Kelp forest ecosystem in Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area and Haida Heritage Site, Haida Gwaii.
Markus Thompson / UC Berkeley
UC Berkeley’s Energy & Biosciences Institute (EBI) has received nearly $13 million to establish the International Bioeconomy Macroalgae Center (IBMC), dedicated to advancing seaweed’s role in sustainable industries worldwide. The funding, awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and partner agencies from the U.S., Canada, the Republic of Korea, and the UK, is part of a broader $82 million initiative to support six bioeconomy-focused research centers.
The IBMC will officially open in January 2025, led by an interdisciplinary team and focusing on foundational research, supply chain innovation, community engagement, and policy development to establish seaweed as a renewable resource for food, biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and other essential products.
“The IBMC’s goal is to harness the biochemical richness, evolutionary significance, favorable physiology, rapid growth, and industrial scale-up potential of seaweed to drive innovation, sustainability and economic development in the global bioeconomy,” said John Coates, director of the EBI and a professor in the Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, who is one of the co-leaders of the new Center.
The Center is set to investigate a variety of brown and red seaweed species at different locations, with the goal of ascertaining the potential for "high value benefits" in different places, as well as the possibility for seaweed cultivation at scale. The IBMC also plans to integrate seaweed cultivation with other aquatic farming methods, such as integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), which can reduce waste and restore marine ecosystems.
Research at the IBMC will also extend beyond seaweed biology, assessing economic feasibility, environmental impacts, and supply chain logistics.
“Incorporating supply chain and socioeconomic considerations into our program ensures that macroalgae-based biotechnologies are technically feasible, economically viable, socially equitable, environmentally sustainable and scalable,” said co-leader David Zilberman, a professor in UC Berkeley's Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. “By optimizing supply chain logistics and assessing economic impacts, we can create job opportunities, stimulate economic growth and enhance livelihoods in coastal communities.”
“Macroalgae have been managed and valued by coastal communities and Indigenous people since time immemorial as important sources of food and indicators of ecosystem health,” said Dan Okamoto, co-leader of the Center.
“Through this Center we will have opportunities to both serve and learn from our partners from across the Pacific and beyond, including communities, First Nations and Tribes that are key stewards and knowledge holders of marine macroalgae. We aim to help serve their needs and steer the project towards equitable and just outcomes and purposes," he added.
The International Bioeconomy Macroalgae Center will be joined by five other NSF Global Centers focusing on areas like bioplastics and sustainable crop management. Each center, including IBMC, will integrate education, workforce development, and public engagement, addressing global challenges in sustainability and bioeconomy development.