- Possibilities for bioprospecting in Norway 2008 - 2020 (PDF-1 302.9 KB)
New impetus for bioprospecting
Marine innovations will play an important role in a knowledge-based Norwegian economy. Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Helga Pedersen has announced a national strategy for marine bioprospecting, with special focus on the northern parts of Norway.
Anne Kjersti Fahlvik
For years, researchers have been combing both land and sea for enzymes, molecules and biological principles that can be utilised in everything from medicines and industrial processes to additives, spices and perfumes. Marine bioprospecting is the search for such substances in the sea - and figuring out how to proceed with applying them to new products and production methods. In Norway, hopes are especially high that the northern sea areas will yield molecules with unique properties.
"Bioprospecting is a field that is extremely well-suited to commercialisation of research findings, as long as an appropriate framework is in place," asserts Anne Kjersti Fahlvik, Executive Director of the Division for Strategic Priorities at the Research Council of Norway.
Could these sea stars contain molecules with unique properties? (Photo: Marbank)
Useful molecules
There is potential for utilisation and commercialisation in a great many industrial areas, such as pharmaceuticals, food and feed production, petroleum, and various environmentally sound industries.
On the medical front, for example, researchers may someday produce cancer-killing medicines for humans from the very substances that evolving marine organisms developed for killing their prey. In the petroleum sector, there is great hope that compounds from marine organisms may be implemented to more fully exploit petroleum resources.
Ministerial collaboration
The Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs and the Ministry of Trade and Industry will jointly develop the bioprospecting strategy document, which will map out current status and needs as well as focus topics relating to research and development and commercialisation.
High North Strategy in action
Marine bioprospecting is a central theme of the Government's High North Strategy. Following up on the strategy, the Government's expert panel on the Northern Areas appointed a special working group in November 2007 to assess the state-of-the-art of Norwegian bioprospecting and to submit recommendations. Parallel to this, a group of international scientific experts has been contracted by the Research Council of Norway, Innovation Norway, and SIVA (the Industrial Development Corporation of Norway) to consider these same issues.
"Both working groups have recently concluded that Norway, with its natural marine resources and sound research community and infrastructure, is well positioned for an effective, cohesive effort in bioprospecting," relates Dr Fahlvik.
Bioprospecting Norge AS
The working groups recommend establishing a state-owned innovation company, Bioprospektering Norge AS, to carry out business development from concept to product. According to Dr Fahlvik, "with such a company we will be better prepared to deal with the challenges of operating biobanks and building expertise in commercialisation and internationally oriented business development."
(Photo: Marbank)
Assessing programme structure and intellectual property rights
"Together with Innovation Norway, the Research Council is now assessing the issues of commercialisation and intellectual property rights as they relate to bioprospecting," explains Dr Fahlvik.
Meanwhile, discussions are underway to determine whether to set up the bioprospecting initiative as a separate programme under the Research Council or to incorporate this field of research under established funding instruments such as the FUGE programme.
Full speed ahead in Tromsø
The enzyme endonuclease I from the fish pathogen Vibrio salmonicida has adapted to its environment and is active at extremely low temperatures. (Illustration: Marbank)
Bioprospecting, a young field of research in Norway, saw its first initiative launched in 2002 with financing from the Fund for Research and Innovation. In the period through 2006, NOK 105 million was allocated to assist in building up the field's current expertise and infrastructure.
In 2005 the initiative was enhanced by the establishment of the MarBank marine biobank, which may now be given responsibilities at the national level. At the same time, the MarBio analytical laboratory was founded for screening defined biological activities in samples from MarBank. Both institutions are located in Tromsø, which is also home to the bioprospecting-focused MabCent - a Centre for Research-based Innovation with special responsibility for promoting ongoing innovation through the establishment of new companies.
The Tromsø researchers collaborate with groups at SINTEF and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, where analytical capacity and biobanks have been established to deal with locally collected microorganisms. Researchers in Bergen, too, are active in bioprospecting, and also draw on the capacity in Trondheim and Tromsø as they do not have infrastructure of their own.
Marine bioprospectingDefinition: The goal-oriented, systematic search for elements, bioactive compounds or genes in marine organisms, with the intent of developing products of commercial or social value. The most essential elements of any bioprospecting:
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- Published:
- 06.01.2009
- Last updated:
- 06.01.2009
