Peroxisome Biology of Plants and MicroalgaeResearch group by Prof. Dr. S. ReumannCentre for Organelle Research (CORE) University of Stavanger, Norway |
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Reumann lab > News | ||||||
News |
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x Oct. 1, 2014: S. Reumann starts a new professorship at the University of Hamburg (Germany) S. Reumann started a new professorship at the University of Hamburg (Germany) on October 1st 2014, with 60%/40% employment at UiS/UniHH in 2014/2015. A second laboratory and research group will be set up at the Biocentre in Klein Flottbek to allow merge of the two research groups in the long-run. The research activities at UiS will be continued until the end of the Microalgae 2021 project in 2017. Norwegian and Scandinavian network activities and collaborations will be maintained and even intensified in many cases. The neighboring location of the Institue in Hamburg close to prestigious research institutes such as DESY (German Electron Synchrotron), one of the world’s leading accelerator centres (e.g. for structural analysis of proteins), the Heinrich-Pette Institute (HPI), focusing on viral research, the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), the Centre for Structural Sytems Biology (CSSB) and the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) promise a productive environment for intensified research activities. |
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Shandong Normal University (China) |
x Sept. 14-17, 2014: Prof. Dr. Changle Ma from Shandong Normal University (China) visits the Reumann group Prof. Dr. Changle Ma from Shandong Normal University (China) visited the Reumann group from Sept. 14-17. Dr. C. Ma graduated at the University of Goettingen (Germany) under supervision of S. Reumann in 2006 on plant peroxisomes and obtained intensive training and expertise on yeast peroxisomes (Pichia and Saccharomzces) during his postdoctoral research in the laboratory by Suresh Subramani in San Diego (USA), as documented by several high-impact publications. C. Ma has been appointed as one of the youngest full professors at Shandong Normal University (China) at the age of 35 in 2013. The postdocs and PhD students of the Reumann group intensively discussed their research projects, and new collborative projects were initiated between both groups. |
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x Sept. 9, 2014: Several group members attend the OPEN EUROPEAN PEROXISOME CONFERENCE 2014 (OEPM 2014) in Neuss (Germany) Peroxisomes are very important cell organelles for humans, animals, fungi and plants to detoxify reactive oxygen species and metabolize lipids. Scientists from all over the world including the USA and Canada attended the 4th Open European Peroxisome Conference in Neuss near Duesseldorf in Germany, organized by Prof. Dr. Ralf Erdmann, and lively and partly controversially discussed their most recent research data. Three PhD students (D. Crappe, P. Lisik, M. Budathoki), Dr. K. Sørhagen and S. Reumann attended the conference. Dr. Kirsti Sørhagen gave en invited presentation entitled ""The role of plant peroxisomes in innate immunity". |
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x Aug. 20, 2014: Amit Sharma successfully defends his M. Sc. thesis Amit Sharma from Nepal successfully defended his M. Sc. thesis in Biological Chemistry at the University of Stavanger. Amit carried out his experimental research under supervision of Prof. Dr. S. Reumann, Manish Budathoki and Dmitry Kechasov. Amit Sharma's master thesis is entitled "Analysis of peroximal lipid metabolism in the oleaginous microalga Nannochloropsis and development of synthetic biology tools for genetic engineering". External referee was Prof. K. Fischer (UiT, Tromsø). |
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x Aug. 18, 2014: Hanne Stølen from Norway starts her Master thesis project in the Reumann group Hanne Stølen joined the Reumann group as a new M. Sc. student in Biological Chemistry at the University of Stavanger. In her experimental 9-month research project she will investigate trafficking of specific proteins to peroxisomes, which is a fundamentally important process for health and performance not only of plants including agricultural crops but also for humans, animals and fungi. |
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x June 25, 2014: M. Budathoki presents the groups' research at the Microalgae meeting of the Industrial Biotech Network in Gardermoen (Norway) |
