Marine Biotechnology
Marine biotechnology, sometimes referred to as “blue biotechnology”, exploits the diversity found in marine environments in terms of the form, structure, physiology and chemistry of marine organisms, many of which have no equivalent on land, in ways which enable new materials to be realised. Marine biotechnology is a knowledge generation and conversion process: it unlocks access to biological compounds and provides novel uses for them. By exploring and harnessing marine materials, entirely new uses in areas far from the marine are likely to be found. Marine biotechnology is an opportunity recognised by policy makers and the enterprise sector as offering signifiant potential to fill market gaps for new products.