Algae and cyanobacteria are characterized by a high diversity of bioactive compounds and have a great biotechnological potential for applications in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic industries, biofuel production, etc. Due to the increasing demand for natural, environmentally friendly, and safe biocomponent resources great attention is being paid to the research of algal and cyanobacterial metabolites, the search and screening of the target metabolites synthesising species and isolates. Most of the bioactive compounds are isolated from algal cultures or from the biomass of species grown in artificial systems. However, one of the main challenges to the production of bioproducts is the biosynthesis of specific metabolites under laboratory conditions and the high cost of cultivation of algal biomass in artificial systems. Meanwhile, excess algal biomass harvested from water bodies could provide a cheaper raw material.
The aim of the PhD studies is to assess the biotechnological potential of wild algal and cyanobacterial biomass as a renewable, sustainable natural resource. Structure of wild algal and cyanobacterial biomass, nutrients and other valuable biocomponents (pigments, lipids, phenolic compounds, cyanotoxins, etc.) in the biomass, biological activity of extracts will be analysed. The results will provide valuable information on the metabolic activity of aquatic organisms and their potential for use in biotechnology. They will contribute to the sustainable use of the country’s renewable bioresources and open up new opportunities to develop and expand the market for new bioproducts.