Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic director focused on measurable results and operational excellence in maritime education. Integrates IMO/STCW regulations and ISO 21001/9001 f
Masters · 1500 h · 11 modules
Master's in Blue Biotechnology and Marine Bioprospecting
Prepares you to discover marine biodiversity and turn it into useful products for health, food, cosmetics and industry. You will learn how bioprospecting campaigns are designed, how marine microorganisms and algae are cultured…
Duration1500 h
FormatOnline
Starts23 November
Places20 / 20
Prior knowledge
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Programme overview
What is the Master’s in Blue Biotechnology and Marine Bioprospecting?
The Master's in Blue Biotechnology and Marine Bioprospecting
Prepares you to discover marine biodiversity and turn it into useful products for health, food, cosmetics and industry. You will learn how bioprospecting campaigns are designed, how marine microorganisms and algae are cultured, how bioactive compounds are identified and how bioprocesses are scaled up, always within the legal framework for access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing, and with a clear view of the market and technology transfer.
Key advantages
- From sea to lab: You cover the whole chain: sampling, culture, screening, production and market.
- Multidisciplinary approach: Biology, chemistry, genomics, bioprocess engineering and regulation.
- Up-to-date tools: Metagenomics, high-throughput screening and applied bioinformatics.
- A clear legal framework: The Nagoya Protocol, UNCLOS and the BBNJ Agreement on the high seas.
- Your own project: You design a bioprospecting project with a specific application.
Programme type
Master's Degree
Study mode
Online
Duration
1,500 hours
Modules
11
Programme highlights
- Explore biodiversity: Discover the potential of marine microorganisms, algae and invertebrates.
- Find molecules: Apply screening and characterisation techniques to compounds.
- Scale up production: Design sustainable bioprocesses and cultures.
- Stay compliant: Manage access to genetic resources and intellectual property.
- Boost your career: Open doors to biotech companies, research centres and start-ups.
- Train to turn the ocean’s biodiversity into responsible innovation.
Curriculum
Programme Structure
The programme is structured in 11 modules, listed below in order of study.
01
Fundamentals of Blue Biotechnology
- Concept and scope of blue biotechnology
- Marine biodiversity as a resource
- Blue bioeconomy value chains
- Application sectors
- Marine products on the market
- Public and private stakeholders
- Blue bioeconomy strategies
- Scientific and technological challenges
- Sustainability and ethics
- Sector trends
02
Biodiversity and Ecology of Marine Environments
- Coastal and intertidal environments
- Reefs and rocky seabeds
- The open ocean and plankton
- Polar environments
- Hydrothermal vents and cold seeps
- Deep-sea sediments
- Symbiosis and holobionts
- Marine chemical ecology
- Extremophile organisms
- Under-explored biodiversity
03
Designing Bioprospecting Campaigns
- Search goals and strategies
- Selecting sites and organisms
- Intertidal sampling and scientific diving
- Sampling with ROVs and dredges
- Sample preservation and transport
- Metadata and traceability
- Sampling permits
- Environmental impact of sampling
- Safety during fieldwork
- Logistics planning
04
Microbiology and Culture of Marine Organisms
- Marine microbial diversity
- Isolating marine bacteria and fungi
- Marine culture media
- Unculturable microorganisms
- Microalgae culture
- Cyanobacteria culture
- Invertebrate and tissue culture
- Strain preservation
- Culture collections
- Microbiological quality control
05
Genomics and Metagenomics for Bioprospecting
- Sequencing marine genomes
- Functional metagenomics
- Genome mining
- Biosynthetic gene clusters
- Transcriptomics and proteomics
- Sequence databases
- Bioinformatics tools
- Heterologous expression
- Applied synthetic biology
- Managing genetic data
06
Marine Natural Products Chemistry
- Classes of marine metabolites
- Extraction techniques
- Chromatographic fractionation
- Mass spectrometry
- Nuclear magnetic resonance
- Structure elucidation
- Dereplication
- Synthesis and semi-synthesis
- Compound libraries
- Compound stability
07
Bioactivity Screening
- Designing screening assays
- Antimicrobial activity
- Antitumour activity
- Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity
- Enzymatic activity
- High-throughput screening
- Cell-based models
- Validating results
- Mechanism of action
- Preliminary toxicity
08
Bioprocessing and Scale-Up
- Bioprocess fundamentals
- Bioreactors and photobioreactors
- Culture optimisation
