International Research Collaboration and Scientific Publication – UNTAN and Université de Nantes

The GHaNA project (Genus Haslea, New marine resources for blue biotechnology and Aquaculture) is initiated and leaded by Prof. Jean-Luc MOUGET from Le Mans – France, under the EU Framework Program Horizon 2020, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (MSCA – RISE). This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program GHaNA, under grant agreement No. 734708/GHANA/H2020-MSCA-RISE-2016. This project involves 22 partners (academics and non-academics) in 13 countries including Indonesia under EU Consortium. The goals are to explore the diversity of marine diatom from the genus Haslea and its merennine (and marennine-like) pigment, for several applications such as in aquaculture, cosmetics and possibly food and health Industry.

Universitas Tanjungpura as one of the partner organizations has seconded lecturer and researcher from Marine Science Department (FMIPA) Ikha Safitri during 3 months from June – September 2017, in the laboratory of GEPEA (GEnie des Procédés Environnement – Agroalimentaire) Université de Nantes located in Saint Nazaire-France, with the supervisors Prof. Jérémy PRUVOST and Mrs. Vona MELEDER. Moreover, she worked together with doctoral student Rémi NGHIEM-XUAN.

During the secondment period, several experiments have been conducted. We cultivated the diatom Haslea ostrearia using the photobioreactors (PBRs) under the controlled conditions (light, temperature, pH, and photoperiod) to observe the cell growth and extracellular marennine (EMn) concentration. At the end of the tests, cells will be harvested, we will then use it for the determination of dry weights of biomass. Furthermore, in order to achieve the optimum algal growth rate and the production of marennine, we cultivated the cells with different culture medium. In addition, algal cells were grown using the sterilized flasks under different irradiances (50 – 400 μmol photons m^-2 s^-1), and the fluorescence method was then used to measure the capacity of cells to perform the photosynthesis process.

In this opportunity, I specially would like to express my sincere gratitude for the rector UNTAN Prof. Dr. H. Thamrin Usman, DEA who gave me full support. I could not have imagined having an incredible rector like him. Thus, my deepest gratitude for the Dean of FMIPA Dadan Kusnandar, Ph.D and head of Marine Science Department Nora Idiawati, M.Si. Thank you for believing in me and giving me the chance to realize this international research collaboration and scientific publication.

J’espère que cette collaboration scientifique se passe bien jusqu’à la fin et il y aura d’autre coopération dans la future. Bon courage pour nous tous et bonne chance !

With science, we have the power to change the world … (ikha)