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commercialisation strategies applied in the Blue Biotechnology field. Also as most patents deal with
compounds or genes with more than one application field rather than with specific production
processes, many patents belong to more than one sector.
Detailed reviews of each of the individual sub-sectors are presented in Annex 6 showing the
specific demands, risks and potentials of the subsectors. .
3.1.2 Potential product areas in research and development
Almost every class of marine organism possesses the capacity to produce a variety of molecules
with unique structural features. These molecules offer an unmatched chemical diversity and
structural complexity, together with a biological potency and selectivity. In recent years, the
chemistry of natural products derived from marine organisms has become the focus of a much
greater research effort. This is due, in a large part, to the increased recognition of marine
organisms as a source for bioactive compounds with a range of applications across the Blue
Biotechnology sub-sectors. There are ranges of potential product areas that are in the research and
development phase in the Blue Biotechnology subsectors. Table 0.8 within Annex 6 illustrates
these product groups and the vast potential of the marine biotechnology sector.
3.1.3 Landscape of Blue Biotechnology infrastructures
Marine research infrastructures (MRIs) play an essential role in support of Blue Biotechnology by
improving knowledge, giving access to new resources and decreasing the risk of operations29,30,31,
thereby supporting the maritime economy and blue growth. Coordination of MRIs establishes
greater capacity, performance and knowledge sharing, and increases the potential of marine
biotechnology applications and the overall contribution of marine biotechnology to societal
challenges. MRIs include the physical equipment used to collect samples and produce data,
databases and information systems that give access to data and the supercomputers and models
which process data. MRIs can be publically or privately owned. MRIs can be categorised into six
clusters32 as shown in Table 3.1. Annex 7 presents a detailed overview of the marine research
infrastructures which are relevant to marine biotechnology.
Table 3.1
Overview of marine research infrastructures
Infrastructure cluster
Research vessels and underwater
vehicles
Description
Relevance to marine
biotechnology
Access to the marine environment,
exploration and sampling.
In situ data acquisition systems
Fixed and mobile platform
technologies which allow in situ
measurements and data
transmission for monitoring and
observation of marine
environment.
Satellites
Remote sensing for sea-surface
and primary vegetation monitoring
Essential for bioprospecting
Mostly used to measure physical,
chemical and oceanographic
parameters. Biological sample
collection is possible but not
widespread.
Not directly relevant for marine
biotechnology although could have
uses in algal biomass production
for biofuels.
29 European Commission, Research and Innovation: Infrastructures,
http://ec.europa.eu/research/infrastructures/index_en.cfm?pg=home
30 European Commission, 2013, Towards European Integrated Ocean Observation, Expert Group on Marine Research
Infrastructures, Final Report, http://ec.europa.eu/research/transport/publications/items/ocean_observation_en.htm
31 Research infrastructures are facilities, resources and services used by the scientific community to conduct research and
include libraries, databases, biological archives and collections (e.g. biobanks), large and small-scale research facilities (e.g.
laboratories), research vessels, communication networks, and computing facilities.
32 SEAS-ERA, 2012, infrastructures: Marine Research Infrastructures updated overview, European integration and vision of the
future, Work Package 4 - D4.1.1, Milestone M4.1.1, http://www.seas-era.eu/np4/19.html
14
Study in support of Impact Assessment work on Blue Biotechnology
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