Pukyong National University Resumes Operation of Korea's Only Marine Microalgae Bank

Operation of the "Marine Phytoplankton Resource Deposit Registration and Preservation Institution" Resumes After 10 Years

National Pukyong National University (President Bae Sanghoon) has relaunched the country's only "Marine Microalgae Bank" after 10 years, strengthening its position as a support institution for the marine bioindustry.

Pukyong National University has taken over the "Marine Phytoplankton Resource Deposit Registration and Preservation Institution" (Director: Professor Shin Hyeonho) from the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) and began full-scale operations in March.

Marine Plant Plankton Resource Deposit Registration Preservation Institution Cultivation Room. Provided by National Pukyong University

The Deposit Registration and Preservation Institution is a project in which the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries designates and supports outstanding research institutions to secure sovereignty over Korea's marine biological resources.

Marine phytoplankton are composed of various physiologically active substances such as carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, and possess the ability to fix carbon dioxide and purify water. As such, they are valuable biological resources that can be utilized in a wide range of fields, including solving environmental problems, producing biofuels, and developing pharmaceutical materials.

Pukyong National University operated the "Marine Microalgae Bank," the predecessor of the "Marine Phytoplankton Resource Deposit Registration and Preservation Institution," from 1995 to 2015. During this period, it contributed to national R&D projects and the activation of the marine bioindustry by distributing resources about 200 times annually to domestic and international research institutes, industries, and educational institutions.

Afterwards, due to the retirement of the person in charge, the institution was transferred to KIOST, a specialized marine research organization. However, with the appointment of Professor Shin Hyeonho, an expert in the field of microalgae, to the Department of Aquaculture Applied Life Science at Pukyong National University last year, the transfer process was promoted, enabling the bank to be relaunched.

The "Marine Phytoplankton Resource Deposit Registration and Preservation Institution" is equipped with specialized culture rooms and analytical equipment and is located on the 7th floor of Hanmir Hall at Pukyong National University. It currently holds over 500 species (about 1,900 culture strains) of marine phytoplankton.

Professor Shin Hyeonho said, "We have also established a resource search system linked to the Marine Biological Resource Information System (MBRIS) operated by the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, and after security inspections, it will be made public in April. We will do our best to ensure that domestic researchers can easily obtain marine phytoplankton resources for research and that these resources can be utilized in related industries."

Professor Hyunho Shin, Pukyong National University.

Professor Shin Hyeonho is an expert in the classification, physiology, ecology, and application research of marine phytoplankton, having published more than 50 SCI-level papers over the past 10 years. In particular, he has contributed to raising awareness of Korean regions in the domestic and international academic community by naming new phytoplankton species discovered in Korean waters after Korean place names (such as Jejudo, Geomundo, Tongyeong, Gunsan, etc.). Last year, he received the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Award for Outstanding Contribution to Marine Biological Resources.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.