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x June 21-26, 2014: D. Kechasov and S. Reumann attend a Synthetic Biology Conference in Pultusk (Poland) Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary science, combining disciplines such as biotechnology, engineering, molecular and systems biology and evolutionary biology. Synthetic Biology extends biotechnology with the ultimate goals of being able to design and build engineered biological systems that process information, manipulate chemicals, fabricate materials and structures, produce energy, provide food, and maintain and enhance human health and the environment. Research examples are, for instance, photocell design, biomolecular engineering, genome engineering, and biomolecular-design. At this conference scientist from all over the world presented their latest research in the field of Synthetic Biology of plastids (chloroplasts). D. Kechasov and Prof. S. Reumann contributed to this variety by presenting novel ideas on optimizing lipid metabolism of Nannochloropsis outlined on two posters. |
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x June 10-12, 2014: The two EU-PERFUME PhD students, Delphine Crappe and Piotr Lisik, attend the first PERFUME Workshop on Systems Biology in Wageningen (The Netherlands) The EU ITN consortium PERFUME offers extensive training to its 12 PhD students of to raise the next generation of European leaders. Of three PERFUME-wide workshops organized by consortium partners from academia and industry, the first was held in June 2014 in Wageningen organized by Prof. Barbara Bakker (UMCG, University of Groningen, The Netherlands). The aim of this workshop was to provide insights and hands-on experience with different approaches in Systems Biology. For instance, both so-called "constraint" and dynamic models" were introduced as components of top-down and bottom-up approaches, respectively. The two PhD students of the Reumann group, Delphine Crappe and Piotr Lisik, reported in the lab meeting on 23.9.2014 of this workshop. |
Prof. Dr. B. Bakker |
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x May 19, 2014: Delphine Crappe presents her PhD project in the CORE research seminar The aim of this PhD project is to identify and functionally describe novel proteins and plant defence mechanisms conferring resistance to pests and pathogens in the model plant Arabidopsis. A brief summary of Delphine Crappe's master thesis was also presented. The presentation was entitled "Pathogen-inducible peroxisomal proteins mediating disease resistance in plants". More information on the research presentation is available on the CORE homepage. |
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x May 8, 2014: S. Reumann accepts a new professorship at the University of Hamburg (Germany) S. Reumann accepted the offer of a new professorship at the University of Hamburg (Germany). Particularly basic plant molecular research is considered very important in Germany and therefore relatively well supported and funded. Large research facilities and a very good start-up package have been offered at the Biocentre Klein Flottbek. The neighboring location close to prestigious research institutes such as DESY (German Electron Synchrotron), one of the world’s leading accelerator centres (e.g. for structural analysis of proteins), the Heinrich-Pette Institute (HPI), focusing on viral research, the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), the Centre for Structural Sytems Biology (CSSB) and the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) promise a productive environment for intensified research activities. From 1.10.2014 onwards S. Reumann will be setting up a second laboratory and research group at the Biocentre in Klein Flottbek to allow merge of the two research groups in the long-run. The research activities at UiS will be continued until the end of the Microalgae 2021 project in 2017. Norwegian and Scandinavian network activities and collaborations be maintained and even intensified in many cases. |
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x May 7, 2014: Arrangement of the KICK-OFF MEETING of the NFR BIOTEK project "Microalgae 2021" in Stavanger (Norway) by the Reumann group The 10-Mio NOK BIOTEK project "Microalgae 2021: Molecular design of improved production microalgae" was awarded to UiS in 2013. The participants of the KICK-OFF meeting covered the entire biotechnology production chain, from basic researchers to industrial producers. The invited speakers included Dr. Hans Kleivdal (Uni Research, Bergen), Dr. T. Heidorn (Bioforsk, Ås), Dr. M. Hohmann-Marriott (NTNU, Trondheim), Dr. K. Reitan (SINTEF, Trondheim) and Dr. K. Kousoulaki (Nofima, Bergen). The speakers highlighted their hopes and expectations and pointed out challenges of the ambitious project. The program of the Kick-off meeting is available here. The following presentations were given by the Reumann group and the consortium partners: S. Dahle (MicroA AS, Tananger): “MicroA: Status 2014 and MicroAlgae Pilot Plant” Dr. D. Nanton (EWOS Innovation, Dirdal): “Microalgae for salmon feed” Dr. S. Reumann (UiS/CORE, Stavanger): "The BIOTEK R&D project "Microalgae 2021" Dr. Jodi Maple Grødem (UiS/CORE, Stavanger): "Building a chloroplast transformation tool box for microalgae" Manish Budathoki (UiS/CORE, Stavanger): Exploration of the peroxisomal proteome of the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum for improvement of lipid metabolism" Dmitry Kechasov (UiS/CORE, Stavanger): "Definition of the proteome of peroxisomes in Nannochloropsis for targeted optomization of fatty acid metabolism" |
