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Research areas & Projects

Molecular Systematics and Taxonomy

What we cannot identify we may not be able to find again! Describing seaweeds for various applications has to be coupled with taxonomic and ecological characterisation. The evolutionary story of certain groups is fascinating not only because it gives us insight into speciation processes but also in which groups certain compounds are more likely to exist and by what processes species spread or become extinct.Currently two projects are directly linked to this research area. The Biodiscovery project (an Irish initiative) and the Maërl project, funded by the Mexican goverment, CONACyT.

Chemical analysis: nutrition and bioactivities

Seaweeds are an incredible source of natural compounds that can contribute directly or indirectly to nutrition, health and energy. Their chemical structure and content are affected by environmental factors e.g. light radiation, temperature, hydrodynamics, tide, nutrient availability, salinity, rain etc. From a nutritional point of view, only a small fraction of macroalgae have been described which makes this field an interesting area to explore. Currently two projects are directly linked to this research area: The Functional Food project, an Irish initiative, and AquaFUELS, an EU funded coordination action. Also, a PhD research project focuses on the role of brown algal phenolic compounds and their role as antioxidant defences in human hepatoma cell lines.

Aquaculture

Many seaweeds are of interest for industrial applications (e.g. nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, biofuel, animal feeds) for the valuable compounds they contain. In the Western world seaweed cultivation is in its infancy but its development is necessary to allow supply to industry without pressure on wild populations. Our studies aim to improve cultivation techniques, and the biological and economic viability of cultivating seaweeds in the Irish climatic, political and socio-economic environment. Currently we are working with the five native kelps (Laminaria digitata, L. hyperborea, Saccharina latissima, Saccorhiza polyschides and Alaria esculenta), the red seaweeds Palmaria palmata and Porphyra dioica and the green Codium fragile. Three projects: Seaweed Hatchery, SUPERGEN Bioenergy, Competence Centre for Bio-refining and Bio-energy and an MSc research project 'Seaweed Mass Cultivation: Spore and vegetative cultivation of economically important Irish edible seaweeds for the food and agricultural industries' are linked to this research area. Also, we are evaluating the effects on macroalgae inclusion into salmonid formulated diets. The principal goals are to develop high-value products with the sole intention to improve fish health, growth and carotenoid retention. This work is funded by the Functional Food project.

Resources and management

Seaweed biomass resource evaluation and management are both key to the sustainable harvesting of macroalgae. At present, the ISRG undertakes small-scale resource assessments of important commercial species (e.g Ascophyllum nodosum, Laminaria spp.) and has been involved previously in projects of this nature e.g. Carrasea project. Protocols for harvesting, based on seaweed life-histories and available literature, have been developed in the form of factsheets in the Sudevab project.
Currently these aspects of seaweed research form elements of two projects in which the ISRG is involved; BIOTECMAR and AquaFUELS. Biotecmar focuses on surveying the current waste biomass availability in the Atlantic Area, with a view to utilization, while AquaFUELS investigates the sustainability aspects of harvesting (and use of) macroalgae for the production of 2nd generation biofuels.

Irish Seaweed Research Group
Ryan Institute
Environmental, Marine and Energy Research
NUI, Galway. University Road, Galway, Ireland.
Phone: +353(0)91493920 or +353(0)91492377

This page was last updated Friday, June 10, 2011