Objective
Biodiversity in the seas is only partly explored, although marine organisms are excellent sources for many industrial products. Through close co-operation between industrial and academic partners, the MAREX project will collect, isolate and classify marine organisms, such as micro- and macroalgae, cyanobacteria, sea anemones, tunicates and fish from the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans as well as from the Mediterranean, Baltic and Arabian Seas. Extracts and purified compounds of these organisms will be studied for several therapeutically and industrially significant biological activities, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and anticoagulant activities by applying a wide variety of screening tools, as well as for ion channel/receptor modulation and plant growth regulation. Chromatographic isolation of bioactive compounds will be followed by structural determination. Sustainable cultivation methods for promising organisms, and biotechnological processes for selected compounds will be developed, as well as biosensors for monitoring the target compounds. The work will entail sustainable organic synthesis of selected active compounds and new derivatives, and development of selected hits to lead compounds. The project will expand marine compound libraries. MAREX innovations will be targeted for industrial product development in order to improve the growth and productivity of European marine biotechnology. MAREX aims at a better understanding of environmentally conscious sourcing of marine biotechnology products and increased public awareness of marine biodiversity and potential. Finally, MAREX is expected to offer novel marine-based lead compounds for European industries and strengthen their product portfolios related to pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetic, agrochemical, food processing, material and biosensor applications.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmarine biology
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsbiosensors
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsproduction economicsproductivity
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
Call for proposal
FP7-KBBE-2009-3
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Funding Scheme
CP-IP - Large-scale integrating projectCoordinator
00014 Helsingin Yliopisto
Finland
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Participants (19)
1000 Ljubljana
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38200 SAN CRISTOBAL DE LA LAGUNA
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80-309 GDANSK
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3000 Leuven
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20500 Abo
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1107 2020 Beirut
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5655 Antofagasta
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67081 Strasbourg
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35100 İzmir
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80138 Napoli
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Antofagasta
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02044 VTT ESPOO
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403 004 Panaji
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164 25 Kista
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CB22 3EG CAMBRIDGE
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81 340 GDYNIA
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15165 La Coruña
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2260 PONTRIEUX
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41133 GOETEBORG
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