Enterprise Ireland Industry Led Research Programme:
Companies in Ireland's seaweed sector are seeking to enhance their competitiveness developing new and improved products and processes. These companies see potential in extracting compounds from seaweed that could be marketed to the chemical, cosmetic, food, horticulture, pharmaceutical, thalassatherapy and veterinary sectors.
Enterprise Ireland and the Marine Institute have facilitated a consortium of indigenous companies in the seaweed sector to develop a proposal for an Industry Led Research Programme which will assess and profile the composition of key seaweed species around Ireland and understand how best to extract their valuable ingredients.
Enterprise Ireland wishes to invite proposal submissions, from research groups in Public Research Organisations, with expertise in the field of seaweed analysis and characterisation of bioactives from seaweeds. The objective is to work in partnership with the industry consortium to carry out this research programme and assist in the realisation of the commercial opportunity that this work presents. It is envisioned that this will be achieved through the establishment of an Industry Led Research Programme.
Further Information
Application forms and specific details of the research programme including required deliverables are available at Biotechnology Ireland. All enquiries relating to the programme should be addressed to:
Dr. Cepta Duffy, Lifescience & Food Commercialisation, Enterprise Ireland, East Point Business Park, Dublin 3
Email: cepta.duffy@enterprise-ireland.com.
Collaboration between groups and organisations is highly encouraged to ensure all necessary expertise is available to carry out the research activity.
Closing date for applications is Wednesday 18th February 2009.
Information Day
The Marine Institute is hosting a Seaweed Research Symposium on 22nd January 2009. The symposium will also coincide with an Information Day for the “Bioactive compounds from seaweed”. The symposium will be open to all researchers working on seaweed, marine bioprospecting and natural products chemistry. Representatives from Ireland’s seaweed industry sector will also be attending and international speakers have been invited to present on relevant topics.