- Fermentation of marine microorganisms
- Separation and purification processes
- Scaling up from lab to pilot plant
- Algal biorefineries
- Process control
- Techno-economic analysis
- Life cycle assessment
09
Applications of Blue Biotechnology
- Marine-derived drugs
- Nutraceuticals and functional foods
- Cosmetics and dermocosmetics
- Industrial enzymes
- Biomaterials and biopolymers
- Bioplastics
- Biofuels and bioenergy
- Bioremediation
- Aquaculture feeds
- Biosensors and diagnostics
10
Legal Framework, Intellectual Property and Market
- UNCLOS and marine genetic resources
- The Nagoya Protocol
- The BBNJ Agreement on the high seas
- Fair benefit-sharing
- Patenting biological inventions
- Regulation of health and food products
- Project funding
- Building start-ups
- Technology transfer
- Business models
11
Master's Final Project: Marine Bioprospecting Project
- Defining the target application
- State-of-the-art review
- Selecting organisms and sites
- Sampling plan
- Culture and extraction strategy
- Screening plan
- Scale-up proposal
- Legal and IP analysis
- Business plan and viability
- Defence before a panel
Workload
Study Time and Workload
1500 hours of study, online and at your own pace. Move the slider to the hours a week you can really put in.
Hours a week8
Weeks to finish—
You finish around—
Who it is for
Graduates in biology, marine science, biochemistry or biotechnology: who want to specialise in marine resources Chemists, pharmacists and chemical engineers: looking for new sources of compounds Food, cosmetics or pharmaceutical industry staff: interested in marine-derived ingredients Entrepreneurs and innovation managers: who want to build blue biotech projects Researchers and lecturers:
Faculty
Academic direction and faculty
The teaching team at Navalis: working professionals who deliver and oversee the institute's programmes.
Eng. Diego Cifuentes
Cap. Javier Abaroa (MCA)
Dr. Pau Ferrer
Dr. Nuria Llobregat
Eng. Javier Bañuls
Eng. Sofía Marquina
Eng. Tomás Riera
Verified reviews
Student Reviews
Reviews collected and verified by Opynio, not written by us.
Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
- 01Understand blue biotechnology
- 02Plan bioprospecting
- 03Culture marine organisms
- 04Identify bioactive compounds
- 05Scale up bioprocesses
- 06Manage the legal framework and market
Careers
Career Opportunities
01Marine biotechnology researcher: Research centres, universities and companies.
02Bioprospecting specialist: Planning sampling and managing collections.
03Bioprocess specialist: Production from microorganisms and algae.
04R&D scientist in marine ingredients: Food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.
05Technology transfer manager: Patents, licences and access agreements.
06Blue biotech entrepreneur: Founding and running start-ups.
Questions
Entry Requirements
A basic science background is recommended, but the programme explains each technique from first principles.
Yes. You study UNCLOS, the Nagoya Protocol and the BBNJ Agreement, and how to apply them in a real project.
No. It also covers food, cosmetics, enzymes, biomaterials, energy and the environment.
Yes. You work with sequence databases and genome mining tools.
A complete bioprospecting project, from sampling to business plan, for a specific application.
100% online, with a virtual campus available 24/7, live sessions that are recorded, and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The programme involves 1500 hours of study. You can work at your own pace within the timetable we give you when you enrol.
Each programme has its own start date, shown on this page and confirmed by our admissions team when you enquire.
On completing the programme you receive the Master's in Blue Biotechnology and Marine Bioprospecting qualification awarded by Navalis Magna Institute.
Online admissions
Admissions Process
No waiting for a phone call. If your documents are complete, you can pay in the same session.
Entry requirements
Academic/professional profile: A degree in biology, marine science, biochemistry, biotechnology, chemistry, pharmacy, chemical engineering or a related field; or proven professional experience in the biotech sector. Language: A good working level of English to follow classes and materials. Technical requirements: A computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a webcam for live sessions and project presentations. Admissions process: Online application, profile review and a short interview with the academic team. We confirm your start date when you enquire.
Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
Leave your details and admissions will write back. If you already know this is the one, go straight to the application and pay in the same session.