Bioeconomy

The report Future Bioenergy and Sustainable Land Use is the first integrated study of bioenergy to explore the issue in the context of global environmental and development policy. It shows that the global sustainable potential for producing energy from biomass is significant.

Fibre optic cables as light conductors are obviously not a recent invention. Marine sponges the phylogenetically oldest multicellular organisms are able to transmit light inside their bodies by using amorphous siliceous structures. This was discovered by the BIOTECmarin research project.

Cells are like factories only smaller Tiny machines assemble large proteins from very small molecules. But where do the machines come from? Researchers at the University of Würzburg have now found an answer to this question.

A palm tree by the name of Acrocomia is currently keeping a large number of scientists and investors busy. If the tree is able to live up to these peoples expectations then Latin America will benefit from a sustainable oil source.

Press release - 20/10/2008

Blue algae - malicious killers?

Toxicologist Prof. Daniel Dietrich and his group of researchers at the University of Constance are working on clarifying the circumstances under which blue algae produce toxins and whether they are toxic for humans and animals.

Press release - 14/10/2008

ARBOCAR project to develop natural materials for cars

Seven BiopolymersBiomaterials Cluster partners from industry and research are joining forces to develop a new natural material based on lignin a natural material found predominantly in wood.

The fact that petrol is becoming more and more expensive has a knock-on effect on the chemical industry. At Biotechnica 2008 Fraunhofer researchers showed how chemical products can be produced from rape whey and crab shells.

Microbial cells long gave researchers the impression that they were in a state of complete disorder. Prof. Dr. Peter Graumann from the University of Freiburg investigates cell division in bacteria and knows that even microbes are highly organised.

Prof. Dr. Harald Krug a toxicologist who runs the Materials-Biology Interaction division at Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research in St. Gallen Switzerland and his team are investigating the interactions of synthetic materials with biological systems. The team of 25 researchers is focusing in particular on the effect of particles and nanomaterials such as CNT on human and animal cells. The division has been an…

Whether it be syringes biodegradable joint screws or cannules for catheters - hospitals prefer high quality plastics that are not too costly. Pfaff GmbH from Waldkirch has the know-how and the technical ability to manufacture such plastics parts.

For the first time an innovation award will be awarded for biomaterials. Deadline is 15th October 2008.

This internet portal an initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research provides foreign researchers and scientists with a wealth of easily accessible information about research opportunities in Germany.

Press release - 13/09/2008

Transform ideas into successful companies

With Science2Start - targeted promotion and support of start-up companies in the life sciences sector BioRegio STERN Management GmbH is keen to set new companies on course for success.

Can animals survive the harsh conditions of outer space for example extreme cold vacuum ionising and cosmic radiation? This was the question the FOTON-M3 mission sought to answer in September 2007. Now the findings were published.

Since the end of July 2008 the Biomaterials laboratory of the Empa in St. Gallen has been an official member of the BioLAGO BioRegion. We talked with Dr. Manfred Zinn about how the researchers find materials with the desired properties.

Researchers from the University of Freiburg have just shown that plant embryo decide already at the two-cell stage which cells will later become the shoot and which the roots. Experiments suggest this might be affected by the distribution of auxin.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer IPA Stuttgart have developed a method that enables the direct spotting of samples from common microtitre plates without further processing. It avoids the use of different vials and minimises sample contamination.

Alternative energy sources are increasingly gaining in importance. Several teams of researchers including scientists from the University of Karlsruhe are using different strategies to increase hydrogen production in algae. These might then become environment-friendly low-cost suppliers of energy.

Biogas experts at the University of Hohenheim believe that up to 50 per cent more energy can be achieved per hectare of cultivated energy crops. The researchers are hoping that Germanys first biogas research plant will provide them with new insights.

The deadline for submitting project proposals for the third round is 15 October 2008.

The Science Years initiative was launched by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research in the year 2000 to increase the publics confidence in the work of scientists. However the initiative has not been successful in the field of genetic engineering with the repeated destruction of trial fields sown with genetically modified plants being evidence of this. Professor Dr. Andreas Schier agricultural scientist from Nürtingen discusses why…

The first Web log was initiated in 1991. Since then an ever increasing number of scientists have been using these Internet diaries to communicate knowledge report about science comment on it and classify it. Web logs are an enrichment for science communication.

The Centre of Innovation Entrepreneurships activities consist of a broad spectrum of different well-matched modules. One of its core activities is the organisation of boot camps a new method supporting the establishment of new companies.

In the competition for the rather sought-after award Science City the city of Constance had to surrender albeit marginally to the city of Oldenburg. This is however no reason for Constance to abandon the planned Science Year 2009.

