Marine Biotechnology (MB) was identified by the EU Blue Growth Strategy (2012) as an enabling activity of high potential for the bioeconomy of Europe. Many products from marine biotechnology are already used in global markets for food and feed, cosmetics, aquaculture, agriculture, chemistry and pharmacology. Nevertheless, the potential for new products development is huge since marine biodiversity and in special, the marine microbiome, is far from being known and exploited.

For that purpose, the aspects of Bioengineering – bioprocesses, synthetic biology, green chemistry and bioinformatics – are fundamental. BlueBio4Future aims to enhance CIIMAR research excellence in MB area, in special Bioengineering, contributing to increase attractiveness for outstanding researchers and to establish a long-term impact at regional, national and European levels. The ERA Chair holder will establish a high-performing team in MB at CIIMAR, contributing to increase the knowledge and competitiveness of CIIMAR in the area of MB. This will be done by attracting funds at national and international level, by the supervision of MSc and PhD students, producing high-ranked research outputs, protecting intellectual property and transferring knowledge to stakeholders and contributing to increase literacy in MB. In order to produce structural changes at CIIMAR in the area of MB, there is a need to attract outstanding researchers in the field of Bioengineering that could implement the framework for strengthening a long-term research and innovation enabling environment in the area of MB. The establishment of the ERA CHAIR BlueBio4Future will increase the levels of the research activity in the area of bioengineering in CIIMAR, enhance the capability of the CIIMAR to succeed in competitive research funding, contribute to RIS3 strategies and increased interaction with main actors of the innovation ecosystem and will promote institutional changes to comply with ERA priorities.