Case Study - Health Benefits of Seaweed
Sector: Healthcare
Research into the remarkable health benefits of alginate, an extract of seaweed, could help people lose weight and vastly improve their lives.
Newcastle University graduate student Matthew Wilcox has studied the capacity of alginate in seaweed to reduce fat uptake from food. He has even added it to bread in tests – with more people preferring the alginate bread.
Through a Collaborative Award in Science and Engineering (CASE) Studentship he was able to carry out PhD research on alginate with an industrial partner, Technostics, in Hull, as well as at the university.
A patent has been filed on his findings and he is planning to launch a business to commercialise an alginate-based product.
“It is very exciting,” said Matthew. “We have our first investor and I have an Enterprise Fellowship, funded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh and BBRSC. I am also getting entrepreneurship training through Strathclyde University.”
He is full of praise for the CASE Studentship support provided by research councils – in his instance the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
“CASE Studentships enable you to work with an industrial partner to develop your ideas for a doctorate, which at the same time will possibly lead on to commercialisation later,” he explained.
Matthew added that Newcastle Science City’s business creation team has helped with the early stages.
As he embarks on the entrepreneurship route Matthew must do a series of human tests on his proposed product before it goes on sale. There is no safety concern with the alginate, and the tests should justify the huge health claims it offers.
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