GoJelly - A gelatinous solution to plastic pollution

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A new network for the advancement of marine biotechnology in Europe and beyond

Publication . Rotter, Ana; Bacu, Ariola; Barbier, Michèle; Bertoni, Francesco; Bones, Atle M.; Cancela, M. Leonor; Carlsson, Jens; Carvalho, Maria F.; Cegłowska, Marta; Dalay, Meltem Conk; Dailianis, Thanos; Deniz, Irem; Drakulovic, Dragana; Dubnika, Arita; Einarsson, Hjörleifur; Erdoğan, Ayşegül; Eroldoğan, Orhan Tufan; Ezra, David; Fazi, Stefano; FitzGerald, Richard J.; Gargan, Laura M.; Gaudêncio, Susana P.; Ivošević DeNardis, Nadica; Joksimovic, Danijela; Kataržytė, Marija; Kotta, Jonne; Mandalakis, Manolis; Matijošytė, Inga; Mazur-Marzec, Hanna; Massa-Gallucci, Alexia; Mehiri, Mohamed; Nielsen, Søren Laurentius; Novoveská, Lucie; Overlingė, Donata; Portman, Michelle E.; Pyrc, Krzysztof; Rebours, Céline; Reinsch, Thorsten; Reyes, Fernando; Rinkevich, Baruch; Robbens, Johan; Rudovica, Vita; Sabotič, Jerica; Safarik, Ivo; Talve, Siret; Tasdemir, Deniz; Schneider, Xenia Theodotou; Thomas, Olivier P.; Toruńska-Sitarz, Anna; Varese, Giovanna Cristina; Vasquez, Marlen I.

Marine organisms produce a vast diversity of metabolites with biological activities useful for humans, e.g., cytotoxic, antioxidant, anti-microbial, insecticidal, herbicidal, anticancer, pro-osteogenic and pro-regenerative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, cholesterol-lowering, nutritional, photoprotective, horticultural or other beneficial properties. These metabolites could help satisfy the increasing demand for alternative sources of nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, cosmeceuticals, food, feed, and novel bio-based products. In addition, marine biomass itself can serve as the source material for the production of various bulk commodities (e.g., biofuels, bioplastics, biomaterials). The sustainable exploitation of marine bio-resources and the development of biomolecules and polymers are also known as the growing field of marine biotechnology. Up to now, over 35,000 natural products have been characterized from marine organisms, but many more are yet to be uncovered, as the vast diversity of biota in the marine systems remains largely unexplored. Since marine biotechnology is still in its infancy, there is a need to create effective, operational, inclusive, sustainable, transnational and transdisciplinary networks with a serious and ambitious commitment for knowledge transfer, training provision, dissemination of best practices and identification of the emerging technological trends through science communication activities. A collaborative (net)work is today compelling to provide innovative solutions and products that can be commercialized to contribute to the circular bioeconomy. This perspective article highlights the importance of establishing such collaborative frameworks using the example of Ocean4Biotech, an Action within the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) that connects all and any stakeholders with an interest in marine biotechnology in Europe and beyond.

2020Journal article

Open Access

Who cares about ocean acidification in the Plasticene?

Publication . Tiller, Rachel; Arenas, Francisco; Galdies, Charles; Leitão, Francisco; Malej, Alenka; Romera, Beatriz Martinez; Solidoro, Cosimo; Stojanov, Robert; Turk, Valentina; Guerra, Roberta

Plastics is all the rage, and mitigating marine litter is topping the agenda for nations pushing issues such as ocean acidification, or even climate change, away from the public consciousness. We are personally directly affected by plastics and charismatic megafauna is dying from it, and it is something that appears to be doable. So, who cares about the issue of ocean acidification anymore? We all should. The challenge is dual in the fact that is both invisible to the naked eye and therefore not felt like a pressing issue to the public, thereby not reaching the top of the agenda of policy makers; but also that it is framed in the climate change narrative of fear - whereby it instills in a fight-or-flight response in the public, resulting in their avoidance of the issue because they feel they are unable to take action that have results. In this article, we argue that the effective global environmental governance of ocean acidification, though critical to address, mitigate against and adapt to, is hindered by the both this lack of perception of urgency in the general public, fueled by a lack of media coverage, as well as a fight-or-flight response resulting from fear. We compare this to the more media friendly and plastics problem that is tangible and manageable. We report on a media plots of plastics and ocean acidification coverage over time and argue that the issue needs to be detangled from climate change and framed as its own issue to reach the agenda at a global level, making it manageable to assess and even care about for policy makers and the public alike?

2019Journal article

Open Access