Sustainable life support for Martian and lunar exploration: genetic engineering and extra-terrestrial cultivation of edible cyanobacterium

Lead Research Organisation: University College London
Department Name: Cell and Developmental Biology

Abstract

A mission to Mars and the establishment of a base on the moon are envisaged in the next few decades. However, supplying all consumables, such as food, from Earth is impractical and prohibitively expensive. A major challenge is therefore the development of sustainable technologies for food production on spacecraft and within bases. The edible cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis has been proposed as one such foodstuff given its rapid growth, nutritional value and efficiency of CO2 conversion into biomass. This project will explore the potential of A. platensis and focus on: i) metabolic engineering to add essential nutrients and improve palatability; ii) design of a photobioreactor for efficient cultivation; iii) modelling of growth performance under mission conditions.

Publications

10 25 50

Studentship Projects

Project Reference Relationship Related To Start End Student Name
BB/M009513/1 30/09/2015 31/03/2024
1902653 Studentship BB/M009513/1 30/09/2017 30/01/2022 Lydia Mapstone
 
Description Company of Biologists Travel Fund.
Amount £350 (GBP)
Funding ID Company of Biologists Travel Fund 
Organisation Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) 
Sector Academic/University
Country Global
Start 04/2019 
End 07/2019