Boğaziçi University’s Istanbul Microalgae Biotechnology R&D Unit (IMBIYOTAB) has launched a strategic collaboration with French biotech company Immunrise Biocontrol to develop next-generation, microalgae-based biopesticides.
The project aims to provide an environmentally friendly and highly effective solution against downy mildew, a disease that causes significant economic losses in crops such as grapes, tomatoes and potatoes worldwide, the university said in a statement.
Through the university’s Technology Transfer Office, IMBIYOTAB and the French company are accelerating R&D of biopesticides derived from the brown marine microalgae species Amphidinium. Product development and pilot-scale research are being conducted at an advanced microalgae biorefinery at Boğaziçi University’s Sarıtepe Campus. The facility was established under the INDEPENDENT Project, supported by the European Union and the Republic of Türkiye, which focuses on integrated biorefinery concepts for bioeconomy-oriented development.
The project is designed to deliver agricultural solutions both domestically and internationally. The biopesticides are produced using a hybrid cultivation system to maximize yield and the effectiveness of target bioactive molecules. Microalgae are grown under a precise combination of natural light and artificial LED illumination, while advanced analytical equipment monitors the processes in real time to ensure products meet commercial agriculture quality standards.
Assoc. Prof. Berat Haznedaroğlu, the project lead, said the team is applying its expertise in microalgae biotechnology to develop sustainable agricultural solutions. “This collaboration will allow us to provide farmers with an effective way to fight downy mildew without relying on synthetic chemicals. In doing so, we protect crops and help build a healthier ecosystem for future generations,” he said.
