On 20 February 2025, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) hosted the kick-off meeting for a project aimed at developing innovative microalgae-based solutions for carbon capture and the production of high-value bioproducts. The event brought together KMUTT’s leadership, participating research teams, and representatives from the Program Management Unit for Human Resources & Institutional Development, Research and Innovation (PMU-B).
In his opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suvit Saetia, President of KMUTT, emphasized the project’s pivotal role in advancing Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BCG) agenda and supporting Thailand’s net-zero ambitions. He highlighted the project’s multi-university collaboration, which not only drives innovation but also reinforces universities’ commitment to developing skilled manpower in cutting-edge research areas.
As the project leader, Prof. Dr. Navadol Laosiripojana, Director of the Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment (JGSEE) and Manager of Hub Net Zero, outlined the project’s background, objectives, and expected outcomes. Following his presentation, Dr. Kalyanee Paithoonrangsarid, Researcher at the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC-NSTDA), introduced the project framework and research teams.
The project focuses on developing algae-based carbon capture technologies for commercial applications and is structured around three key components:
1. Synthetic Biology for Microalgae Strain Improvement: Leveraging synthetic biology to design and engineer microalgae strains with enhanced CO2 utilization, heat tolerance, and resilience to high CO2 concentrations, enabling algae cultivation in challenging environments such as high-temperature regions or areas with elevated CO2 emissions.
2. Development of Sustainable Cultivation Technologies: Establishing eco-friendly and energy-efficient cultivation systems by integrating photovoltaic technology with photobioreactors and CO2 nanobubble technology, optimizing production capacity while minimizing energy consumption.
3. Biorefinery for High-Value Bioproducts: Advancing biorefinery technologies and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) tools to produce high-value bioproducts from algae, such as functional bio-nutrients for food and feed supplements, and microalgal oil for personal care and cosmetic products.
Spanning three years, the project is driven by a consortium of researchers from KMUTT, Kasetsart University, BIOTEC-NSTDA, Khon Kaen University, Naresuan University, and Mahidol University, with funding support from PMU-B.
Following the introduction session, researchers from each work package (WP) presented their research plans. Presenters included: 1) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Anchalee Sirikhachornkit from Kasetsart University, 2) Dr. Weerawat Runguphan from BIOTEC-NSTDA, 3) Asst. Prof. Dr. Weerayuth Kittichotirat from KMUTT, 4) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Treenut Saithong from KMUTT, 5) Dr. Verawat Champreda from BIOTEC-NSTDA, and 6) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pramote Chumnanpuen from Kasetsart University.
The meeting concluded with an in-depth discussion among researchers and invited experts, including Prof. Dr. Morakot Tanticharoen, Senior Advisor to the KMUTT President, and Dr. Supparoek Boopasiri, Senior Analyst at PMU-B, focusing on research strategies and approaches to strengthen industry engagement.
