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Dr Sasi Nayar, Sub-Program Leader & Phytoplankton
Biologist, Algal Production Group Aquaculture Program &
Facility Manager, NCRIS Algae & Biofuels Facility
project investigating microphytobenthic and phytoplankton
productivity along a salinity gradient in the Coorong and
Areas of expertise
Murray Mouth in 2006. This study used in-situ benthic
Phytoplankton ecology and productivity, microalgal and
chambers to measure microphytobenthic productivity.
macroalgal production systems, algal biotechnology,
In early 2008 he participated in a 24 day voyage in the
nutrient remediation, zooplankton ecology, biological
oceanography, ecotoxicology, seagrass nutrient dynamics
and environmental impacts.
Southern Ocean onboard RV Southern Surveyor investigating
the role of submarine canyons in upwelling, sediment
transports and productivity hotspots off the Bonney Coast
Countries of work experience
and Kangaroo Island. He studied spatial variations in size
Australia, Canada, India, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines,
fractionated phytoplankton productivity in the upwelled
Singapore and Thailand.
zones of two submarine canyons off South Australia.
Overview of experience and qualifications
Dr Nayar has been researching microalgal and macroalgal
Dr Nayar currently leads the Algal Production Group,
Aquaculture Program, SARDI Aquatic Sciences, where he has
developed a research program into algal production systems
for high value products supported by over $4.5 million from
industry investment and grants from the SA and federal
Governments. He played a key role in securing $6.7 million
from the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure
physiology and production systems for a wide range of
applications such as bioremediation of industrial effluents,
and optimisation of cultivation conditions and production
systems to produce high quality algal biomass for bioactive
compounds, nutraceutical products, surfactants, food
products and aquaculture feed since 2006. These projects
are ongoing and funded largely by industry.
Strategy for the Algae and Biofuels Facility, which he
In 2011, Dr Nayar led the research on uptake and
currently manages.
translocation of ammonium and nitrate by temperate
Dr Nayar graduated from the National University of Singapore
seagrass Zostera nigricaulis in Port Phillip Bay as part of
with a PhD in 2003. His dissertation investigated nutrient
and biotic fluxes in relation to dispersal of pollutants in an
anthropogenically impacted tropical estuary in Singapore.
The project involved field monitoring and manipulative in-situ
ecotoxicological and photoadaptation experiments involving
phytoplankton and bacteria. His thesis submitted in 1998 to
the University of Agricultural Sciences for a Master’s degree
a larger collaborative project on developing tools for the
management of nutrient and sediment interactions with
seagrass ecosystems in Port Phillip Bay. This study used
diver deployed benthic chambers and stable isotopes of
nitrogen to quantify uptake and translocation of nitrogen by
the seagrass Zostera nigricaulis at three sites in the Port
Phillip Bay.
in Fisheries Science involved phytoplankton production in
Professional appointments
relation to hydrography in a tropical coastal lagoon off the
2013-present: Facility Manager, NCRIS Algae and Biofuels
southwest coast of India.
Facility, SARDI Aquatic Sciences.
Upon completing his PhD, Dr Nayar joined the Tropical
2006-present: Sub-program Leader & Phytoplankton
Marine Science Institute of the National University of
Biologist, Algal Production Group, Aquaculture Program,
Singapore working on environmental impact assessments
SARDI Aquatic Sciences.
for various government agencies. He has over 20 years
2004-06: Senior Research Officer, Adelaide Coastal Water
experience in a wide range of subjects relating to aquatic
biology, especially phytoplankton ecology and physiology. He
also brings to SARDI his extensive experience in handling
ecological research projects in mangroves, coral reefs,
estuarine reefs, seagrass meadows and coastal waters in
tropic and temperate environments.
In 2004 he joined SARDI Aquatic Sciences as a Senior
Research Officer investigating nutrient fluxes in the meadow
forming seagrasses Posidonia and Amphibolis off the
Study, SARDI Aquatic Sciences.
2003-04: Research Assistant, Tropical Marine Science
Institute, National University of Singapore.
1999-03: PhD, Department of Biological Sciences and
Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of
Singapore.
1998-99: Research Fellow, Department of Aquatic Biology,
College of Fisheries, University of Agricultural Sciences,
Adelaide metropolitan coast, as part of the Adelaide Coastal
Mangalore, India.
Waters Study. This research used stable isotopes of nitrogen
1996-98: MFSc, Department of Aquatic Biology, College of
and carbon in benthic chambers deployed in-situ.
Fisheries, University of Agricultural Sciences, Mangalore,
Dr Nayar led a CSIRO Flagship Collaboration funded
India.