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x April 11, 2014: Piotr Lisik presents his PhD project in the CORE research seminar Piotr's study aims to reveal yet unknown mechanisms that allow plants to adapt to adverse environmental conditions. Candidate proteins will be identified by peroxisome proteomics of stressed A. thaliana plants and novel prediction tools for peroxisomal targeting signals (PTS). The function of promising candidate proteins will be studied by extensive phenotyping of constructed plant gain- and loss-of-function mutants, focusing on alterations in stress susceptibility and resistance, peroxisome proliferation and secondary metabolism. During the CORE seminar Piotr outlined the most important objectives of the project and presented his first research data. |
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x April 1, 2014: Dr. Gopal Chowdhary is promoted to Associate Professor at UiS Gopal Chowdhary joined the Reumann group in 2009 funded by an YGGDRASIL fellowship by the Norwegian Research Council to identify and characterize novel mechanisms of plants to tolerate environmental stress conditions caused, for instance, by global warming. G. Chowdhary graduated in 2012 at KIIT University (India) and joined the Reumann group again in Spring 2013 for his postdoctoral research. In April 2014 he has been promoted to Associate Professor at UiS and started teaching major courses in the study program of Biological Chemistry at UiS. |
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x March 9-14, 2014: S: Reumann attends the Gordon Research Conference on "Protein transport across cell membranes" in Houston (USA) The 2014 conference brought together a diverse group of investigators that share a common interest in understanding how proteins cross or insert into biological membranes. Elucidation of protein transport mechanisms remains a fundamental objective of modern cell biology as ~30% of all proteins are either transported across or integrated into cellular membranes. Achieving correct cellular compartmentalization by these mechanisms is essential for cell function, and different facets of protein translocation directly impact human health. S. Reumann has studied protein import into chloroplasts and peroxisomes in the past, discussed novel discoveries with international experts in the field. |
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x Jan. 10, 2014: S: Reumann gives an invited presentation at the Symposium on the occasion of the 80th birthday by Prof. Dr. H. W. Heldt in Goettingen (Germany) Prof. emer. Hans-Walter Heldt is a major German biochemist and plant physiologist. He headed the department of "Plant Biochemistry" at the University of Goettingen (Germany) from 1978-2002. He is the co-author of more than 250 publications and the author of the major text book "Plant Biochemistry", which has been translated into several languages including English, Chinese, Indian, Russian and Japanese. On the occasion of his 80th birthday a scientific symposium was arranged in Goettingen (Germany) attended by more than 100 former lab members, scientists and friends. |
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x Jan. 1, 2014: Eli Drange Vee joins CORE and the Reumann group as a new technician |
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x Dec. 1-4, 2013: Six group members attend the KICK-OFF CONFERENCE of the 11-partner EU project PERFUME in Groningen (The Netherlands) The KICK-OFF CONFERENCE of the 4-Mio Euro EU ITN project PERFUME ("Peroxisomes - Key to Cell Performance and Health") was arranged by the coordinator, Prof. Dr. Ida van der Klei, in Groningen (The Netherlands). Approx. 200 scientists from all over the world attended the conference. From the Reumann group Dmitry Kechasov and S. Reumann gave invited presentations. The two PERFUME ESRs, Delphine Crappe and Piotr Lisik, and Manish Budathoki and Dr. Gopal Chowdhary presented posters. |
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x Nov. 27, 2013: Dr. Kirsti Sørhagen presents her Postdoc project in the CORE research seminar Dr. Kirsti Sørhagen presents his newest research data on the project with the title "The role of plant peroxisomes in innate immunity". The project is funded by the Research Council of Norway (RCN). More information on the research presentation is available on the CORE homepage. |
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x Nov. 15, 2013: Manish Budathoki presents his PhD project in the CORE research seminar Manish Budathoki, a 2nd year PhD candidate, presents his newest research data on the project with the tentative title "Comparative peroxisome analyses between higher plants and microalgae with focus on fatty acid metabolism". |
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x Oct. 30, 2013: S. Reumann gives a presentation on microalgal research S. Reumann has been invited to present the group's microalgal research to the regional organization comittee for biotechnology. The presentation was entitled: "Microalgae - the new crops of the 21st century". |