Scientific research is not only communicated by research institutions themselves but also through specialist agencies. One such agency is Genius GmbH in Darmstadt. The agency describes itself as a professional in the field of communication of science to the public using the latest communication tools. We spoke to Kristina Sinemus CEO partner and founder of the agency. Sinemus holds a PhD in biology.

What is the difference between knowledge and science? Why did the biotech bubble develop in the first place? Find out more as we talk to the freelance science journalist Sascha Karberg.

Dossier - 15/07/2008

Science communication why science is becoming more and more public

Science needs publicity. Publicly funded research has to account for its projects internally as well as externally. In the past accounting for projects was a matter dealt with in courtly or academic circles today the forum is research journals. This internal communication seldom reaches the public however external communication seeks out the wider lay audience - for many reasons.

Dr. Frank Brändle and Dr. Marco Thines managing directors of PathoScan GbR in Hohenheim have developed a PCR-based test system which allows the detection of fungi and bacteria in seed at very early stages. The test system will be patented in the near future.

Integrated concepts are the recipe for success for the new director of the Fraunhofer Institute of Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart. Hirth himself is a chemist but during his long Fraunhofer career he has always managed to successfully integrate neighbouring fields into his projects.

Dr. Gerhard Leubner from the University of Freiburg is investigating the regulation of seed dormancy and the onset of germination. The scientists insights are extremely valuable for companies that are working on the optimisation of seeds for agricultural purposes.

Press release - 20/06/2008

Tick-free forest playground

Sweating on a keep-fit track grilling sausages in a BBQ area these innocent activities always have an element of danger involved namely the fear of ticks. Researchers at the University of Hohenheim are developing biological methods to eradicate tick.

Layers of plastic much thinner than a strand of hair are of enormous interest to scientists and engineers. A team of researchers led by Prof. Stefan Mecking from Constance University has now developed a new method to produce wafer-thin layers.

Article - 09/06/2008

Moderate growth

In 2007 the German biotechnology sector was marked by moderate growth. Turnover climbed over two billion euros and research and development expenditure reached one billion euros. These are the central findings of the latest company survey carried out by biotechnologie.de.

Deadline for submitting preliminary proposals written in English is the 30th June 2008.

Agricultural experts from the University of Hohenheim rate the results of the World Food Summit in Rome as very disappointing. Conference participants only agreed to short-term measures amounting to a total investment of less than 10 billion dollars.

Mobile DNA elements are able to change their position in the genome and mobilise entire gene groups as well as switch genes on and off. Professor Bodo Rak and his team at the University of Freiburg are investigating the effect of mobile DNA fragments on the evolution of E. coli bacteria.

Article - 01/06/2008

Plants as soil remediators

Max Planck scientists and researchers at the University of Heidelberg have discovered a gene that enables certain plants to grow on soils with high heavy metal concentrations and that even contributes to the soils remediation. The gene product is a transport protein in the cell membrane.

After difficult negotiations we have achieved a positive outcome said Ursula Heinen Parliamentary State Secretary for the German Federal Ministry of Food Agriculture and Consumer Protection.

A study also involving researchers from Constance shows that marine seaweed releases huge quantities of iodine when exposed to stress. This process contributes to cloud formation and thus has an effect on the climate.

After years of directing his focus more on the molecular processes in the development of different cell types Prof. Albrecht Sippel has gone back to his roots. Despite his retirement six months ago Sippel started to actively participate in the search for human genes in the faculties of thought and speech that distinguish us from our animal relatives.

The medium-sized company of Jürgen Pfitzer and Helmut Nägele received first prize of the Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken banks for the development of ARBOFORM a thermoplastic material.

There are some exciting developments in the expansion of bioenergy said the Baden-Württemberg Minister for Nutrition and Rural Areas Peter Hauk speaking at the conference Progress in Bioethanol Production Energy- Material- and Emission Balances.

The European Chemicals Bureau has contributed substantially to the new chemicals regulation REACH which entered into force on 1st June 2007 which aims to improve human health and the environment.

In conjunction with reference laboratories of the World Health Organization WHO medtech company Curetis AG is developing new technologies and products that identify the pathogens of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and their resistance. The solutions are impressive.

Careers and mobility international co-operation research infrastructures joint programming and knowledge sharing are todays main concerns of European research actors according to a report just published by the European Commission.

Some 30000 chemicals currently in use have to be pre-registered at the ECHA between 1st June and 1st December 2008.

Biopolymers are usually only of marginal interest at the Analytica tradeshow. Nevertheless BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbHs BiopolymersBiomaterials booth aroused a great deal of attention.