Biotect Thailand partners with Sarawak Biodiversity Centre on study of algae for antimicrobial activity

KUCHING (July 13): A delegation from the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (Biotec) under Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development Agency recently conducted a three-day research visit to Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC) here.

In a statement, SBC said this partnership underscored the importance of international collaboration in advancing genomic research and addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR), while reaffirming both parties’ commitment to scientific excellence and global innovation.

Under this collaboration, Biotec would utilise their expertise in genomic screening technologies and bioinformatics tools, while SBC would provide algae genomes from its library.

“This joint effort could potentially uncover new therapeutics from over 600 species of algae in SBC’s library,” said SBC.

SBC chief executive officer Dato Dr Yeo Tiong Chia, in the statement, said the World Health Organisation (WHO) had identified antimicrobial resistance as one of the top global health challenges of the 21st century.

“The collaboration between SBC and Biotec is our response to a Global Action Plan that emphasises the critical need to effectively combat AMR.”

“Algae and other biological resources in Sarawak are naturally occurring in biodiversity that can be explored,” said Dr Yeo.

SBC said the Biotec-SBC researchers’ main focus was to find key nature-based solutions called antimicrobial peptides (AMP) which can be found in the genomes of algae collected in Sarawak.

This AMP would then be used to fight against bacteria that have acquired antibiotic resistance.

According to Biotec’s principal researcher cum assistant research group director Dr Apiradee Hongsthong, their artificial intelligence (AI) platform has enabled the discovery of bioactive peptides that can be sourced from Sarawak’s native microalgae.

“The algae have the potential to be a protein source for antimicrobial peptide production,” she said.

“During the first period of this partnership, we are looking forward to effectively utilise Sarawak’s microalgae to make new products to fight antibiotics resistant problems due to over or misuse of antibiotics,” she added.