Microalgal biotechnology
Photosynthetic microorganisms use a direct route to convert inorganic carbon into functional molecules while employing sunlight. Our mission is to develop a commercial and sustainable production chain for food, feed, chemistry and energy from microalgae and cyanobacteria.
We integrate biological and engineering studies of cellular processes, work on strain improvement, cultivation optimization and scale-up. We bridge fundamental research to applications in outdoor pilot facilities of AlgaePARC and use techno-economic models to assess and guide our research program.
Our mission
Develop sustainable processes for cost effective and sustainable conversion of sunlight into functional products by photosynthetic microorganisms.
Research topics
- Design of phototrophic bioprocesses
- Industrial strains: Metabolic engineering and strain improvement
- Techno-Economic and Energy analysis
Expertise
- Photobioreactor design
- Metabolic engineering
- Bioprocess design
Our projects
Monitoring and control of large-scale microalgae cultures
A microalgae culture that grows well in the lab might not perform as well in larger systems, and problems often appear when cultivation is scaled up. However, scaling up microalgae production is essential to reduce costs and ensure commercial applications and bulk production. To achieve this, we need a better understanding of how microalgae grow in large-scale systems. In this project, we study tubular photobioreactors up to 1700 liters and develop monitoring systems to track microalgal growth and metabolic indicators in real time. Based on these observations, we design and test control approaches to optimize and automate operation. This work promotes improved efficiency and automation in industrial microalgal cultivation.
Contact persons: Luca Buscaglia and Marcel Janssen
Partners: LOCALITY consortium
Upscaled autotrophic cultivation of extremophilic microalgae
This project focuses on optimizing operational strategies for large scale outdoors cultivation of extremophilic microalgae. These microorganisms inhabit the most hostile places on Earth, and because of that, they harbor a unique metabolism with great biotechnological interest. To fully exploit their potential, current industrial production processes need to be re-thought and adjusted to meet their specific environmental conditions. Here we specifically focus on the photoautotrophic cultivation of acidophilic and thermophilic microalgae.
Contact persons: Marina López Morales and Marcel Janssen
Partners: The consortium
Large-scale Triacylglyceride (TAG) Production Using Microalgae
This PhD project is part of the CARMA project, Circular Asphalt Rejuvenation using Microalgae, which aims to develop a circular asphalt recycling agent produced from wastewater-grown microalgae. The PhD project will focus on advancing large-scale microalgal TAG production as a sustainable alternative to conventional oil crops. By integrating strain selection, process design and techno-economic assessment, this project aims to bring microalgal TAG production closer to economic feasibility while contributing to a circular bio-based economy.
Contact persons: Juliëtte Camstra (MSc), prof.dr. MJ (Maria) Barbosa and dr.ir. MGJ (Marcel) Janssen
Partners: TNO
Integrating microalgae process in drain water treatment
Greenhouse drain water is exceedingly rich in nutrients, meaning that when discharged, it can lead to explosive growth of microorganisms.
My project aims to use these excess nutrients as a resource rather than having to deal with them as noxious waste and convert them into valuable bio-products by using the water as a cultivation medium for microalgae. Microalgae are a modern crop that has applications in relevant industries such as nutraceuticals, animal feed, and agricultural biostimulants. Making production of microalgae sustainable and highly efficient by employing elegant process engineering solutions and working at the edge of what is biologically feasible is the focus of this project.
Contact persons: Antonia Fichtbauer and Marcel Janssen
Partners: REALM consortium (UAL, UTU, Necton, and more)
Monitoring and control of large-scale microalgae cultures
A microalgae culture that grows well in the lab might not perform as well in larger systems, and problems often appear when cultivation is scaled up. However, scaling up microalgae production is essential to reduce costs and ensure commercial applications and bulk production. To achieve this, we need a better understanding of how microalgae grow in large-scale systems. In this project, we study tubular photobioreactors up to 1700 liters and develop monitoring systems to track microalgal growth and metabolic indicators in real time. Based on these observations, we design and test control approaches to optimize and automate operation. This work promotes improved efficiency and automation in industrial microalgal cultivation.
Contact persons: Luca Buscaglia and Marcel Janssen
Partners: LOCALITY consortium
Upscaled autotrophic cultivation of extremophilic microalgae
This project focuses on optimizing operational strategies for large scale outdoors cultivation of extremophilic microalgae. These microorganisms inhabit the most hostile places on Earth, and because of that, they harbor a unique metabolism with great biotechnological interest. To fully exploit their potential, current industrial production processes need to be re-thought and adjusted to meet their specific environmental conditions. Here we specifically focus on the photoautotrophic cultivation of acidophilic and thermophilic microalgae.
Contact persons: Marina López Morales and Marcel Janssen
Partners: The consortium
Large-scale Triacylglyceride (TAG) Production Using Microalgae
This PhD project is part of the CARMA project, Circular Asphalt Rejuvenation using Microalgae, which aims to develop a circular asphalt recycling agent produced from wastewater-grown microalgae. The PhD project will focus on advancing large-scale microalgal TAG production as a sustainable alternative to conventional oil crops. By integrating strain selection, process design and techno-economic assessment, this project aims to bring microalgal TAG production closer to economic feasibility while contributing to a circular bio-based economy.
Contact persons: Juliëtte Camstra (MSc), prof.dr. MJ (Maria) Barbosa and dr.ir. MGJ (Marcel) Janssen
Partners: TNO
Integrating microalgae process in drain water treatment
Greenhouse drain water is exceedingly rich in nutrients, meaning that when discharged, it can lead to explosive growth of microorganisms.
My project aims to use these excess nutrients as a resource rather than having to deal with them as noxious waste and convert them into valuable bio-products by using the water as a cultivation medium for microalgae. Microalgae are a modern crop that has applications in relevant industries such as nutraceuticals, animal feed, and agricultural biostimulants. Making production of microalgae sustainable and highly efficient by employing elegant process engineering solutions and working at the edge of what is biologically feasible is the focus of this project.
Contact persons: Antonia Fichtbauer and Marcel Janssen
Partners: REALM consortium (UAL, UTU, Necton, and more)
Contact us
Research themes
Bioprocess Engineering
Bioprocess Engineering, led by Rene Wijffels, teaches and develops innovative bio-based processes.
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