Authors: Christina Papaemanouil, PhD; Penny Georgiopoulou, MSc; Georgios A. Spyroulias, PhD
How the TOLERATE Project Builds Climate Resilience and Public Trust in Biotechnology
Climate change is reshaping the way we grow food, making traditional farming methods less reliable. At the same time, biotechnology is sparking important conversations about the future of agriculture. The TOLERATE Project is exploring natural, bio-based molecules to help plants grow stronger, make farming more sustainable, and bring science closer to everyday life. It’s a journey of resilience, innovation, and connection.
Smart Solutions for a Changing Climate
As global temperature rises, water becomes inefficient, and soil quality declines, farmers face difficult challenges. The EU-funded TOLERATE Project is tackling these issues head-on by applying a multidisciplinary approach to analyze organic matter from Arctic soils to identify substances that may contribute to the development of climate-resilient crops and become eco-friendly soil enhancers. These innovations are designed to thrive in harsh conditions, use less water, and reduce agriculture’s environmental footprint.
Why it matters:
- Supporting EU and Global Sustainable Development Goals: Climate-smart crops align with the European Green Deal and Climate Adaptation Strategy, helping Europe transition to greener farming practices and addressing the GSDG challenges such as good health and well-being, climate action, etc.
- Boosting rural economies: By turning underused land into productive farmland, the project creates jobs and revitalizes local communities.
- Protecting natural resources: Eco-friendly soil treatments and water-efficient crops reduce the strain on ecosystems.
- Driving innovation: The project’s unique natural compounds are being shared with industry partners, paving the way for new bio-based products and a more circular economy.
Bringing Biotechnology Closer to People
Biotechnology holds the potential to solve major global challenges, from improving crop yields to combating disease. But its success depends on public understanding and trust. That’s why TOLERATE goes beyond the lab, engaging directly with communities making science more accessible and inclusive.
TOLERATE is Helping People Understand and Shape the Future of Biotechnology
Helping shape better policies:
TOLERATE works closely with EU policymakers to make sure laws about GMOs and gene-editing reflect today’s scientific knowledge. By sharing clear evidence and weighing the risks and benefits, the project supports smarter, more informed decisions.
Making science easier to explore:
Through summer schools, social media campaigns, and science festivals, TOLERATE sparks curiosity and builds public awareness around gene-editing and biotechnology.
Opening up the conversation:
TOLERATE encourages open discussions about how science is used and how laws are made, helping people feel confident to ask questions and share their views.
Connecting with all ages: Outreach activities are designed for everyone, from children and teens to everyday consumers assuring that science feels relevant, engaging, and trustworthy.
Unlocking Nature’s Chemistry: How Bio-based Molecules Are Shaping Sustainable Agriculture
What Are Bio-based Molecules?
Bio-based molecules are derived from renewable biological sources such as plants, algae, microorganisms, and agricultural byproducts, rather than fossil fuels. These molecules range from tiny metabolites to large, complex biopolymers, and they’re already showing promise in boosting crop resilience, improving human health, and inspiring new eco-friendly materials. They’re central to the growing field of green chemistry, offering sustainable alternatives for manufacturing, packaging, cosmeceuticals, and especially agriculture.
Some bio-based molecules function as biostimulants, enhancing plant growth and productivity, while others serve as biocontrol agents, defending crops without relying on synthetic pesticides. Their chemistry is as diverse as their applications, and they can be divided into two categories:
- Low Molecular Weight (LMW) molecules: Small, highly active compounds such as alkaloids, phenolics, terpenes, phytohormones, and peptides.
- High Molecular Weight (HMW) molecules: Larger structures and biopolymers like deoxyribonucleotides (DNA), polysaccharides (e.g., cellulose), lignin, proteins, polyhydroxyalkanes (PHAs).
Why Study Them?
To fully exploit their potential, researchers must understand what the characteristics, the properties and the function of these molecules are. That means analyzing their structures, studying how those structures relate to their biological functions, and identifying which compounds help plants withstand stress, fight disease, or adapt to changing environments. This requires sophisticated scientific tools capable of decoding the complexity of nature’s chemistry.
Understanding these molecules helps scientists:
- Reveal their biological roles, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, or stress-protective and correlate their properties with their structural features; thus, setting the base to produce new bio-based molecules with enhanced function.
- Ensure consistency and quality in commercial products like cosmeceuticals and biostimulants.
