AgResearch Limited Smart Ideas funded projects

Global participation in space exploration is increasing and long-duration missions are becoming a reality. Supporting human activity off-world, where resources are scarce, will require innovative ways to generate serviceable products from scratch. Our project will create bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), a versatile natural polymer for manufacturing, using only a symbiotic community of microorganisms powered by solar energy. BNC’s exceptional properties include strength, elasticity, water retention, gas exchange, and toxin filtration. Terrestrial industries are already making BNC at factory scale. The next frontier is sustainable production for space-based biofabrication.Our approach harnesses photosynthetic microalgae to feed the bacteria, enabling BNC production in a closed-loop system that reduces external inputs while producing bonus oxygen. Microbial systems are scalable and adaptable to the extremes of space. We will first demonstrate laboratory-scale BNC production on the ground and implement advanced measurement technologies to evaluate its characteristics. Then in collaboration with an experienced developer of minisatellites, we will grow the microbes and test the system in low Earth orbit, where the lack of gravity affects BNC microstructure and self-organisation. This may unlock entirely new properties of the material.The expert team includes AgResearch and Cawthron Institute, leaders in fermentation and microalgae technology, and orbital engineering specialists Odyssey SpaceWorks. This project will benefit New Zealand’s growing $1.7 billion space economy by merging commercial innovation with research for public good. Our work promises to spark the interest of future industries in space-based manufacturing and biotechnology, while also enhancing efficiency and functionality in terrestrial nano-polymer production.By pushing the boundaries of sustainable biofabrication, this research not only explores new frontiers but also paves the way for advancements in materials science, with far-reaching applications both in space and on Earth.

We are familiar with protein as something we eat, but in nature it is used for a diversity of hard, soft, and elastic structures. For example, cat claws, spider silk, our nails and our hair are all protein. What makes silk elastic or claws sharp lies in how proteins are ordered at both molecular and microscopic scales, and like nesting dolls, these materials contain hierarchical layers of order.   

Throughout history, humans have benefited from hierarchically ordered natural materials: think of wool, or leather, each with unique specific properties and uses.  However, artificially creating these protein-derived materials as they are found in nature is challenging. Mainly because manipulating the right layer of order during the formation of the materials to control useful properties has only been theoretical. 

In this Smart Idea project we aim to design a new generation of custom-made biomaterials inspired by the way that nature optimally organises proteins at a microscopic level as a material forms. Natural control of microscopic structure of protein materials allow us to make tailored biomaterials that are flexible, stiff or have gradients of effect, like in-built hinges. Products made this new way will be environmentally friendly and sustainable compared to the material they will replace (largely plastics). Not only are protein materials safely compostable (no microplastics) but they are also recyclable. Compared to other green alternatives, such as paper, products made from these next-generation materials will inherit the unique combinations of natural benefits brought by proteins, such as fire retardancy, breathability and odour absorption. Perhaps your future bike helmet or fire-proof compostable phone will be mostly made of protein.

Globally, fungi pose a significant threat to animal and plant species, causing 65% of pathogen-driven host losses. The estimated annual global economic burden of fungal crop diseases is ~US$200B, whereas in farm animals it is poorly reported globally. For instance, Pithomyces chartarum (Pc), the causal organism of Facial Eczema (FE), costs NZ$332M p.a. in NZ. Traditional agriculture heavily relies on chemical agents to combat fungal pathogens, but this approach harms the environment. Surprisingly, targeted non-chemical tools to combat fungal pathogens including Pc are scarce, unlike advances in plant-focused approaches.

Our research proposes employing RNAi technology to create environmentally friendly double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules targeting virulence genes in Pc. Further, we propose to develop a new real-time assay to enable Pc detection on-site/farm, enhancing forecasting and agricultural treatment. This scientific endeavour involves four key objectives: firstly, utilising a newly identified toxin gene cluster to engineer a 'trigger molecule' for Antifungal Spray-Induced Gene Silencing to deactivate Pc and its toxin. Secondly, harnessing the pathogens RNAi machinery to overcome barriers posed by its cell structures, ensuring efficient translocation while minimising off-target effects. Thirdly, devising practical methodologies for dsRNA formulation and delivery, utilising biodegradable carriers and facilitated by advanced bioinformatics. Additionally, we will establish an on-site, species-specific RNA/DNA-based assay to rapidly detect/forecast Pc.

