The British Phycological Society (BPS). Phycology is the study of algae. The BPS is for understanding and using algae.

🧭 Our Mission

This exhibit explores the mostly untapped potential of seaweed (macroalgae) and microalgae – from sustainable plastics to natural pigments and biotechnology. Our goal is to inspire the next generation of scientists, growers, and makers by showing how nature can help us build a cleaner, greener future.

Whilst humans have used algae for thousands of years, we think we are still only scratching the surface of what is possible. We want to enthuse and inform you as to the AlgalFutures that we think are possible, and which you might imagine.

👥 Meet the Team

Luke Barnett – PhD Student, Bioplastics Lead

Luke is a final-year PhD researcher at Aberystwyth University, where he’s developing biodegradable, antimicrobial plastic films made from seaweed. His work focuses on creating sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics, with the goal of reducing waste in the food packaging industry.

Luke has a background in microbiology and materials science, and a deep interest in turning natural materials into smart, eco-friendly solutions. For this exhibition, he’s leading the seaweed bioplastics activity and design.

Fun fact: Luke has presented his work on seaweed plastics at the Natural History Museum and the International Seaweed Symposium!

Dan Franklin – Associate Professor

Dan is a marine ecologist by training who has recently been working on the management and use of seaweed “green tides” in the English channel region. Green tides are mostly composed of the seaweed Ulva – aka “sea lettuce” – which are, globally, the most common “blooming” seaweed. Dan also has interests in the management of “blue-green algae” (better called cyanobacteria) which also form blooms, but in their case in freshwaters – lakes and reservoirs. Dan’s work focuses on the better management of blooms, and in looking for opportunities and new ways of working with algae.

Fun fact: Dan loves eating seaweed. Especially fresh Ulva!

Ellis O’Neill – Assistant Professor

Ellis works at the biology-chemistry interface in the BioDiscovery Institute at the University of Nottingham. His work is looking at the algae Euglena gracilis, frequently seen in ponds and puddles in the UK. Ellis’ team is looking at the high value products they produce, such as nutraceuticals or antimicrobials and working on genetic engineering to increase production of these compounds.

Fun Fact – Ellis is travelling to Japan in July to meet other researchers and try some of the Euglena based foods they make

Jessica Adams – Senior Research Scientist

Jessica is interested in what seaweeds are made of, how this changes through the year and how to extract these compounds from each other. She works in a number of seaweed application areas including bioplastics, seaweed extracts as dietary supplements and as soil additives to help plants grow.

She often works with seaweed companies including those looking to trial processes at scale, using her research group’s pilot-scale biorefinery. This is a set of tanks, pumps, centrifuges and filters which can give large quantities of fractionated material alongside industrially-relevant data.

Saul Purton – Professor of Algal Biotechnology

Professor at University College London, using synthetic biology approaches to engineer single-cell algae as light-powered cell factories or as simple test-beds for future genetic improvements of crop plants. A major goal of Saul’s work is to use edible algae for low-cost, sustainable production and oral delivery of protective therapeutics for the livestock and aquaculture industries.
Fun fact: Saul is working with geneticists interested in how tardigrades (“water bears”) are able to tolerate remarkable extremes of temperature, pressure and radiation. Engineered algae are being fed to tardigrades in order to switch off key genes though to be important in tolerance.

📅 Where to find us at the Exhibition

📅 1–6 July 2025
📍 The Royal Society – 6–9 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AG
🧪 Our stand is in the Wellcome Trust Lecture Hall

🌐 Social Media

Instagram – @BritishPhycologicalSociety

Bluesky – @bps-algae.bsky.social

🏆 Acknowledgements

Website development: Leonardo Cherin