UMass Dartmouth, Republic of Iceland ink biotech research agreement

DARTMOUTH – The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and the Republic of Iceland recently formed a partnership to advance marine science and marine-related biotech research and commercialization.

The partnership, created in recognition of their mutual interest in sustainable marine-based economies, was announced Aug. 8 by UMass-Dartmouth.

“We see this as an opportunity to build a scientific and economic bridge between the SouthCoast of Massachusetts and Iceland, two communities with deep and historical ties to the ocean,” UMass Dartmouth Provost Mohammed Karim said in a statement. “This partnership offers a unique opportunity for our scientists and students to engage in exciting research and technology commercialization projects that will strengthen our regional economy and that of Iceland especially related to the development of new strategies to sustain the fishing industry.”

Iceland’s minister of industry and commerce, Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir, said the Icelandic fishing industry has evolved into a “thriving knowledge-based biotechnical industry where previous waste is now a valuable resource for new developments in several high-value disciplines.”
The increased cooperation with UMass, Árnadóttir said, “is a clear win-win” and “will open up new avenues of opportunities.”

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Iceland, according to UMass, has improved its marine economy by modernizing technology and maximizing use of every fish caught. The university cited the Iceland Ocean Cluster, which said the fishing industry has collaborated with other industries to utilize 95 percent of each cod caught. In addition to extracting cod liver oil, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals are manufactured using fish skin.

UMass Dartmouth researchers are working on related research projects, from new technology to manage fish stocks to biofuels and biodegradable plastics made from fish waste products.

The partnership is formalized in a memorandum of understanding signed by Árnadóttir and Karim. UMass Dartmouth and the Icelandic Ministry of Industries and Innovation will be responsible for implementing the memorandum.

The agreement stems from a March 2015 visit to UMass Dartmouth and New Bedford by U.S. Ambassador Robert Barber. In addition to promoting research partnerships, the agreement includes provisions for faculty and student exchange programs.

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