#BIOPROSP_17: Unlocking the commercial potential of biomolecules from marine environments

The marine environment is a vast and fascinating one. It covers 71% of the world's surface – 335.3 million square kilometres – and has 377,412 km of coastline. It stretches from the icy poles to the tropical equator, and according to the first World Register of Marine Life (WoRMS), is home to 242,729 species, as of 19 January 2017. Depending on its their location, marine life has adapted to harsh environments, including extremely high and low temperature, lack of light and very high pressure.

All of this incredible diversity makes the ocean and its residents a valuable resource for white (industrial), green (agricultural), grey (environmental), blue (marine) and red (medical) biotechnology, but to date only a small fraction of it has actually been explored. BIOPROSP_17 is a conference held every two years in Tromsø, in Northern Norway. It began with a focus on bioprospecting, and has expanded and grown to cover many different aspects of biotechnology.

This year, it is being held at the UiT – Arctic University of Tromsø, and will look at opportunities to unlock the commercial potential of biomolecules from marine environments.

The speakers for 2017 will include:

• Erik Hjelvin, Pfizer: Which demands and expectations does the Pharma industry have towards academia and startup companies?
• Jeanette Hammer Andersen, UiT – Arctic University of Tromsø: Success stories involving marine bioactive compounds
• Trygve Brautaset, NTNU: Synthetic biology - an important tool for industrial biotechnology
• Hans-Christian Eilertsen, UiT – Arctic University of Norway: Mass cultivation of northern diatoms: Turning pollution into capital
• Trond Erik Vee Aune, Vectron Biosolutions: Perspectives from the recombinant protein production industry

Want to know more? Browse through the full programme, see what's happening at the workshops, and read some of the pieces written about previous conferences:

• Bioprospecting at the poles – Chemistry and Industry
• Norwegian Biotech Faces the Funding Gap – Life Science Leader
• Researchers modify peptides from cone snails in quest for neuropathic pain therapy – Pharmaceutical Journal