AlgaePalm
Project Overview
About
Palm oil production drives tropical deforestation and biodiversity loss. AlgaePalm uses a UAE microalga to produce palmitic acid, a major palm oil component, without relying on plantations. It can grow in saltwater or water unsuitable for conventional irrigation. Ultraviolet light creates genetic variation, allowing cells with the highest oil content to be selected over successive generations. The resulting strains could provide a palm oil substitute for use in food, cosmetics and chemicals, reducing imports and pressure on rainforests.
Team
Amnah Alzahmi
Amnah Salem Alzahmi is an Emirati molecular biologist and PhD candidate in agricultural sciences and biological engineering at Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, working within the Laboratory of Algal, Artificial Intelligence, Synthetic and Systems Biology at NYU Abu Dhabi, where she has conducted research since 2014. She combines directed evolution, UV mutagenesis, and AI-informed analysis to develop microalgae into sources of sustainable materials. Her current work evolves a UAE-native desert alga, Chloroidium sp. UTEX 3007, into a deforestation-free alternative to palm oil. She has co-authored over fifteen peer-reviewed publications.