C5 EU Project

Algae Picture Contest, EABA | EABA - European Algae Biomass Association 📸 Algae Picture Contest 2026 is ON! 👀🌿 After the wonderful 2025 edition, and first announced at AlgaEurope 2025, our 2026 𝐀𝐥𝐠𝐚𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 is your chance to show the world just how cool, beautif...

Here’s a great opportunity to share your photogenic algae and win a ticket to AlgaEurope 2026 in Malta! We can’t wait to see the image collection that comes from this contest! 📸 🧪

Send your photo by April 30 to picture.contest@eaba-association.org

More info at: www.linkedin.com/posts/europe...

Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams

We and our sister project, @s2b-project.eu, will be joining two other European initiatives in hosting a free online session. We’ll be chatting about the latest innovations in solar fuels and algae-based chemical production. 🧪 ☀️ 🇪🇺

March 12, 11:00–12:30

events.teams.microsoft.com/event/c17ef4...

Our sister project @s2b-project.eu helped spearhead the “Sustainability Meets Scalability” event last year!

Over 200 people met to align research and innovation with industrial needs and policy ambition for sustainable fuels, chemicals, and materials. ♻️ 🇪🇺

www.s2b-project.eu/sustainabili...

SUN-PERFORM solves key bottleneck in spectral conversion Jasmin Balil, a SUN-PERFORM partner from the University of Amsterdam, achieved month-long stability in nanocrystals that could make microalgae biofuels more efficient.

Partners at @uva.nl have achieved a breakthrough in stabilizing light-converting nanocrystals—materials that could improve microalgae cultivation for biofuel production and carbon capture. ☀️ 💠 🧪

More about the work presented at NWO (Dutch Research Council) Physics sunperform.eu/sun-perform-...

Our partner from @w-u-r.bsky.social, @nicoc-micsynmet.bsky.social, is one of the 10 new members joining The Young Academy, a “dynamic group of top young researchers with outspoken views on science and science policy.” 💡

www.dejongeakademie.nl/en/news/3197...

Establishing heterologous betaxanthin pigment biosynthesis in cyanobacteria Betalains are water-soluble pigments with two major classes: red-violet betacyanins and yellow-orange betaxanthins. These pigments are increasingly be…

Establishing heterologous betaxanthin pigment biosynthesis in cyanobacteria www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Our project partner, Jasmin from the @uva.nl and SolarFoil, will present her poster at the NWO Physics conference in the Netherlands! If you’re attending, save a slot on your schedule. 📌

Wednesday January 21, from 13:00 to 14:10. Poster number 91

#NWOPhysics2025

Assessment of Polyhydroxybutyrate Production by Cyanobacteria Strains Isolated from Environmental Water Sources Using a Secondary Effluent Growing concern over plastic pollution has intensified research on biodegradable alternatives, such as polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), a biopolymer produced by cyanobacteria. Despite their sustainability advantages, photoautotrophic PHB production remains limited, and cultivation strategies need optimization. In this study, five cyanobacterial strains were isolated from environmental microbiome cultures to evaluate their PHB production potential. The goal was to identify the most productive strains and optimal conditions for polymer synthesis. Cultures were grown in modified BG11 media (without nitrogen, phosphorus, or inorganic carbon) and in a secondary effluent from treated urban wastewater, both supplemented with acetate (0, 0.6, or 4 g/L) and incubated for 7 days in darkness. The biomass remained stable in most strains but declined to 0.28 g/L in the secondary effluent, except for one Leptolyngbya sp. strain that increased the biomass with acetate. The highest PHB yield per acetate consumed was achieved by Synechocystis sp. from an agricultural pond, reaching 3.1% dry cell weight in modified BG11 with 0.6 g/L acetate. In the secondary effluent, the maximum PHB content reached 2.9% in another Leptolyngbya sp. strain with 4 g/L acetate. These findings highlight strain-specific responses and the potential of wastewater-based cultivation for sustainable bioplastic production.

Assessment of Polyhydroxybutyrate Production by Cyanobacteria Strains Isolated from Environmental Water Sources Using a Secondary Effluent | ACS ES&T Water pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Our team met at Córdoba to kick off our @horizoneu.bsky.social project last month! 🇪🇺
“It was a fantastic opportunity for everyone to dive into the plans for metabolic engineering of cyanobacteria.”

Partners sharer their experience and roles in the C5 project.

Thank you for hosting us @uco.es!

Last week, I attended the kick-off meeting for our EU-funded C5 project in Cordoba, Spain. It was great to discuss our plans for the metabolic engineering of Cyanobacteria in detail with all partners, and I really enjoyed the visit to sunny Andalusia.