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x October 2013: Dr. Rajneesh Singhal and S. Reumann publish a book chapter on peroxisome proteomics in the book "Plant Proteomics" The isolation of cell organelles from model organisms in high purity is important for biochemical analyses of single proteins, entire metabolic pathways, and protein complexes and is absolutely essential for organelle proteome analyses. The efficient enrichment of nearly all cell organelles is more difficult from Arabidopsis as compared to traditional model plants and especially challenging for peroxisomes. Leaf peroxisomes from Arabidopsis are particularly fragile and, moreover, strongly physically adhere to chloroplasts and mitochondria for largely unknown reasons. In this book chapter, Dr. S. Singhal and S. Reumann provide a detailed protocol for the isolation of Arabidopsis leaf peroxisomes by Percoll followed by sucrose density gradient centrifugation that yields high purity suitable for proteome analyses. Diverse enzymatic and immuno-biochemical methods are summarized to assess purity and intactness. |
Dr. Rajneesh Singhal |
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x Oct. 23, 2013: S. Reumann has been invited to present the group's Biotech research at the "Norsk Kjemisk Selskap Rogaland" (NKS) The presentation was entitled "From black to green oil: Microalgae 2021 - the new crops of the 21st century". For further information on the "Norsk Kjemisk Selskap" click here. |
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x Oct. 15, 2013: Dmitry Kechasov starts his PhD project as part of the BIOTEK project "MICROALGAE 2021" Dmitry Kechasov is the first of two new PhD students to be employed on the new BIOTEK project "MICROALGAE 2021". The research consortium, which involves the private sector including one SME, the photobioreactor design company MicroA, and the large fish feed producer EWOS Innovation, aims at developing omega-3 fatty acid overproducing microalgae by genetic engineering and technology-assisted breeding. Dmitry obtained his Master of Science in Biological Chemistry at the University of Stavanger in September 2013. WELCOME, og lykke til! |
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x Oct. 10, 2013: Oral presentation by Dr. Kirsti Sørhagen on the function of peroxisomes in plant innate immunity at the Annual Conference 2013 of the Research Consortium PROMICS in Duesseldorf (Germany) |
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x Sept. 23, 2013: S. Reumann attended the International Marine Ingredients Conference 2013 in Oslo (Norway) |
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x Sept. 6, 2013: Successful M. Sc. thesis defence by Dmitry Kechasov Dmitry Kechasov successully defended his excellent M. Sc. thesis entitled "Biochemical and molecular analysis of LC-PUFA biosynthesis in the microalga Nannochloropsis". Jointly with the PhD student Manish Budathoki, Dmitry established fundamental methodology of molecular microalgal research in the group such as maintenance of axenic cultures, lipid analysis by fluorescence microscopy and gene cloning. In addition, in collaboration with Dr. Thomas Lingner, he carried out in-depth analysis of the predicted proteome of PTS1 proteins in Nannochloropsis. |
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x Sept. 2, 2013: Two new PhD students start on the EU project PERFUME The new PhD students of the EU Marie Curie ITN "PerFuME" , Delphine Crappe and Piotr Lisik, start their PhD projects. In this prestigious EU project entitled "Peroxisome Function and Metabolism" scientists of different European countries, including Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Norway, will study novel functions of peroxisomes and peroxisome biogenesis in joint collaborative efforts, thereby breaking for the first time the traditional barriers of kingdom-specific research on fungi, animal and plants. Delphine Crappe will study peroxisome functions involved in plant innate immunity, while Piotr Lisik will focus on peroxisome functions mediating plant adaptation to environmental stress conditions such as global warming. Both bioinformatic and proteomic approaches will be applied. WELCOME, og lykke til! |
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x Aug. 25, 2013: Amit Sharma starts his M. Sc. thesis in Biological Chemistry Amit Sharma from Nepal starts his M. Sc. thesis in the Reumann group to strengthen the new microalgae research. The tentative title of his thesis is "Establishment of Synthetic Biology for the oil-producing mciroalga Nannochloropsis". |
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Photorespiration
represents one of the major highways of plant primary metabolism. By
mass flow it is excelled only by photosynthesis, and it constitutes the
second-most important process in the land based biosphere.
