Novel enzymes from extreme marine environments as a source for value-added targets (NEXTMARINE)- Grant Agreement nº 101181415
• Science Summary
NEXTMARINE is a project fully funded by the European Union (REA) within the HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, aiming to explore the potential of extreme marine ecosystems and harness their biological resources to develop innovative and sustainable solutions. The project focuses on studying organisms that thrive under harsh environmental conditions and may serve as sources of novel enzymes, bioactive compounds, and biomaterials. The knowledge generated will be used to create innovations for the food, pharmaceutical, and materials industries, supporting the development of a circular economy. A key objective is to develop new technologies and products while ensuring the protection and conservation of marine biodiversity. The project is carried out in collaboration with a European cluster of initiatives investigating the potential of extremophilic aquatic organisms for the bioeconomy of the future.
• Project Objective
The NEXTMARINE project aims to discover novel enzymes from extreme marine environments, including volcanic areas of the Aegean Sea and anoxic zones of the Baltic Sea. Through advanced sampling technologies, gene sequencing, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence, enzymes with high industrial potential will be identified and characterized. These biocatalysts will be applied to the sustainable processing of marine biomass and the production of innovative compounds for the pharmaceutical, food, and materials industries. The project will also contribute to a better understanding of extreme ecosystems, the protection of marine biodiversity, and stronger collaboration between academia and industry.
• Project Partners
NEXTMARINE consortium partners: University of Crete (UOC), Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR), Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (STUBA), Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU)*, Lodz University of Technology (TUL), Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), NEAT Innovation AB (NEAT)**, Ploa Technology Consultants SL (PLOATECH), AstraZeneca AB (AZ), and EuroMarine Network (EM).
*To be replaced by the University of Hohenheim (UHOH)
**To be replaced by NutraGreen AB (NutraGreen)
• Role of Lodz University of Technology in the Project
Consortium partner. For Lodz University of Technology and the research team led by Professor Anna Masek, a particularly important aspect of the project is the application of the developed products in the creation of novel functional biomaterials and sustainable material solutions.
• Expected Impact of the Project
The NEXTMARINE project focuses on developing innovative biotechnological solutions based on novel enzymes derived from extreme marine environments. This will enable the sustainable processing of marine biomass and the production of high-value products, such as biopolymers, bioactive oligosaccharides, and functional ingredients for various industrial sectors. The project is expected to contribute to the advancement of the circular economy, strengthen the European bioeconomy, and enhance collaboration between scientific institutions and industry.
• Project Funding
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Funding allocated to Lodz University of Technology: €326,325.00
Total project budget: €4,496,933.75