Methods In Industrial Biotechnology & Bioprocess Engineering – Microalgae As A Source of Valuable Compounds

This Research Topic is part of the Methods in Industrial Biotechnology & Bioprocess Engineering series.

An array of methods and techniques are employed in various industrial processes using living organisms such as algae, bacteria or yeast. Other cellular components, such as enzymes, are employed to synthesize other valuable products on an industrial scale. Optimizing these methods and techniques for maximum efficiency is a central focus of bioprocess engineering and industrial biotechnology research in order to produce important compounds like chemicals, drugs, fuels and fertilizers for the chemical, pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries. Recent advances in these methods and techniques also focus on addressing greenhouse gas emissions through the use of renewable raw materials and the reuse of industrial byproducts. Of particular interest is the production of biofuels and value-added products from renewable resources, where microorganisms such as microalgae have proven especially promising in research.



This series aims to highlight the latest experimental techniques and methods used to investigate fundamental questions in the areas of Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering research. Review articles, opinions on methodologies or applications including the advantages and limitations of each, original research articles and short communications are all welcome. This Research Topic focuses particularly on the production of different compounds from microalgae utilizing novel technologies and up-to-date methods. Research on the use of microalgae in the production of biofuels and value-added products looks to streamline key techniques and methods. Therefore, demonstration of different strategies is of prime importance to produce the target compounds by adapting different biotechnological tools, improvement of genetic engineering, strain enhancement, investigating tolerance to stress conditions and use of latest bioprocessing technologies to exploit the potential of microalgae for industrial applications. The development of microalgal biorefineries can also enhance the possibility of improving industrially relevant bioprocesses towards improved production of biofuels and value-added products. Articles covering the techniques and methodologies used in these processes are all welcome. The contributions to this collection will undergo peer review. Novelty may vary, but the utility of a method or protocol must be evident.



The Research Topics welcomes articles that cover particular methodologies and techniques in areas such as (but not limited to) the following:

• Industrial scale production of value-added products from microalgae and other microorganisms

• Production of microalgal biofuels such as biodiesel, bioethanol, biohydrogen and biobutanol to improve the possibility of industrial scale or commercialization

• Innovative bio-catalysis via green processing methods to improve the production of various chemicals

• Tolerance of microalgae to environmental factors during production

• Genetic modification of microalgae and multi-omics approaches in crucial biochemical synthetic pathways

• Scale-up of production processes of value-added products

• Future directions of the field and topical methods/technologies





The Topic Editors declare no competing interests related to affiliations with private companies, founding of a private company, receiving of any grants from a private company, holding shares of a private company, and/or holding patents.

Keywords: bio-catalysis, algal technologies, methods, bio-based products, microalgae biorefinery

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.