This research will yield new knowledge, IP, and technologies that enhance animal production systems, promote chemical-free practices and improve animal welfare, whilst bolstering global confidence in NZ’s animal products. It will support the globally recognised team in developing RNAi therapeutics and technology platforms for emerging agricultural applications. The enhanced detection capabilities will substantially reduce costs and enhance existing Pc forecasting systems, thereby safeguarding NZ's pasture and farm animals.

We will reduce the environmental impact of dairy grazing NZ systems using a novel approach targeted to increase the efficiency of nitrogen delivery to plants. 

Our team's skills and infrastructure enable us to combine nanotechnology, engineering, environmental and agronomic evaluations to assess the effectiveness and direct impact of our proposal. We have considered the early involvement of stakeholders from the industry and policy decision makers to facilitate the pathways for delivery to end users.

While it’s an exciting time for cellular agriculture there are still major challenges to overcome. The biggest barriers are the cost of large-scale manufacture including the use of food-grade growth media, loss of cell lines due to biological contamination and high requirements for food safety testing. To date, no large-scale cost-effective technology is available to maintain sterility for cell-based protein manufacture nor an on-line monitoring system to detect changes in quality and safety.

Our research proposes to plasma activate cell cultures and/or media used during the manufacture of cell-based protein foods, thus removing any requirement for antibiotics to maintain sterility. Further, we will develop a real-time sterility monitoring system based on hyperspectral imaging and machine learning to rapidly identify microbes either directly or indirectly via changes in media composition associated with biological contamination. The science challenge will be to; (i) understand the cold plasma chemistry required to inactivate microbes while maintaining cell line integrity and (ii) unravel subtle changes in media composition during the initial stages of microbial growth within complex hyperspectral datasets. This will enable rapid detection and response to contamination in real-time.

The research will result in the development of new knowledge, IP, and technologies that can significantly enhance the sustainability, safety, and ethical appeal of emerging NZ cellular agricultural companies. Furthermore, the research will generate new insights into cold plasma chemistries that are essential for the inactivation of microbes, with potential applications in the food, veterinary, and health industries, where microbial disinfection is crucial. Additionally, the improved algorithms, digital data pipelines, and supporting languages for data processing, and modelling will have a significant impact on the adoption of hyperspectral imaging monitoring systems in diverse applications.

Methane produced by farmed animals is a major source of greenhouse gas and a leading contributor to global warming from human activity. In Aotearoa NZ, methane produced by farmed animals accounts for 86% of all greenhouse gas production from the agriculture sector. Methanogens that live in the rumen (stomach) of the livestock are responsible for methane production but are also vital to the animals’ digestion and nutrition. The development of a vaccine and/or chemical inhibitors to mitigate this methane production by methanogens in livestock is now a primary objective for scientists, industry, and the government in Aotearoa NZ. But lack of knowledge about the methanogen genes that are involved in methane production has hindered development of these tools. We will combine Machine Learning algorithms and CRISPR gene-editing technologies to identify the genes of rumen methanogens that are responsible for methane production. We will develop new Machine Learning algorithms to predict gene function in the rumen methanogens and develop a new way to deliver gene editing technology into methanogens in order to study the function of any key genes of interest. This information will provide much needed scientific knowledge on a novel set of effective vaccine or chemical inhibitor targets to mitigate methane production by rumen methanogens, thereby reducing methane emissions in ruminant animals such as cows and sheep. Collectively, these approaches will help in developing effective strategies to reduce methane emissions from ruminant livestock, enabling Aotearoa NZ to meet its greenhouse gas emissions targets, ensuring the agriculture sector retains social and environmental licence-to-operate and improving sustainable animal production in Aotearoa NZ.