The ocean is a vast, mysterious realm teeming with life but hidden within its depths lies a treasure trove of untapped potential. It is an ecosystem that could provide novel ways to create industrial chemicals and feedstocks in a more sustainable way.
This is because the microbes that thrive in the deep blue have evolved remarkable capabilities and can produce a diverse array of natural compounds that could revolutionize the chemical industry.
Understanding this, two young students from the University of Florida have founded a start-up dedicated to unlocking the power of these oceanic microbes. In doing so, they have developed a suite of ‘blue chemicals’ - sustainable, eco-friendly industrial compounds inspired by the very building blocks of marine life.
“Nature is innovative and inspiring,” says Monica Schul, the company’s Chief Scientific Officer. Explaining how they used that inspiration, “… to harness the power of marine microbes to make an impact in the chemical industry for the better. We still have a long way to go, but we are motivated by the passion and support for our company and the need for more sustainable chemical alternatives.”
From vibrant pigments to cutting-edge pharmaceuticals, their work is transforming the way we think about chemistry, harnessing the ocean's incredible biodiversity to create a brighter, more sustainable future.
Their start-up is Cordelia Biosciences, a company with a stated goal to emphasise the importance of chemistry in protecting the environment. It is a business founded on biomimetics, the study of biological and natural processes to resolve human problems. This it does largely by looking at how marine microbes can be used to develop a range of pure blue chemicals.
The word ‘blue’ describes their market, which is focused on things derived from the water – and is a cute spin on the idea of ‘green’ chemistry.
As the university press release reports, “Jessica [Nielsen, the company’s CEO] founded the company in 2019 as a biomimicry consulting firm. She intended to teach other chemical companies how to tap into the power of nature to create sustainable solutions. However, when Monica Schul joined the company as co-founder and chief science officer in December 2022, the team realized their idea was bigger than consulting. Monica’s scientific expertise and Jessica’s industry experience empowered the company to pivot. They would be a chemical innovation firm with a focus on creating sustainable chemical technologies.”
Both are quick to speak on the importance of two young entrepreneurs teaming up with more business experienced university alumni.
“Business executives and scientists both contribute to biotechnology companies like ours,” says Monica. “We have learned that both sets of expertise are necessary and important for success.”
Alongside that experience has been the university’s support program and the access it provides to research equipment.
“UF Innovate has been catalytic for matching us with mentors who had similar experiences,” says Monica. “It also is providing an office, lab space, and access to over $1.7 million in scientific equipment.”
“Before accelerators and incubators like UF Innovate existed, testing our idea would have been a multimillion-dollar investment,” adds Jessica. “Being in UF Innovate has allowed us to hit the ground running. It helped us to overcome some of the biggest hurdles in starting a biotech company.”
Another major supporter of the start-up has been Dr Julie Meyer, an assistant professor of microbial ecology and bioinformatics and the students’ business mentor.
“Effective communication is leadership and at UF, we are building leaders,” she notes. “Whether talking about the impact of their scientific results or their business ideas, Jessica and Monica are becoming thought leaders in blue biotech.”
“By learning to communicate the value of the science and our research, we were able to fine tune the ‘business side’ of Cordelia,” says Jessica. “This is catapulting our business to new heights.”
Overriding all of this is the sense of changing industry’s perception of how raw materials can be sourced and manufactured.
For too long, the term ‘chemical’ has frequently used to characterise a product as ‘unnatural’ or ‘toxic’. Jessica and Monica are trying to dispel that belief by looking at how natural compounds can be developed and extracted straight from marine bacteria.
Their main focus is on using coral reef bacteria to produce chemicals with the ultimate objective of bringing original and environmentally friendly chemicals to the personal care and cosmetics industry.
The introduction of ‘blue chemistry’ to manufacturing.
Photo credit: Deviantart, Flickr, Pickpik, & Wikimedia
