Excited to share our latest publication on genetic transformation in Nannochloropsis and Microchloropsis!🦠 We demonstrate a robust sulfadiazine-based selection system enabling efficient transformation with minimal background growth in these important algal model species. shorturl.at/BGdov

Sulfadiazine selection enables high‐efficiency transformation in <fi>Nannochloropsis</fi> and <fi>Microchloropsis</fi>

Genetic engineering in the marine eustigmatophytes Nannochloropsis and Microchloropsis is constrained by intrinsic antibiotic resistance and reduced marker efficacy at high salinity. We show that mit....

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

@oeaw.bsky.social is searching for the next #director of @gmivienna.bsky.social ‼️It’s a huge opportunity to shape the future of #plantscience oeawnr.onlyfy.jobs/de/job/u3g5t...

Scientific Director (f/m/x)

OeAW - Discovering the futureThe Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology (GMI), part of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW), is seeking to appoint a visionary Scientific Director to lea

oeawnr.onlyfy.jobs

Together with many members of the broader community working on the fascinating Cyanidiophyceae (polyextremophilic ancient red algae), I'm happy to share our Tansley Review in @newphyt.bsky.social nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

We’re on the Trends in Biotech Cover with Joanna’s amazing illustration!

Joana C. Carvalho@joanagcc.bsky.social · 6mo ago

More editorial work out in Trends in Biotechnology! Illustrating new research examining the metabolic dynamics of Galdieria algae. Read it here: www.cell.com/issue/S0167-... Thanks to @kylelauersen.bsky.social, for the always positive and continued collaboration!

More editorial work out in Trends in Biotechnology! Illustrating new research examining the metabolic dynamics of Galdieria algae. Read it here: www.cell.com/issue/S0167-... Thanks to @kylelauersen.bsky.social, for the always positive and continued collaboration!

We got the cover of @cp-trendsbiotech.bsky.social ! www.cell.com/issue/S0167-...

🚨Opportunity Alert: ASPB wants to share and fund your plant curriculum materials! Receive up to $8500 to create and disseminate classroom activities & labs that support teaching the Principles for Teaching Plant Biology.🌱 👉 Learn more and apply by April 24: buff.ly/21u2H27! #PlantScience

New Preprint from our Lab! Kaian and Gordon, using data from RaderLab and bioreactor support from Barbara, show it doesn’t matter where the gene goes, it’s all the same to Cyanidioscyzon merolae www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Today in Arab News, How KAUST is transforming waste into wealth by Haifa Alshammari. www.arabnews.com/node/2628729...

How KAUST is transforming waste into wealth

RIYADH: Turning food waste into a valuable industrial product may sound improbable, but scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology are proving it is possible — using algae that h...

arabnews.com

Lots of updates to our lab website. It has been a busy year for the Sustainable & Synthetic Biotechnology Group! ssb.kaust.edu.sa

wastemanagementreview.com.au/scientists-u...

Scientists use algae to convert food waste into sustainable ingredients  - Waste Management Review

Scientists have found a way to transform chocolate factory waste and carbon dioxide into sustainable ingredients.

wastemanagementreview.com.au

Algae and the Chocolate Factory. Great writeup by KAUST Discovery! discovery.kaust.edu.sa/en/article/2...

Algae and the chocolate factory

Ancient algae turn chocolate factory waste and other organic matter into valuable bio-based products, supporting a sustainable circular bioeconomy.

discovery.kaust.edu.sa

Made it to Arab News headlines today: arab.news/g39dc Galdieria blue from chocolate and CO2!

KAUST scientists convert food waste into sustainable ingredients using algae

JEDDAH: Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology have discovered a new use for an ancient organism, converting chocolate factory waste into C-phycocyanin, a valuable blue pigm...

arab.news

This is my kind of 🔵BLUE SKY🔵 thinking! This was painted by PhD student Mauricio Masson who also helped develop the natural blue pigment. It’s made by microalgae grown on upcycled chocolate waste. + credit @kylelauersen.bsky.social for leading this wildly interesting waste-to-value algae project!

