EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND — MiAlgae, an ingredient manufacturer specializing in Omega 3 algae solutions, announced Sept. 18 the appointment of two foundation apprentices and three Ph.D. students to its research and development team.

Jason Talac and James Blakely, both students at secondary school Musselburgh Grammar, joined as foundation apprentices at the start of September, where they will work with MiAlgae’s R&D team for eight months.

James Blakely and Jason Talac, MiAlgae’s foundational apprentices, weighing product samples with R&D Technician Julia Franco-Lluch.

| Source: MiAlgae

“Scotland is bursting with young talent and, at MiAlgae, we recognize the importance of enabling our next generation of biotechnology leaders to gain the real-life experience needed to thrive in their careers,” said Jo Partridge, operations director at MiAlgae. “There are many routes into biotech and we’re championing apprenticeships alongside more traditional academic routes. Biotechnology will solve many of the challenges we face today, and so it’s been encouraging to see the high volume of enthusiastic applicants we have had for our placements — from students across Scotland and much further afield.”

According to MiAlgae, the addition of Charlotte Lee, Ph.D. student at the University of Stirling, as well as Ben Baker and Iseabail Farquhar, Ph.D. students from the University of Edinburgh School of Biological Sciences, in July have already contributed to the company’s R&D efforts. The three Ph.D. interns have played significant roles in process optimization, technology transfer, and identifying future applications for MiAlgae’s ingredient solutions.

MiAlgae is currently sponsoring Farquhar’s Ph.D. through the University of Edinburgh.

“MiAlgae’s sustainable approach supports a more circular economy, and we hope to reinforce our message with talented people who will continue to drive this change for years to come,” Partridge added. “We’re thrilled to welcome our new foundation apprentices to join our existing Ph.D. research interns as part of the R&D team.”

From left: Iseabail Farquhar, Charlotte Lee and Ben Baker, MiAlgae’s three Ph.D. interns, at the company’s offices in Edinburgh. 

| Source: MiAlgae

Lee is a tutor of Biological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Stirling.

“I’m incredibly passionate about marine ecosystems and reducing the pollution that can harm them,” Lee said. “It’s really exciting to be working with a company that is driving such positive change across the aquaculture industry, protecting wild fish and reducing waste in the process. During my internship, I’ve gained great insight and experience and I also hope to play a role in MiAlgae’s vision in the future.”

MiAlgae leverages liquid byproducts from the whisky industry to develop algae-based ingredients that are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, specifically for use in pet food formulations.

Read more news from pet food and treat industry suppliers.