Photorespiration is elevated by global warming and drought,
hence
reducing the yields of important crops. The Reumann
group published two articles in Plant Biology's Special Issue on Photorespiration
edited by Prof.
Andreas Weber and with Prof. Hermann Bauwe as Guest-Editor. The German
research consortium PROMICS focuses on photorespiration research. Sørhagen K, Laxa M, Peterhansel C and Reumann S (2013) The emerging role of photorespiration and non-photorespiratory peroxisomal metabolism in pathogen defence. Plant Biology 15, 723-736. (PubMed link) Hagemann M, Fernie AR, Espie GS, Kern R, Eisenhut M, Reumann S, Bauwe H, Weber AP (2013) Evolution of the biochemistry of the photorespiratory C2 cycle. Plant Biology 15, 639-647. (PubMed link) |
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x June 16-19, 2013: M. Budathoki presents his research at the microalgae conference ABBB 2013 in Toronto (Canada) The 1st year PhD student M. Budathoki has been invited to present his research at the conference "Algal Biomass, Biofuels & Bioproducts" 2013 in Toronto (Canada). Manish taked about the prediction of novel proteins of peroxisomes involved in lipid metabolism in diatoms. |
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x June 7-9, 2013: Invited lecture at FinMIT Nordic Minisymposium 2013 S. Reumann presented the group's plant peroxisome research at the FinMIT Nordic Minisymposium 2013 on "Mitochondria and Organelle Communication" in Tallukka (Finland). |
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x June, 2013: New publication on Vitamin K1 biosynthesis S. Reumann published a chapter in the new book edited by Prof. Del Rio entitled "Peroxisomes and their key role in cellular signaling and metabolism" (Subcellular Biochemistry Volume 69, 2013). The book chapter by the Reumann group is entitled "Biosynthesis of vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) by plant peroxisomes and its integration into signaling molecule synthesis pathways" (pp. 213-29. [PubMed link]. |
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x May 31, 2013: Funding of the RCN BIOTEK2021 project "Microalgae 2021" The research consortium, which involves the private sector including one SME, the photobioreactor design company MicroA, and the large fish feed producer EWOS Innovation, aims at developing omega-3 fatty acid overproducing microalgae by genetic engineering and technology-assisted breeding. |
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x May 23-24, 2013: S. Reumann attended PERFUME Recruitment meeting The recruitment meeting of the EU-FP7 Marie Curie project "PERFUME" was held in Groningen andapprox. 30 candidates for 11 PhD positions were interviewed. The first meeting of the Supervisory Board has also been held. |
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Algae
house
(Hamburg, Germany) |
x May 13-14, 2013: Attendance of the German Dechema "Bundesstammtisch" on Microalgae S. Reumann attended the German "Bundesstammtisch" 2013 on Microalgae in Harburg (Germany). This year's conference focused on "Algae and the global megatrends: Security of supply for water, energy and food". Among others the "Algae house" at the IBA Hamburg has been visited. |
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x April 30, 2013: Reumann group attended the ProAlge meeting 2013 The aquaculture industry will experience a lack of fish oil for feed production, hence there is a need for alternative EPA and DHA sources. Marine microalgae are one of the most promising sources of marine oils. Two workshops were held in Bergen with participants from national and international research groups, industrial stakeholders and aquaculture feed producers. K. Sørhagen, G. Chowdhary, M. Budathoki, D. Kechasov and S. Reumann attended the Proalge meeting in Bergen (Norway) organized by Matilde Skogen Chauton and Hans Kleivdal. Norwegian research institution have prepared a state-of-the-art report on industrial production of marine microalgae as a resource in fish feed production and presented this final report at the meeting. |
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Dr. Gopal Chowdhary |
