We would like to appoint a Postgraduate Scholar to a project to investigate microalgal strains from Australian waters for their capacity to co-produce biofuels and omega-3 oils as well as biomass for food, feed and fuel applications. Microalgae are microscopic plants that are found in all the world’s oceans and freshwaters. They are critical for the health of the planet, being responsible for at least half of the global primary productivity. Microalgae capture solar radiation and convert it to chemical energy as biomass, forming the basis of aquatic food webs, and fixing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen as part of the process. With the capacity for renewable cultivation, microalgae are presently attracting intense interest by industry as primary producers of oils for biofuels, with associated greenhouse gas (GHG) abatement, as well as nutritionally important long-chain omega-3 oils (as a co-product) that are vital for human health and are an essential component of aquaculture feeds. There are tens of thousands of different microalgae, with different classes, species and strains having particular oil profiles. CSIRO’s research has demonstrated endemicity in Australian microalgae. A cross-section of this diversity is held by CSIRO in the Australian National Algae Culture Collection providing an important national resource for research. In developing microalgae as biomass with oil production, a significant consideration is whether different oils for different application can be economically obtained from one type of microalga, thus value-adding to the product outputs. This project will: 1. investigate microalgal strains held in the CCLM, as well as targeted new strains from Australian waters, for their capacity to produce biofuels and long chain omega-3 oils, as well as biomass for food, feed, fuel and other applications. 2. characterise promising strains and secure IP generated, 3. optimise production and scale-up, and 4. examine methods to develop multiple co-products). The position is located at the CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research laboratories, Hobart, Tasmania. The student will be enrolled at the University of Tasmania for the award of the doctoral degree. The student will also be working closely with the CSIRO Energy Transformed and Food Futures National Research Flagships and members of TasBiotech at UTAS
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