MBCOI has established partnerships with key international organizations to foster partnerships with NC and facilitate the development of marine bioresources.
- The BioMarine International Clusters Association (BICA) facilitates innovation and the sustainable utilization of marine bioresources and biotechnologies. As an associate member, MBCOI provides a conduit for the global exchange of ideas, perspectives, and collaboration on a range of projects and programs stemming from North Carolina’s efforts. MBCOI will focus on promoting international business opportunities and partnerships between NC stakeholders and the BICA network of marine bio-clusters to foster economic development.
- Centre de Recherche sur les Biotechnologies Marines (CRBM), Quebec, Canada. CRMB is a partnership between the Cancer Association of Eastern Quebec (CDNA), the University of Quebec at Rimouski and its Institute of Marine Science (UQAR/ISMER) Rimouski and major industrial players and socioeconomic maritime Quebec, including Canada economic Development, the Ministry of higher Education, Research, Science and Technology of Quebec, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Quebec and the City of Rimouski. MBCOI and CRBM formed a partnership to help develop aquaculture and other areas of marine biotechnology.
- Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre (Shannon ABC H2020), Ireland, is a commercially focused, state of the art, research center. It evolved from a merger between the Natural Products Research Centre (NPRC) based at the Institute of Technology, Tralee, Ireland and the Nutraceuticals Research Centre (NRC) at the Limerick Institute of Technology, Ireland. Shannon ABC brings together a multidisciplinary team of researchers with commercial specialists to explore natural products for novel bioactive substances of value to the Healthcare, Forensic, Pharmaceutical, Food, Cosmetics, Agricultural, Environmental and Bio-Energy Industry. MBCOI was recently appointed as an advisor to represent US interests in marine biotech, and smart algae integrated bio refineries.
- Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centres (iBioIC), Scotland. Industrial biotechnology is an enabling technology that uses biological substances, systems and processes to produce materials, chemicals and energy. With a critical demand for products and processes that utilise feedstocks other than the diminishing and climate altering petrochemical resources, industries are increasingly looking to opt to bio-based routes to enable the manufacture of products with a potentially reduced carbon footprint; improved recyclability; better use of sustainable raw materials; and reduced reliance on heavy and precious metals as catalysts. MBCOI is a new member of the iBioIC cluster, one of eight Centre’s funded by the Scottish Funding Council and supported by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.