The Universidade Técnica do Atlântico (UTA), established in 2019, inherited its educational legacy from a group of institutions, particularly the Instituto de Engenharias e Ciências do Mar (ISCMAR) of the Universidade Técnica do Atlântico (UTA). This legacy includes a team of experts across various fields—from the maritime sector to engineering (electrical, civil, computer, and mechanical) and the biological sciences, including marine biology. Today, the Instituto de Engenharias e Ciências do Mar (ISECMAR) at UTA, which includes several departments, among them the Department of Earth and Life Sciences (DCT), is committed to advancing academic and applied research as well as technical and professional training, especially in areas related to marine sciences and engineering. Among other fields, UTA is investing efforts into developing research lines focused on aquaculture and plant biotechnology, leveraging the favorable climate for the cultivation of various algae of interest, and supported by the Cabo Verde Algae Bank (BACV - Banco de Algas de Cabo Verde).
UTA in ACUICONECTA: UTA will collaborate with other partners to develop pilot cultures of *Dunaliella* microalgae native to Cabo Verde, previously bioprospected and isolated by ITC (MACBIOBLUE; MAC/1.1b/086). Once transferred to Cabo Verde, these strains have undergone preliminary studies to identify the most promising candidates. These strains will now be the focus of further studies aimed at scaling up production and maximizing the nutritional value of the resulting biomass (A1.1). Also in Cabo Verde, an acclimatization trial will be conducted for *Dunaliella* using a culture medium containing brine from a local desalination plant, with the aim of utilizing this alternative water and nutrient source—turning waste into a resource—and improving the environmental footprint of the production process (A2.1). This will provide a relevant case study and testing platform to inform future management of *Dunaliella* and other microalgae production in European regions facing desertification, such as parts of the Canary Islands. Finally, the project will include training for UTA’s teaching and research staff in plant aquaculture production ("training of trainers"), ensuring that knowledge is transferred not only to students and trainees, but also to establish a stable and long-term exchange between specialized researchers from Cabo Verde and their European colleagues.
Go to the website of the Universidade Técnica do Atlântico (Cabo Verde)