San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology – SD-CAB

About Us – Overview

The San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology was established in 2008 as a consortium of researchers from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), in partnership with private industry.

The center collaborates with the private sector to apply lab discoveries to the industrial world through robust research and development in biology, chemistry, and engineering.

Download SD-CAB Brochure

Mission statement

The mission of the San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology (SD-CAB) is to support development of innovative, sustainable, and commercially viable algae-based biotechnology solutions for renewable energy, green chemistry, bio-products, water conservation, and CO2 abatement. The Center incorporates international research scientists from the fields of biology, chemistry, engineering, economics, and policy. It also trains young scientists, educates the public, collaborates with private sector partners, and facilitates discussion with regional, state and national policy makers regarding the use of algae for energy independence and conservation of land and water, while encouraging the highest standards of academic excellence and objectivity.

Founding institutions

University of California, San Diego (UCSD)

Since its founding in 1960, UC San Diego has rapidly ascended to the nation’s top echelon of institutions for higher education and research.

  • One of 10 campuses in the University of California system, UC San Diego’s graduate and professional schools include:
  • Scripps Institution of Oceanography
  • School of Medicine
  • School of International relations and Pacific Studies
  • Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Jacobs School of Engineering
  • Rady School of Management
  • U.S. News & World Report ranks UC San Diego as the 8th best public university in the nation and among the nation’s top 50 universities.The National Science Foundation ranks UC San Diego 7th in the nation in federal research and development expenditures. UC San Diego’s faculty and alumni have spun off at least 200 local companies, including more than a third of the region’s biotech companies.More about UCSD

    The Scripps Research Institute (TRSI)

    TSRI is the world’s largest, private, non-profit biomedical research facility. Founded in 1961, TRSI is internationally recognized for its basic research in immunology, molecular, and cellular biology, chemistry, neurosciences, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, virology, and synthetic vaccine development.

    Of special note is the institute’s study of the basic structure and design of biological molecules. TSRI offers an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in chemical and biological sciences at the Kellogg School of Science and Technology as well as a postdoctoral fellowship program.

    For the past 2 years the Institute’s graduate studies program was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s top 10.

    Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO)

    SIO is one of the oldest, largest, and most important centers for marine science research, graduate training, and public service in the world. In the 1960s, Scripps Director Roger Revelle joined with community leaders to create the University of California, San Diego. SIO is currently a department of UCSD.

    Today, SIO has more than 1,600 scientists, students, and staff who pursue SIO’s diverse multidisciplinary research mission.

    SIO faculty pioneered many fields of marine studies and initiated an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to studying the oceans, air, land, and life as unified systems.

    See an overview of SIO’s research.

Source: http://algae.ucsd.edu/about-us.html

The National Algae Association

The National Algae Association, a 501(c)6, is the first algae trade association in the US to assist algaepreneurs in creating commercial-scale algae production plants in the US using American research and equipment.  Algae oil can be made into biodiesel, biogasoline, jet fuel and bioplastics. Algae biomass can be made into many different co-products including nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and organic fertilizer.

The algae industry is quickly moving technologies out of the lab and into commercial-scale algae production. Many new algae production plants are scaling-up to produce algae oil and biomass for co-products. Algae proven technologies are being implemented today in the scale-up of the new algae industry. Enhancements will surely continue as algaepreneurs move into commercial-scale algae production. We are united in wanting to help US to get off foreign oil, to create jobs right here in the US and to reduce CO2 emissions. Since our government and corporate America are slow to move into commercial-scale algae production, algaepreneurs are taking on the task of setting up new algae production facilities throughout the US.

Source: http://www.nationalalgaeassociation.com/about.html

Algal Biomass Organization (ABO)

The Algal Biomass Organization (ABO) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the development of viable commercial markets for renewable and sustainable commodities derived from algae. Its membership is comprised of people, companies and organizations across the value chain.

The primary goals of the Algal Biomass Organization are to:

  • Facilitate commercialization and market development of microalgae biomass specifically for biofuels production and greenhouse gas abatement.
  • Deliver information to the public on initiatives, funding opportunities, and industry development.
  • Provide networking and collaboration opportunities.
  • Establish cutting edge research and commercialization summits and other meeting opportunities.
  • Develop a high quality interactive repository of information on algae biomass technology, science, products, processes, patents, and economics.
  • Develop quality and measurement best practices for algal biomass, products, systems technology, and econometrics.
  • Present career advancement and consultant opportunities

Source: http://www.algalbiomass.org/about/who-we-are/philosophy-purpose