Scientists use algae to convert food waste into sustainable ingredients www.kaust.edu.sa/en/news/scie...

Online now: Elevated carbon dioxide stimulates efficient organic carbon consumption for the unicellular alga Galdieria

Elevated carbon dioxide stimulates efficient organic carbon consumption for the unicellular alga Galdieria

Contrary to standard fermentation, elevated CO2 triggers efficient organic-carbon consumption in Galdieria during heterotrophy, enabling high-yield biomass and timing C-phycocyanin accumulation. Stable-isotope analysis revealed CO2 as a metabolic trigger, rather than a carbon source, but illumination can enable mixotrophic carbon consumption and increased substrate to biomass ratios.

dlvr.it

Congratulations to new Dr. Melany Villegas from our lab. Foundational to our work on Cyanidioschizon merolae engineering. looking for a great biotechnologist, reach out to Melany!

‼️🚨🗓️ CONTAMCALENDAR 2026 🗓️🚨‼️ Excited to say the ContamCalendar is back for its fifth edition! We’ve created a fresh new design, folding out for an A3 monthly spread. It’s our best yet, we hope you’ll love it 🗓️🦠🧫🍄 Get yours here ➡️ www.contam.club ⬅️

Publication 📰 of former PhD student Malak's final thesis chapter. Investigating terpene synthase subcellular localization in Chlamydomonas🦠. Squalene k.d. does not affect plastid yields & membrane bioreactor high density cultivation on CO2. New Biotechnology. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Congratulations to our PhD Student Melany Villegas-Valencia, who defended last week. Her work was foundational to our engineering efforts in Cyanidioschyzon merolae.

Pretty pink algae

Kyle J. Lauersen@kylelauersen.bsky.social · 9mo ago

We have a new Porphyridium, can you tell which reactor?

We have a new Porphyridium, can you tell which reactor?

🚨📰New paper from the SSB Group, out in Algal Research! Razan, Gordon, & Sebastian engineered Chlamydomonas 🦠 to make isoprene - then, used 20 parallel bioreactors 💡🧪 coupled to multi-port headspace analysis (HidenAnalytical) to optimize it! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Today, we had the honor of hosting Prof. Sotirios Kampranis from U Copenhagen in the weekly KAUST_BESE student seminar. We heard about biotechnological production of flavors and fragrances as well as Taxol biosynthesis. @clairesale.bsky.social

📣 Are you a creative and articulate plant scientist looking to connect with other like-minded folks? Application is now open for the 2025-2026 Plantae Fellows program!🌱 👉 Learn more and apply by August 31! buff.ly/JqoDSHq #plantscience

I have never heard of this meeting before. Maybe 4-years from now, I’ll be able to attend. Such a rare event seems like it needs more publicity.

Plantae.org@plantaeofficial.bsky.social · last yr.

📅New #PlantSciEvents Event Added: The 11th International Symposium on Inorganic Carbon Utilization by Aquatic Photosynthetic Organisms (CCM11) 👉 buff.ly/jWqcD6B \ #PlantScience

Did you know that the red alga Galdieria secretes coproporphyrin IX under certain conditions?

Welcoming @anne-steensma.bsky.social‬ to KAUST from @msudoeplantlab.bsky.social Anne will be with us for 6 months working on Cyanidioschizon merolae engineering.

In less than two weeks it will be time for #AlgalBBB in Phoenix! Looking forward to seeing all of you there and proud that @ASU_AzCATI will have a tour of its facilities. Happy to represent @KAUST_BESE. www.elsevier.com/events/confe...

New #preprint. CO2 stimulates Galdieria to eat organic carbon, even in the dark. Stable isotope applied to algal biotech & 🍫chocolate conversion to algal biomass 🦠 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...