Blue biotechnology as a road for innovation on human’s health aiming smart growth in Atlantic Area
Description
The Atlantic Area (continental shelf and islands) is particularly rich in marine resources and despite the richness of these resources, both in quantity and biodiversity. Commercial exploitation is predominantly focused on fishing and by-products. However, their relevance for other commercial fields has already been demonstrated with pilot examples of marine derived cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and medical device products. The BlueHuman project aims to widen the commercial potential of the Atlantic Ocean on Europe by proposing innovative products for the biomedical field. These will be produced based on a sustainable exploitation of marine resources but also valuing the huge amounts of by-products available in the region. To achieve this, the project will seek to expand the commercial and scientific potential, beyond current activities mainly limited to fishing and maritime transport, opening the avenue of blue biotechnology with new high added-value solutions. BlueHuman will also seek to influence other actors in the region towards the much needed sustainable and smart growth, as identified in the Europe 2020 strategy, with the ultimate objective of increasing highly-skilled jobs and strengthening the economic tissue, including new technology-based SMEs. Blue biotechnology will then be used as a tool for regional smart growth towards harmonization with the EU.