- Improve extraction and purification methods and establish environmentally friendly (bio)chemical processes.
- Discover how nature synthesizes them, inspiring new bioactive molecules and sustainable technologies.
Techniques for Studying Small Bio-based (LMW) Molecules
LMW molecules are chemically diverse and often tricky to analyze. Scientists use advanced tools to reveal their functions:
- Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS): Separates and identifies molecules with high precision, essential for metabolomics.
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy: Maps atomic arrangements and investigates the molecular conformations and movements, offering high resolution views on the molecular structure, “fingerprints” and absolute quantification.
- UV-Visible (UV-Vis) Spectroscopy: Detects light-absorbing compounds like pigments and flavonoids, providing quick insights into concentration and presence.
Together, these techniques help unlock the potential of bio-based molecules, paving the way for more resilient crops, cleaner industries, and a healthier planet.
Techniques for Studying Large Bio-based (HMW) Molecules
HMW bio-based molecules, such as lignins, cellulose, proteins, and complex polysaccharides, are essential building blocks in nature. These large, complicated compounds play key roles in plant structure, resilience, and biological function. But due to their size, branching, and chemical diversity, they require specialized techniques in order to be properly understood.
Size-Exclusion Chromatography (SEC)
SEC separates molecules by size, allowing researchers to analyze natural polymers like hemicellulose, lignin, and plant gums. Larger molecules pass through quickly, while smaller ones take longer, helping scientists sort and characterize complex mixtures.
Two- and Three-Dimensional NMR Spectroscopy (2D/3D-NMR)
Standard NMR can fall short when dealing with massive molecules. 2D-NMR offers a layered view of molecular structure by examining interactions between atoms like hydrogen (1H) and carbon (13C). 3D-NMR can analyze in great detail (atomic-level analysis) the structure and the dynamics of biomolecules such as proteins, DNA/RNA and their complexes.
Mass Spectrometry of Biopolymers (MALDI-TOF MS)
MALDI-TOF MS measures the mass of large molecules with precision, using a laser. It’s ideal for studying polymeric subunits and oligosaccharides, helping researchers identify the building blocks of complex biopolymers.
Circular Dichroism (CD) Spectroscopy
CD spectroscopy helps scientists evaluate the structure of chiral molecules like proteins, peptides, and polysaccharides, by measuring how they absorb different polarizations of light. This can reveal whether a molecule is tightly folded, partially unfolded, or undergoing changes due to stress (temperature, different solvents etc.) of processing.
SEC coupled with Multiple Angle Light Scattering
SEC-MALS measures the intensity of a sample’s scattered light as it elutes from a SEC column, allowing for the precise measurement of weight-averaged masses (MW) of macromolecules in solution. SEC-MALS can identify sample polydispersity and oligomeric state.
Sample Preparation: The first important step
Preparing the sample before starting the analysis is a crucial experimental step. Researchers must choose solvents that match each compound’s unique chemistry, whether oily, aqueous, or else. A well-prepared sample ensures accurate results and deeper insights into the molecule’s potential.
UPAT’s Role in the TOLERATE Project
Our laboratory is responsible for the comprehensive chemical analysis and structural characterization of the bio-based molecules produced within the project.
- Using cutting-edge tools, like NMR, Mass Spectrometry, UV-Vis and CD spectroscopies and chromatography alone or coupled with MALS, we carefully analyze and decode the structure of these natural compounds.
- Understanding what these molecules are made of helps us in illuminating their function.
- Analyze their purity and identify their molecular properties, and structure at atomic-level analysis.
- Reveal how they work and why they are effective.
- Support the design and production of new sustainable products.
- Help scale up solutions that boost plant resilience and reduce reliance on synthetic chemicals.
 |
|
The UPAT’s Dept of Pharmacy NMR Facility (700MHz, equipped with 4 channels/frequencies and 24-sample case) | UPAT’s Dept of Pharmacy MALS (upper panel) and CD (lower panel) Spectrometer |
Looking Ahead
The TOLERATE Project can be characterized as a guide toward climate resilience, economic renewal, and inclusive innovation. By mixing cutting-edge research with public engagement, TOLERATE is helping Europe build a future that’s sustainable, informed, and connected to nature.
BioNMR group (https://bionmr.upatras.gr/ ) of the University of Patras’ Department of Pharmacy is a partner in TOLERATE Horizon Europe (GA 101082049) project