Marine biopolymers is a highly abundant but underexploited renewable resource. Besides their given biological functions, biopolymers can be tailored into new biomaterials with novel functionalities. Such targeted biopolymer engineering demands a deep understanding of the relationship between functional characteristics and molecular architecture as well as a thorough mastering of the tools to translate this understanding into innovative products.

The major R&D effort in the area of biopolymer engineering at NTNU is done by the research group Norwegian Biopolymer Laboratory (NOBIPOL) within the Department of Biotechnology, in close collaboration with the Department of Physics, Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, as well as SINTEF Materials and Chemistry and industry. NOBIPOL addresses all major aspects of biopolymer engineering: genetics and biosynthesis of polysaccharides, primary structure and modifications, conformation and higher order structures, physical properties and interactions, biological properties, and technical properties and industrial applications.