Sargassum microbes to drive new science hub

The discovery of three microbial strains in sargassum could help Barbados secure new intellectual property, expand scientific research and turn marine resources into high-value commercial products, Science and Technology Minister Jonathan Reid has said.

The groundbreaking find by UWI researcher Dr Bidyut Mohapatra represents a transformative leap forward for Barbadian innovation, biotechnology and commercial manufacturing and forms part of a wider effort to become a regional centre for technological and biological research, he said.

Reid told Barbados TODAY that the government was taking steps to secure the intellectual property rights. “To Dr Mohapatra’s credit, that’s exactly what he wanted,” he said. “He named them after Barbados, and he wanted to patent them here, and that’s part of his dream. So we are assisting with the facilitation of that through the Attorney General’s office.”

Beyond securing the patents, the government is working on long-term plans to retain research talent and strengthen scientific capabilities, Reid said.

He added: “We are discussing with him an opportunity to extend his research in a more formalised role with some of the government entities… we want to reward the extraordinary work and discovery that he has done [by] continuing to do more work with him.”

Work is advancing at several locations to create the infrastructure needed for scientific innovation, the minister said.

“We’re significantly advancing our plans of developing Barbados as a scientific hub with what we’re doing at Newton and what we’re doing at other projects, some of which are fully on stream in terms of the work we’re doing at Greenland in terms of establishing that as a scientific park. Having world-class scientists doing incredible work from Barbados is part of our strategy anyway.”

Creating an environment for high-level scientific work would help retain international experts while inspiring the next generation of Barbadian innovators, Reid suggested.

“If people on their own volition came here, did incredible work from here, are invested heavily into the development of this country, we want to work with them as much as possible to celebrate and encourage that work.

“Also, we want to use it as inspiration for young Barbadians who are interested in science, whether it’s oceanographic science or atmospheric conditions or geology… with AI, there’s more potential to do more incredible scientific work from Barbados.”

While acknowledging that international patent applications take time, Reid reassured the public that the process is moving forward.

“Work around patents takes its time. It’s obviously a legal process, and there are multiple components of that work that are in stream, but we are actively working on it.”

The commercial implications of the discovery could change how Barbados uses its marine environment. Although the country is often viewed as a 166-square-mile landmass, its jurisdiction covers 45 000 square miles of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), including ocean, seabed and atmospheric resources.

This area contains marine microbes, minerals and other natural resources that have yet to be converted into economic value, the innovation minister noted.

The government’s goal is to create a legal, financial and industrial framework that can turn scientific discoveries into high-value commercial goods, he added.

“His discovery, I think, will set off a chain of how we rethink the conversion and the relationship between scientific discovery and industry in our context. 

“Part of the process of doing that is setting up manufacturing capabilities from Barbados. We need to become a space where we create, develop new, interesting, and important knowledge from and convert that knowledge into commercial activities.”

To support advanced manufacturing, Barbados is expanding its international partnerships and preparing to bring in additional life sciences firms. Through an alliance with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the island is working to establish itself as a hub for advanced manufacturing designed for small island developing states.

Reid said the public can expect significant updates in the coming months on integrating laboratory technologies and robotics into domestic production processes.

Using these tools, he said, Barbados aims to turn naturally occurring resources — including the sargassum-derived microbes — into commercial products for international markets, showing how marine challenges can contribute to new industries. 

(RR)