Two researchers from Delaware State University (DSU) have received a nearly $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for a three-year project involving microalgae. Dr. Ali Parsaeimehr, the Principal Investigator, and Dr. Gulnihal Ozbay, the Co-PI and Professor of Natural Resources, are leading the research effort.
The project, titled “A Multiple-Stage Cost Effective Smart Farming of Engineered Microalgae for Simultaneous Production of High-Value Molecules and Bioenergy,” aims to explore the potential of microalgae for energy generation and cancer treatment.
The researchers plan to convert microalgae into bio-energy and biofuels. Microalgae are known for their ability to grow rapidly and produce lipids, making them an attractive candidate for renewable energy production. Parsaeimehr and Ozbay will investigate methods to optimize the conversion of microalgae into biofuels, which could contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy sector.
The grant from the USDA will support the research team in conducting their investigations over the next three years.
“We are working to produce a bio-energy source and to express and isolate high value compounds for the pharmaceutical industry to produce taxol,” Dr. Parsaeimehr said. He added that using microalgae to produce taxol “would reduce the cost and it would grow more bio-mass – meaning we could grow more of it in a shorter amount of time.”