Research and consulting
by the South Australian Premier Science and Research Fund
2014-ongoing: ‘Cultivation of marine microalgae
with industry co-investment.
Nannochloropsis salina (CS-190) and Nannochloropsis
2008: ‘The role of submarine canyons in upwelling, sediment
oceanica (CS-702) in outdoor raceways’, funded by industry.
transports and productivity hotspots off the Bonney Coast
This project is currently ongoing.
and Kangaroo Island, South Australia’, funded by the Marine
2013-ongoing: National Collaborative Research
National Facility RV Southern Surveyor.
Infrastructure Strategy ‘National Photobioreactor Facility’
/ ‘Algae and Biofuels Facility’, funded by the Department
of Education (Australian Government), Department of
Innovation, Industry, Science & Research (Australian
Government) and Department of Further Education,
Employment, Science and Technology (South Australian
Government).
2011-15: Collaborative project with the Victorian Department
of Primary Industries and five partners on ‘Developing tools
for the management of nutrient and sediment interactions
with seagrass ecosystems in Port Phillip Bay’, funded by
the Department of Sustainability and Environment (Victoria
Government).
2012-14: ‘Consultancy for the development of an integrated
mariculture project in Tacloban Province of the Philippines’,
funded by the industry.
2013: ‘Production trials of the wild strain and mutants of
Chloroparva sp. in outdoor raceways for lutein synthesis’,
funded by industry.
2010-12: ‘Development of a sustainable South Australian
macroalgal aquaculture industry’, funded by the South
Australian Premier Science and Research Fund with coinvestment from 8 industry partners.
2010-11: ‘Collaborative project with CH2M Hill on ‘Utilisation
of nutrients in wastewater at Melbourne water sewage
treatment plants for algae to energy production’, funded by
Melbourne Water Corporation.
2009-12: ‘A collaborative project on ‘A pilot scale second
generation biorefinery for sustainable microalgal biofuels
and value-added products’, funded by the Department of
Resources, Energy and Tourism.
2009-11: ‘Development of JP8 surrogates from microalgae’,
funded by the US Department of Defence under the Defence
Advanced Research Projects Administration program.
2009-10: Collaborative project on ‘The metabolic and
genetic optimisation of microalgae for biofuel production’,
2007-08: ‘Evaluation, development and optimisation of
photobioreactor systems for biodiesel production from
microalgal feedstocks’, funded by AusIndustry and Australian
Renewable Fuels Ltd.
2007: A collaborative project on a ‘Pre-feasibility study of
the use of a macroalgal phytoremediation system for the
treatment of Penrice effluent water’, funded by Penrice Soda
Products Ltd.
2006-09: ‘Sustainable production of biodiesel from
microalgae utilising saline waters from the salt interception
schemes and saline aquifers in the Lower Murray’, funded
by the Center for Natural Resource Management and the
South Australian Department of Water, Land & Biodiversity
Conservation.
2006-08: ‘Microphytobenthic and phytoplankton productivity
along a salinity gradient in the Coorong and Murray Mouth’,
funded by the CSIRO Flagship Collaboration Fund: Water for
a Healthy Country Flagship.
2004-06: ‘Nutrient fluxes in the meadow forming seagrasses
Posidonia and Amphibolis from the Adelaide metropolitan
coast’, funded by the Adelaide Coastal Water Study.
2003-04: ‘Monitoring and assessment of marine biodiversity
of an estuarine intertidal reef of Singapore’, funded by the
Housing Development Board of Singapore.
2003-04: ‘Marine environment baseline classification of the
port waters of Singapore’, funded by the Maritime & Port
Authority of Singapore.
1999-03: ‘Nutrient and biotic fluxes in relation to dispersal
Contact:
of pollutants in an impacted estuary in Singapore’, PhD
Dr Sasi Nayar
thesis, National University of Singapore.
SARDI Aquatic Sciences
1998-99: ‘Monitoring of riverine, estuarine and coastal
PO Box 120, Henley Beach
waters off Mangalore’, southwest India, funded by DANIDA.
SA 5022
1996-98: ‘Primary organic production in a tropical coastal
lagoon, southwest India’, MFSc thesis, University of
Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India.
Australia
Tel: 08 8207 5321
Fax: 08 8207 5481
Email: sasi.nayar@sa.gov.au
funded by the South Australian Department of Further
Website http://www.pir.
Education, Employment, Science and Technology.
sa.gov.au/
2007-11: Collaborative project on ‘Large-scale microalgal
biodiesel feedstock and value added biochemical products
for a sustainable South Australian biofuels industry’, funded