Collectively, the projects undertaken by the members of the “AccliPhot” consortium underline how by increasing our understanding on the different processes linked to photosynthesis (light absorption, dissipation, electron flow and carbon assimilation for metabolism) we are successfully unravelling the mysteries of photosynthetic acclimation. The complementary research on four model species (green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, moss Physcomytrella patens and the higher plant Arabidopsis thaliana) opens completely novel perspectives on the evolution and diversification of different adaptation mechanisms in phototrophs. Providing novel support to theoretical studies, this information can feed into encompassing models of photoprotection, shedding light on unsolved evolutionary and functional questions of photosynthetic acclimation.

Furthermore, the project improved our knowledge of algal growth in photobioreactors as well as highlighted the need for advancement of scaling up approaches (i.e. mixotrophic growth, co-cultivation with other organisms such as bacteria) essential to optimising industrial-scale cultivation of microalgae.