Reviewer Comments - EERE

2011 Algae Platform Review – Reviewer Comments
Reviewer Comments are direct transcripts of commentary and material provided by the Platform’s
Review Panel. They have not been edited or altered by the Biomass Program.
6. Overall Impressions
Please provide an overall evaluation of the project, including strengths, weaknesses, the project
approach, scope, and any other overall comments.
Reviewer Comments
Reviewer: 1
Overall, I like the potential outcomes. I think the Investigators should concentrate on delivering the
methodology, and not be concerned with attempting to identify the "best" algae.
Reviewer: 2
Assessment of new microalgal strains for feedstock potential is reasonable, but is best done with more
explicit hypothesis-driven selection of habitats. It will be important to do broad screening and quickly
eliminate most strains collected to date with Nile Red staining before doing analytical chemistry to
precisely define lipids. Growth vs lipid accumulation conditions for new strains with promising lipid
accumulations should be defined as early as possible.
Reviewer: 4
See comments above.
Reviewer: 5
Since the presentation only focused on the strain screening project, this review only covers that section of
the project. It appears that the screen straining project was primarily focused on capacity building for the
college (mainly an equipment purchase). In that regard, it is successful. However, this project's likely
impact on the DOE program will be minimal.
Reviewer: 6
As yet another culture collection and screening of lipids what is the point and the contribution to the
existing body of collections?
Reviewer: 7
The project would benefit from validation of the screening process. Outdoor pilot production testing of
several strains rank ordered by the screening process could be used to determine if screening performance
correlates to real productivity.
Presenter Response
The main purpose of this grant was increasing of the research/teaching capacities at Brooklyn College of
CUNY. However, this particular research project is embedded into other ongoing algae biofuels activities
funded by the AFOSR and the US DOE. For example, the PI of this grant is member of the National
Alliance for Algae Biofuels & Bioproducts. In response to the reviewer’s comments on ‘validation of the
screen’ and the ‘minimal impact’ of the project, this PI would like to point out that it is a priority of this
laboratory to transfer strains that passed the screening process either with Nile Red or with the new
UHPLC-TOF-MS approach as quickly as possible to testbed facilities either within or outside the
NAABB. For example, some of the first strains identified as potential feedstock producers for biofuels
applications have already being tested successfully in the greenhouse at a scale of about 30 Gal in the past
year. Therefore, the impact of this project may not be as minimal as expected by the reviewers. Also,
more candidate strains are ready for testing at a larger scale and as the screening continues, it is expected
that even more strains will be identified for further testing. Although the reviewer’s have negative
predictions, only the actual cultivation of candidate strains in raceway ponds or photobioreactors at
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