On January 13, MEP and the University of Queensland officially kicked off their new collaborative project, Scaling SMART Solar Bio-Manufacturing Processes. This initiative aims to revolutionize solar biotechnology by developing advanced automation protocols for high-efficiency microalgae production.
From MEP, Prof. Dr. Michael Zavrel, a core member, will contribute expertise in process integration and data acquisition, while Prof. Dr. Sonja Berensmeier, director of MEP, will focus on harvesting and downstream bioprocessing. The University of Queensland will lead efforts on cultivation process data analysis, as well as techno-economic and environmental impact assessments. By combining expertise across multiple disciplines, the project aims to develop a fully integrated, automated system for microalgae cultivation, harvesting, and downstream processing.