KSA Algae Living Library | Sustainable & Synthetic Biotechnology Group

Sustainable & Synthetic Biotechnology Group

A living collection of Saudi Arabian microalgae and cyanobacteria

Every isolate in the library is a culture that is grown, characterized and kept alive in the laboratory. Strains come from the Red Sea coast, inland hot springs, desert dunes, volcanic crater oases and wastewater streams.

Explore the Interactive Library Browse the Complete Catalogue
Illustration of diverse microalgae and cyanobacteria cells suspended in bright coastal water.

A working collection, not an archive

Each strain is isolated to monoculture, identified morphologically and genetically, then maintained as a live culture by the Sustainable & Synthetic Biotechnology group at KAUST.

Locally sourced strains matter. Organisms that already tolerate the region's heat, light and salinity suit outdoor cultivation here, and sourcing them domestically avoids the invasive species and cross-border intellectual property questions that come with imported cultures. New isolates are added as they are characterized.

  • 171 Documented strains
  • 45 Sampling coordinates
  • 2022 Isolation work began
  • Ongoing New strains added as characterized

Four strains from the collection, chosen at random.

Explore

Explore the Collection

Search the collection strain by strain, or read the full catalogue end to end.

A laptop in a laboratory showing a digital visualization of scientific data.

Primary resource

Interactive Living Library

Browse and search the full collection online, one strain at a time, with taxonomy, sampling locations, microscopy imagery and cultivation information.

Explore the Interactive Library
Cover of the Complete Library Catalogue.

Full reference · PDF

Complete Library Catalogue

A page for every strain: identifiers, microscopy imagery, sampling locations and coordinates, cultivation information and the scientific data available so far.

Browse the Complete Catalogue

Growth data, biomass composition and detailed cultivation conditions are available on formal request. Please contact the curators.

Provenance

Collected Across Saudi Arabia

Isolates come from sampling sites spread across the Kingdom: the Red Sea coast at Thuwal, Jeddah and Al Lith, inland to the Al Wahbah crater and Al Ula, east to Jubail, and south into the Empty Quarter.

Every strain page records its sampling location in latitude and longitude, and where possible a photograph of the site itself.

Map of Saudi Arabia with markers showing the sites where strains in the collection were collected.
A researcher in protective equipment examining a tissue culture flask in the laboratory.

Learn

Isolation and Cultivation Resources

The laboratory guide used by the group is published in full, covering collection protocols for environmental samples through to the media used to keep cultures alive.

Isolation techniques

  • Plate-spreading method
  • Serial dilution
  • Micromanipulation
  • Scale-up and agar slant backups

Media recipes

  • TAP and its variants
  • HSM
  • BG-11
  • Guillard's F/2
View Laboratory Resources

Context

Why the Library Matters

Algal biodiversity in the Kingdom has been largely underexplored. A maintained, locally sourced collection makes that biodiversity usable.

  • Local biodiversity

    Each isolate records what lives in a specific Saudi environment, documented with its location, morphology and gene sequence data.

  • Strains suited to the region

    Organisms from extreme local environments have adapted to intense light, ultraviolet radiation and high temperatures.

  • Carbon and waste-stream reuse

    The programme aims to identify strains cultivable in fresh or salt water for carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus waste-stream reuse.

  • Preservation and access

    A documented national collection preserves strains, keeps them accessible within the Kingdom, and respects the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Contribute

Contribute to the Living Library

The collection welcomes deposits of microalgae and cyanobacteria isolated within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

  • There are no fees for depositing cultures.
  • Deposited cultures may become part of the public collection, catalogued and made available to recognized institutes and industries for research.
  • Cultures can instead be held as a private backup if you prefer.
  • Please contact the curators before sending any strains.
  • Tell us the strain names and the quantities you intend to send.
  • Complete the deposit form and send it with your cultures.

The collection respects the Convention on Biological Diversity when accepting strains.

Gloved hands using a pipette to transfer a sample between Petri dishes.

How to deposit a strain

  1. Contact the curators

    Get in touch before sending anything, so we can confirm the collection can take the strain.

  2. Describe the strains

    Share the strain names, how many you intend to deposit, and whether the deposit is public or a private backup.

  3. Complete the deposit form

    The form records depositor details, taxonomy, strain history, isolation method, cultivation conditions and a risk assessment.

  4. Arrange the transfer

    We will agree the handover with you and confirm receipt of the cultures in writing.

Download the Deposit Form Contact the Curators

Contact

Meet the Curators

Portrait of Daniel Nader.

Interactive Library

Designed and built by Daniel Nader
Senior Technology Consulting Specialist, KAUST IT

daniel.nader@kaust.edu.sa

Explore, Learn, or Contribute

The collection is open to researchers working with algae in the Kingdom.

Explore the Interactive Library Browse the Catalogue Deposit a Culture