Production of Bioactive Compounds
We are experts in the isolation, characterisation, cultivation and modification of bioactives.
Production of Bioactive Compounds
We are experts in the isolation, characterisation, cultivation and modification of bioactives.
Cawthron Institute scientists work closely with industry and academic partners to identify and valorise New Zealand bioactive compounds with the goal of adding value to our ocean economy. As such we can support the entire bioactives value chain, from initial discovery and characterisation, to pilot scale production and synthetic modification of leads.
Cultivation
Cawthron Institute are experts in the cultivation of algae and microalgae that support our bioactives research and development programmes. We use continuous, commercial-scale culturing systems to maximise micro-algal productivity. The scheduled construction of a new National Algae Research Centre at Cawthron Aquaculture Park in 2021 will further support our efforts to connect our bioactives R&D to commercial application.
Isolation
Cawthron Institute researchers are equipped to extract and fractionate organisms so that the pure compounds can be isolated using established or custom-made protocols, either at a small scale to produce analytical amounts, or on larger scales for scientific or commercial applications.
Characterisation
Characterisation is a critical step in understanding the composition, structure and purity of a bioactive compound. Cawthron Institute has state-of-the-art LC-MS facilities for characterisation and purity analysis of natural products, which combined with expertise in the structural elucidation of compounds, allow us to provide expert advice about the suitability of new bioactive compounds for use in new products and solutions.
Modification
Understanding the structure, purity and function of a natural compound is important, but being able to modify it to change how it functions is an extremely powerful tool in the development of applications that are efficient and safe. Cawthron Institute holds world-leading expertise in the semisynthetic modification of and functionalisation of bioactive natural compounds at laboratory or commercial scale to improve the function, versatility and safety of bioactives.
