What we are
The encourage dialogue and exchange between enterprise, research and end-users to ensure that better ‘circular’ methods areemployed in all corners of the sector.
What we are
The platform is inspired by a quintuple helix approach to development, encouraging exchange and dialogue between enterprise, research, public institutions and end-users and the fundamental, all-pervasive concept of sustainability and safeguarding the environment.
Who we are
The platform is managed as a spin-off from the Interreg Italia-Malta project Bythos - Biotechnologies for Human Health and Blue Growth, and funding for the platform’s initial creation was provided by the programme. It is managed by the lead partner of Bythos, the Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies,University of Palermo.
Why we are
We invite any person or team working in any of the many areas embraced by the platform to join us and share their knowledge and experience to ensure that our oceans and seas are valued and safeguarded forever and a day.
Who we are
BLUE5HELIX is a living-lab platform for biotechnologies in human health and blue growth. As a quick recap, biotechnologies can be grouped according to area of activity and the colour blue represents activities associated with aquaculture, coastal and marine biotechnologies. Blue biotechnologies, therefore, exploit the diversity found in marine environments in the development of new products.
Why we are
Blue growth is the European Commission’s long-term strategy to stimulate growth in the marine and maritime sectors whilst ensuring that growth is sustainable.
This platform is for All of us
A little like Wikipedia, anyone can contribute in any way they feel might be productive (don’t worry, we will be monitoring activity and you can always hit the ‘complain’ button).
If you are an enterprise (a producer of side-stream or source materials) or end-user producer (perhaps a pharma/cosmetics company, a biotechnologies company or fish farming company) and would like more information or to ask a question, or if you have some new knowledge to share with the community, please dive in … (be succinct! Otherwise, pop a link to articles and papers in the repository section)
How does it work
register
Enter the required data, we will send you an email to confirm that it was you who signed up
Confirm email
click on the link you receive and confirm your account
Connect
Remember to save your username and password to log in!
Our Mission
The mission of BLUE5HELIX to use the many and varied residues from the fisheries sector in the Mediterranean as a highly sustainable source of marine organisms for the development of new biotech products
Biotechnologies in Europe have become central to the European Union’s strategic priorities. The European Strategy for Life Sciences and Biotechnology agrees that ‘[biotechnology] is widely regarded as one of the most promising frontier technologies for thecoming decades. There is a huge need for innovative approaches in healthcare […] there are still no known cures for half of the world’s diseases, and even existing cures such as antibiotics are becoming less effective due to resistance to treatments. Biotechnology already enables cheaper, safer production of a growing number of new drugs and medical services. […] Biotechnology is behind the paradigm shift in disease management’ (Commission, 2002).
In the context of BLUE5HELIX biotechnologies, this paradigm shift refers not only to innovative drug treatments and drug design but also to cheaper and safer production due to a large, sustainable source of molecules. Estimates suggest that the global biotechnology market size will reach USD 727.1 billion by 2025 at a CAGR of 7.4% (Grand View Research, 2017), with Europe occupying a market share of approximately 30%. However, much of the South of Europe is not yet ready to take advantage of this growing opportunity and work is needed to facilitate expansion in this area of the economy.
Here are some of the areas we think might be set the ball rolling:
High value-added products using side-streams from the fish processing industry:
- From wild catch or fish farming;
- side-streams from the processing industry using fish or other marine organisms (shellfish, seafood)
High value-added products: marine collagen, astaxanthin, chitin, chitosan
End-uses:
pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, medical care, drug delivery
Innovative fish feed for fish farming
Partners
This platform was funded by the Interreg Italia-Malta project Bythos and is managed by the University of Palermo, Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies STEBICEF.
Bythos – Biotechnologies for Human Health and Blue Growth is an innovation and cooperation project funded by the EU Interreg V-A Italia-Malta programme (Code C1-1.1-9). It is a joint space in Sicily and Malta created to share technologies and skills in biotechnologies for human health and blue growth, and increase synergic action between researchers and enterprise. The project has identified extraction protocols for bioactive ingredients for the cosmetics, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries, and formulated innovative fish feed from fish residues in collaboration with local industry.