Exploitation of microalgae diversity for the development of novel high added-value cosmeceuticals

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The AlgaeCom project seeks to exploit the convergence of science, technology, and biotechnological tools for the creation of new knowledge and innovative applications. In particular, the main objective of the project is the characterization and exploitation of the indigenous Greek microalgae biodiversity as a source for state-of-the art high-added-value cosmeceuticals. In cosmetic industry, microalgae may be exploited either in a form of natural crude extracts (multifunctional extract) or by using purified specific products (bioactive secondary metabolites, polysaccharides, enzymes). The AlgaeCom project combined both basic and applied research in the fields of –omics technologies, biochemistry and applied biotechnology in order to:
• develop catalomics, metabolomics and glycomics resources for specific Greek indigenous marine and freshwater microalgae diversity as a valuable source of novel high-added-value cosmeceuticals such as polysaccharides, enzymes, and secondary metabolites;
• in vitro functional characterization and toxicological analyses of microalgae cosmeceuticals using human epidermal cell lines and in vitro skin model;
• develop and optimize application-based microalgae culture systems at different scales, optimize culture conditions for higher production rate of desired products, develop analytical molecular diagnostic tools for real-time monitoring of the microalgae carbohydrate and polysaccharide metabolism in large scale cultures; and
• develop, formulate, and evaluate in vitro a new range of cosmetic products based on microalgae cosmeceuticals (enzymes, small secondary metabolites, and polysaccharides).
Microalgae manipulation
Microalgae culture room
Cell harvest
3-ton product preperation tank