Algae Training Workshop 2015 Techniques in Culture and Characterization of Microalgae 11 – 13 November 2015

Jointly organized by the Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences (IOES) and the Institute of

Biological Sciences, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur.

Algae are the most important and abundant group of global primary producers that thrive in almost all

habitats around the world. They represent a rich and diverse genetic resource, and interest in their

biotechnology potential has increased greatly. Algae biotechnology, has assumed an increasingly

important role in today’s world of energy and food crises amidst a changing climate. Such growing

global relevance has provided the impetus to the development of our own seaweed industry, and the

establishment of an algal biofuel industry in Malaysia. Algae have traditionally been used as sources of

food, feed, medicine and industrial materials. Microalgae are now seen as potential sources of biofuel,

biopharmaceuticals, cosmeceuticals and industrial biomaterials. The potential of vibrant, sustainable

industries based on the indigenous algal resources may be realized through the creation of new innovative

technologies to overcome existing challenges, especially those related to selection of best strains,

appropriate mass production systems, and economically viable harvesting and processing methods.

There are 160,000 to 1,200,000 species of algae of which only 36,000 to 43,000 species have been

described. 14% (5000 species) of described species are maintained in the world’s 20 major culture

collections: SAG (Gottingen), CCMP (Bigelow), CSIRO (Hobart), NIES (Tsukuba). Many species are

yet to be discovered in the Asia-Oceania region and the Polar regions. Algae Collections serve

Biotechnology by providing authentic strains for research and applications in food, feed, medicine, energy

and environmental management. Culture Collections can provide services like producing mass cultures

on demand, providing DNA sequences, natural product screening, identification of useful biomolecules

and their associated genes, etc. Bar-coding of strains will assist in rapid & accurate species

identification, access to databases of useful bioproducts & protection against biopiracy.

The University of Malaya Algae Culture Collection (UMACC) is recognized as a member of the World

Federation of Culture Collections (WFCC) and a member of the Asia-Oceania Algae Culture Collection

(AOAC) Network. The UMACC collection has been sourced from the Malaysian tropical habitats as well

as from the Arctic, Sub-Arctic, Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic regions. The UMACC has supported several

research programmes in the university as well as of our collaborators. The experience gathered from

these activities are now used to offer training to scientists from both academia, research organisations and

the industry, in techniques essential for successful utilization of the microalgae.

Home-grown experts familiar with tropical algae, as well as scientists from world recognized laboratories

overseas, will be the instructors. The training workshop comprises lectures and laboratory sessions.

Programme Day 1 0900 OPENING CEREMONY

0930 Diversity and Applications of Algae (Prof. Dr. Phang Siew Moi, UM)

1000 Ecology of Algae (TBC)

1030 TEA

1100 Isolation, purification of microalgae, and the setting up of a culture collection (Prof. Dr. Phang

Siew Moi, UM)

1145 Algal Biochemistry (Prof. Dr. Chu Wan Loy, IMU)

1230 LUNCH

1400 Practical: Techniques in Isolation and Purification of Microalgae (Dr. Teoh Ming Li, Taylors

Univ.; Dr. Wong Chiew Yen, IMU; Dr. Emienour M. Mustafa, UM)

1600 TEA

1615 Techniques in Biochemical Characterization of Algae (Dr. Wong Chiew Yen, IMU)

1700 Molecular Identification of Algae (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lim Phaik Eem)

Day 2 0900 Photosynthesis in Algae (Prof. Dr. John Beardall, Monash Univ.)

0945 Techniques in Measuring Photosynthesis (Prof. Dr. John Beardall)

1030 TEA

1045 Laboratory Session on Pho tosynthesis: PAM Fluorometry (Prof. John Beardall)

1230 LUNCH

1400 Continue with PAM Fluorometry

1530 TEA

1545 Techniques in Microalgal Mass Cultivation: Physiology (Dr. Teoh Ming Li, Taylor’s Univ)

1615 Techniques in Microalgal Mass Cultivation: Raceway and Enclosed Photobioreactors

(Dr. Navid Moheimani, Murdoch Univ.)

Day 3 0900 Techniques in Optimization of Biomass and Lipid Productivity (Dr. Navid Moheimani)

0945 Strain Improvement of Algae (Dr. Gan Sook Yee, IMU)

1015 TEA

1030 Techniques in Harmful Algae Bloom (HAB) Monitoring and Mitigation (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lim Po

Teen, UM)

1130 Molecular Detection of Harmful Microalgae (Dr. Leaw Chui Pin, UM)

1230 LUNCH

1400 Techniques in Advanced Electron Microscopy (Dr. Lim Hong Chang, UTAR)

1445 HAB Laboratory Session (Dr. Leaw Chui Pin, UM)

1600 TEA and CLOSING CEREMONY

Enquiries & Application: Algae Training Workshop 2015 Phone: 03-79674640 (Puan Noor Hayati Mahbob); 03-79676995 (Cik Norshazwana Shariff)

Fax: 03-79676994

Email: admin.ioes@um.edu.my

Closing date: 3 November 2015. Limited to 30 participants.

Fees: RM 800 for universities, research institutions, industry

RM 500 for students.