Advanced Course in Macroalgae and Auxiliary Cultures

The Advanced Course on Microalgae Production and Auxiliary Cultivations will be held on June 3-7 at the School of Tourism and Marine Technologies, ESTM - Polytechnic of Leiria. The course is coordinated by MARE researcher Sílvia Lourenço and is aimed at technicians, teachers, researchers, PhD candidates and undergraduate and master's students with an interest in this group of species and their use as a biological resource.

Microalgae are a world of great biodiversity whose potential as a biological resource is a source of growing interest. Traditionally used as an auxiliary crop in aquaculture production, microalgae are now species of aquaculture interest per se due to their applications in the food, cosmetics, nutraceutical, chemical, bioenergy, biofertilizer and CO2 sequestration industries. Rotifers and brine shrimp, which benefit from and can be nutritionally enriched with specific microalgae, are the initial food in many aquaculture and aquarium production cycles, and are important experimental models.

This advanced course aims to introduce the species of microalgae that are cultivated in the laboratory, cultivation methods, their potential as marine resources, production systems and the auxiliary crops they benefit from and whose nutritional value can be modeled by feeding them with microalgae. The course will combine seminars, theoretical and practical lessons on cell isolation, preparation of culture media, molecular analysis tools, preparation and good practice in maintaining cultures.

For more information and to apply, click HERE