RRAP Bioadhesives for Reef Repair

Considering the importance of stable and solid seabeds for reef recovery, QUT’s “Rubble Stabilisation” team led by Prof Scott Byan is exploring ways of stabilising rubble pieces using a type of bioadhesive that is biodegradable, sustainable, and potentially scalable. The bioadhesives have been developed by QUT’s “Coral Aquaculture and Deployment” team led by Prof Leonie Barner.

This cross-disciplinary collaborative project brings together experts from QUT Resilience Centre and Centre for Agriculture and Bioeconomy. In addition, the bioadhesive group is working with external collaborators (Mars Australia, The University of Queensland and AIMS) to better understand synergies of existing reef restoration and opportunities for rubble stablisation at global scale.

The two QUT teams (combined and called “QUT Bioadhesive group”) was a finalist for the Universities Australia Shaping Australia Awards in the “Problem Solver” and QUT Excolo! competition.