x Febr. 2013: Dr. Gopal K. Chowdhary re-joins the Reumann group Dr. Gopal Chowdhary from KIIT University, School of Biotechnology (Bhubaneswar, India) re-joins the Reumann group. Gopal Chowdhary first joined the Reumann group in September 2010 and carried out exciting research on the role of peroxisome in abiotic stress tolerance. After graduation in September 2012 Gopal could now join the Reumann group again. |
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Dabringhausen
conference 2013 (Germany)
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x Febr. 2013: Reumann group attended the 26th Plant Molecular Biology Conference in Dabringhausen (Germany) S. Reumann has been invited to present the group's research at the 26th Conference of Plant Molecular Biology" in Daringhausen (Germany). |
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x Jan. 2013: Start of the EU-FP7 Marie Curie ITN "PERFUME (Peroxisome Function and Metabolism)" The prestigious EU project is the first ITN for UiS! The project is headed by Prof. Ida van der Klei (University of Groningen, The Netherlands) and entitled "Peroxisomes: Key to Cell Performance and Health" scientists of different European countries, including Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Norway, will study novel functions of peroxisomes and peroxisome biogenesis in joint collaborative efforts, thereby breaking for the first time the traditional barriers of kingdom-specific research on fungi, animal and plants. |
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AlgaePARC
in
Wageningen (The Netherland)
AlgaeLink in Yrseke (The Netherlands) IGV Biotech (Germany) |
x Nov. 2012: The Reumann group visits leading European microalgae R&D institutes M. Budathoki, D. Kechasov and S. Reumann visited leading European R&D institutes in Netherland and Germany. R&D of AlgaePARC (Univeristy of Wageningen, The Netherlands) focuses on (i) microalgae strain development for enhanced productivity, (ii) up-scaling of sustainable microalgae cultivation, (iii) microalgae biorefinery approaches and (iv) microalgae products. Prof. Dr. Maria Barbosa gave a presentation on the R&D activities and a tour of the research facilities with different outdoor photobioreactors. AlgaeLink (Yrseke, The Netherlands) is an SME that started in 2007 developing a robust, highly effective photobioreactor for the cultivation of algae as a high-value commodity. Microalgae are extremely beneficial for use in a large number of markets, including the Food (e.g. nutraceuticals, food additives), Feed (e.g. aquaculture feed) and Fuel industry. AlgaeLink has designed, produced and marketed microalgae to be the first to provide the aviation industry with a feasible alternative to fossil fuel. CEO Peter van den Dorpel presented the R&D on PBR design and microalgae production and gave a tour of the company's facilities. The key objective of IGV Biotech (Nuthetal, Germany) is the development of technical cultivation systems, photobioreactors, for the production of active substances and raw materials in cosmetics, fine and bulk chemicals, energy industries, environmental technology, agriculture and nutrition (especially health and functional food). The cosmetic and food supplements of Aquaflor are sold worldwide. Dr. Peter Waldeck presented the company and showed the companies tubular glass-tube photobioreactors ranging from lab-scale (30 l) to industrial scale (1800 l ). |
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x Sept. 28, 2012: Visit of EWOS Innovation (Dirdal, Norway) The Reumann group visited the reseaerch facilities of EWOS Innovation in Dirdal (Norway). EWOS Innovation is the R&D Company of EWOS and Cermaq supporting activities in salmonid aquaculture both feed and farming. EWOS Innovation's research activities focus on the development of new diets for the farming industry, through processing, raw material and nutritional improvements and breakthroughs. Dr. D. Nanton presend EWOS and the Cermaq group and the companies interest in microalgae lipids and omega-3 fatty acids as replacement of fish oil in salmon diets. The PhD student Manish Budathoki, the M. Sc. student Dmitry Kechasov and Prof. S. Reumann presented the new research activities on microalgae. |
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