrations, including breweries, ethanol production plants, and industrial flue gas sites. This approach expands the scope of viable cultivation locations.
- Development of Sustainable Cultivation Technologies. The part seeks to establish environmentally friendly and sustainable cultivation systems by integrating photovoltaic technology with photobioreactors and CO2 nanobubble technology. This integration is expected to enhance CO2 utilization and overall performance while minimizing energy consumption and reducing operational costs.
- Biorefinery for High-Value Bioproducts. The section focuses on advancing biorefinery technology to harness algae for high-value bioproducts with strong market potential, such as functional bio-nutrients for food and feed supplements, microalgal oil for personal care and cosmetic products. Potential applications in future biofuel production will also be explored.
Beyond technology development, the project aims to establish a synthetic biology consortium under the Thailand Academy of Sciences (TAS) for advancing synthetic biology to drive innovation and support future industries, paving the way for a Center of Excellence in Synthetic Biology.
The project is implemented by a consortium comprising researchers from King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Kasetsart University, the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Khon Kaen University, Naresuan University and Mahidol University. Funding support is provided by the Program Management Unit for Human Resources & Institutional Development, Research and Innovation (PMU-B).