Citizen participation type research utilizing crowdfunding "Minna no Midorimushi Project 2020" will start

Euglena Co., Ltd.

　Euglena Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President: Mitsuru Izumo, hereinafter "Euglena") utilizes cloud funding to "local Euglena" all over Japan. We are pleased to announce that the citizen-participation-type research "Euglena Project 2020 for Everyone" will start on June 25, 2020 (Thursday).

Everyone's Euglena Project 2020 image image

Euglena Co., Ltd. established a joint research team with the National Research and Development Corporation RIKEN (hereinafter, "RIKEN") from April 1, 2018.  ^{* 1}, Has been developing innovative production intervention technologies to increase biofuel production for microalgae. As part of the research by this team, from April 2019, in the "Euglena Project for Everyone", the collection of Euglena with various traits (hereinafter, "new trait strains") and the industrial use of the collected new trait strains We are conducting research to discover the possibility of  ^{* 2}.. Crowdfunding system sponsored by RIKEN in 2019  ^{* 3} In addition, with the cooperation of high school students nationwide, we sampled Euglena in lakes and marshes all over Japan and collected "local Euglena".  ^※Four.. Currently, we are examining the possibility of using it in the healthcare field and fuel field while conducting various analyzes of the gathered "local Euglena".
* 1 Joint Microalgae Production Control Technology Research Team under "Integrated Collaborative Research System with Industry" (Scheduled from April 2018 to March 2023)
* 2 Released on April 3, 2019 https://www.euglena.jp/news/20190403/
* 3 A system in which RIKEN identifies the use of research themes and projects in advance and solicits support through donations as a solicitation for "research projects that create the future together."
※Four Click here for details of the 2019 activity report

　　　　Microscopic images of various Euglena　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Database on the distribution of Euglena constructed

　We are pleased to announce that the "Euglena Project 2020 for Everyone" will be sponsored by Euglena with the aim of developing the results and methods obtained from the "Euglena Project for Everyone" in 2019. We aim to collect many Euglena in a wider area and provide more people with the enjoyment of touching living things and opportunities for research.
　The details are as follows.

About "Euglena Project 2020 for Everyone"

■ Purpose
　In the "Minna no Midorimushi Project 2020", we will carry out research such as collecting "local euglena" from all over Japan and analyzing the collected "local euglena" to examine the possibility of industrial use. In addition, through the "Euglena Project 2020 for Everyone", we aim to provide more people with the enjoyment of touching living things and opportunities for research.

■ Implementation details
　In this project academist  ^※Five We will use the crowdfunding system of No. 1 to solicit support funds for the project (a recruitment amount of 500,000 yen) by donation type crowdfunding. Supporters who wish to participate in the research of this project with a water sampling kit for collecting Euglena created with a part of the collected support funds  ^{* 6} We will distribute it to and request sampling of "local Euglena" in lakes and marshes all over Japan.
* 5 academist is Japan's first crowdfunding platform specializing in research funding.
* 6 In the "Euglena Project for Everyone" conducted in 2019, sampling was solicited for each high school, but in 2020, due to the impact of the new coronavirus, it will be solicited for each family.

Image of Euglena collection in lakes

Image of water sampling kit to be sent

　The collected "local Euglena" was identified and made into a library by a joint research team of Euglena and RIKEN, as well as molecular phylogenetic analysis, trait analysis, and gene expression analysis. , We will consider using the analysis results for research and development such as biofuels and healthcare. In addition to providing a water sampling kit for collecting Euglena, we will distribute novelties such as can badges and T-shirts according to the amount of support, send final reports, and use the crowdfunding system. We plan to provide research results, invitations to lectures, etc. as a return for crowdfunding.

■ How to participate
　You can participate in this project by receiving support for "Euglena Project 2020 for Everyone" with academist's crowdfunding system. Participants who wish to collect Euglena will be sent a water sampling kit to participate in the actual collection of Euglena. Those who do not participate in the collection of Euglena and only wish for novelty can also participate.

For more information about this project and participation, please see the academist website below.
https://academist-cf.com/projects/180

■ Schedule (planned)
・ June 25-July 30, 2020: Fundraising by crowdfunding
・ August 2020: Collection of water samples to acquire "local Euglena"
・ September 2020-February 2021: Acquisition of Euglena and various analyzes
・ March 2021: Sending the final report to supporters, presenting at academic conferences, etc.

<About Euglena (Japanese name: Euglena)>
Ishigakijima Euglena is a type of algae similar to wakame seaweed, kelp, and chlorella. It has the characteristics of both animals and plants, and has a well-balanced balance of 59 types of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and unsaturated fatty acids. Includes. Paramylon, which is a component unique to Euglena and is a type of β-glucan, has been studied for its functionality in recent years and is expected to be used in the healthcare field such as foods and cosmetics. We capture the facts of the interrelationships of "malnutrition," "mental and physical fatigue," and "immunity weakness," and focus on the complex factors that hinder the foundation of health. It is important to achieve sustainable health, not temporary, by maintaining the body's original cycle of "creating, working, and protecting" and improving it to a better state, regardless of factors that hinder the foundation of health. I think it is.

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-Contact for inquiries from the press-
Euglena Co., Ltd. Corporate Communication Division