Powerful Partnerships Harnessing Nature-Based Solutions

Edinburgh Napier is attracting global companies into partnerships to drive forward innovative sustainable solutions. Through agile, joined-up, collaborative industry engagement and innovative interdisciplinary research, the University is providing solutions to critical sustainability challenges. 

Algae-powered innovation

One example of this is our partnership with Scottish American biotechnology company AlgiSys to test the potential uses and explore scaling opportunities for algae-based products.

“Together, we are developing a sustainable, algae-based source of omega-3s for the aquaculture industry,” explains Professor Nick Wheelhouse, Director of the Centre for Biomedicine and Global Health within the School of Applied Sciences. The partnership aims to produce healthier and more environmentally sustainable feed ingredients for salmon – the UK’s biggest food export – and the wider aquaculture industry.

“This partnership has been a long time in the making,” comments Professor Wheelhouse, “and it is immensely timely. The need for a sustainable source of omega-3 and plant protein products has never been greater, so our work with AlgiSys has huge potential to overcome significant food supply challenges. While the immediate focus is on aquaculture, a major industry in Scotland, we believe the technology could have applications as a replacement for ingredients in pet food, human food supplements, and pharmaceuticals.”

Attracting the interest of globally leading companies and building impactful partnerships for solution delivery is how Edinburgh Napier seeks to add value to vital sectors of the economy.

Alumnus, Tavish Scott, Chief Executive of Salmon Scotland, puts this in context, explaining that salmon farming contributes £1bn a year to Scotland’s economy: “Sustainability is a big challenge for all producers of protein, whether they are crofting in Shetland or growing fish in sea pens. Being part of the worldwide drive to reduce emissions and help Scotland and the UK achieve net-zero carbon targets, means our sector continues to develop solutions to this issue. New initiatives, research, and partnerships between business and academic institutions, are always welcome in this endeavour."

Alumnus, Dr Eve Bird, is a consultant to AlgiSys. “I see a great alignment between AlgiSys’ technology and Edinburgh Napier’s capabilities and commitment to sustainability,” she comments. Eve is an industrial biotechnologist and an international expert in the industrial ABE (Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol) fermentation process, where her work ranges from genomes to bioreactors.

Her experience at Edinburgh Napier has underpinned much of her career trajectory. The ideas she developed in her PhD helped bring together Celtic Renewables – a spinout from the University’s Biofuel Research Centre – and the whisky industry to produce the first bio-butanol from whisky residues. “I’ve always been interested in the solutions we can find by harnessing nature,” Eve comments. “At Celtic Renewables, and now through my BioBased Innovations consultancy, my focus is on developing the innovative processes that can make a real difference to sustainability.

Seaweed sustainability solutions

Nanocellulose derived from seaweed offers a lower-carbon, more sustainable alternative to conventional wood-pulp-based nanocellulose, aligning directly with Scotland’s Net Zero ambitions. Edinburgh Napier’s innovative Blue-Cast project is using remote sensing to characterise the composition of beach-cast seaweed and investigate its bacterial composition.

Dr Jennifer Dodd, Associate Professor, Biodiversity & Restoration Ecology in the Centre for Conservation and Restoration Science, explains that the project will develop a remote sensing tool to identify and characterise beach-cast seaweed, and establish evidence-based best practices for sustainable harvesting of it. In turn, this will support University projects investigating the use of seaweeds in sustainable medicines. “This project supports Scotland’s Blue Economy vision by combining novel technologies with traditional knowledge,” she adds. “It will enable island and rural communities to supply seaweed as a raw material for this emerging sector, supporting their direct contribution to Scotland’s Net Zero by 2045 target."

Maximising the potential of seaweed is an area Edinburgh Napier has much expertise in. Researchers Mark Dorris and Dominic O’Rourke founded the Mercel spinout, after realising they could make high-value nanomaterial from brown seaweed extract that could act as a biodegradable alternative to microplastics. Using existing seaweed processing they produced a bio-degradable alternative to chemical plastics with zero waste. 

Mercel are a collaborator on the Blue-Cast project, amongst works with researchers and companies worldwide on product development and real-world applications for their patented product. The spinout is a great example of how Edinburgh Napier research is empowering companies and brands globally to adopt technology that enhances sustainability and reduces carbon footprints.

“These stories of innovation show how our University is at the heart of progress towards sustainable solutions,” comments Professor Wheelhouse. “They also demonstrate how our alumni are making a difference to global challenges. And we have many more of them delivering impact across a wide range of bioscience companies.”