Article - 06/02/2012 Ten outstanding ideas in biotechnology and medical technology The results of the feasibility studies funded under the Idea Competition in Biotechnology and Medical Technology were presented in the Haus der Wirtschaft in Stuttgart between 16th and 18th January 2012. Ten of the 42 project ideas were recommended for further funding.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/ten-outstanding-ideas-in-biotechnology-and-medical-technology
Press release - 30/01/2012 New Modeling Platform for Industrial Bioproduction Insilico Biotechnology is one of the partners in atransnational EU-project out to find a common, easy-to-use computer-based platform for modeling metabolic processes in organisms which are of interest for biotechnological applications. The main advantage of this approach is that it will shorten the time from concept to marketable European biotechnology product considerably for all involved.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/new-modeling-platform-for-industrial-bioproduction
Article - 19/01/2012 Biogenic fuels – huge expectations and the dream of green foam Alternative engines and fuels for cars of the future still lack technical maturity and are not yet competitive. In the short to medium term, the only way to replace fossil fuel will be other fossil fuels – compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquid petroleum gas (LPG). Biodiesel and ethanol are and will remain for the foreseeable future the only renewable resource alternatives to fossil fuel. As is the case for any other technology, the development…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/biogenic-fuels-huge-expectations-and-the-dream-of-green-foam
Press release - 20/12/2011 Biotech as a driving force for environmental technology, renewable energy and sustainability As a classical cross-sectional technology biotechnology has huge potential to develop sustainable innovations in these areas. BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH is planning to focus more and more on tapping this potential to make it useable in the areas of environmental protection and regenerative energy as well as in the cleantech sector.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/biotech-as-a-driving-force-for-environmental-technology-renewable-energy-and-sustainability
Press release - 06/12/2011 TECNARO-founder honored with “Dieselmedaille” 2011 Jürgen Pfitzer and Helmut Nägele received the “Dieselmedaille” 2011 in the category "Most Sustainable Innovation" of the Deutsches Institut für Erfindungswesen.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/tecnaro-founder-honored-with-dieselmedaille-2011
Article - 28/11/2011 Wastewater treatment plants produce more than just clean water The German city of Stuttgart purifies 27 million litres of wastewater every hour thus eliminating up to 95 per cent of the organic compounds. Scientists are now trying to find ways to use wastewater treatment plants for purposes other than the purification of wastewater. Besides making the purification of water more effective and complete the scientists are investigating whether fertilisers and hydrogen can be produced during the reclamation…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/wastewater-treatment-plants-produce-more-than-just-clean-water
Dossier - 28/11/2011 Which biomass is the best source of alternative energy? We talk about bioenergy, but what do we actually mean? The term bioenergy refers to renewable energy produced from material of biological origin. But is the term really exact? Does it create false expectations? “Bio” is often associated with something that is ecological, environmentally friendly and clean. Perhaps “energy from biomass” would be more appropriate? It’s a bulkier term than bioenergy, but also much more neutral. https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/dossiers/which-biomass-is-the-best-source-of-alternative-energy
Press release - 15/11/2011 Are Natural Halogenated Hyrdocarbons Harmful to the Ozone Layer? Over 20 years ago, the industrial production of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) was prohibited in order to protect the ozone layer. However, research findings by environmental physicists from Heidelberg University suggest that the ozone layer may also be damaged by natural chlorinated, brominated and possibly iodinated hydrocarbons formed in significant amounts by water plants and microorganisms on the oceanic coasts. This conjecture, recently…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/are-natural-halogenated-hyrdocarbons-harmful-to-the-ozone-layer
Article - 14/11/2011 DFG research group to unravel prokaryotic immune system It is difficult to believe that unicellular organisms such as archaea and bacteria can have developed sophisticated strategies to fight off foreign nucleic acids. However, many of these tiny organisms actually possess a virus defence mechanism known as CRISPR/Cas. Compared to this defence mechanism, protective mechanisms such as restriction and modification appear extremely clumsy indeed.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/dfg-research-group-to-unravel-prokaryotic-immune-system
Press release - 10/11/2011 Renewable electricity: the cheapest energy source for Europe by 2050 On the basis of calculations for 36 countries in Europe and Northern Africa the German Advisory Council on the Environment SRU concludes that a power supply completely based upon renewable sources by 2050 is achievable at average costs of 65 Mwh.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/renewable-electricity-the-cheapest-energy-source-for-europe-by-2050
Press release - 03/11/2011 High-tech spider for hazardous missions Spiders are very agile, and some can even jump. They owe this capability to their hydraulically operated limbs. Researchers have now designed a mobile robot modeled on the same principle that moves spider legs. Created using a 3-D printing process, this lightweight can explore terrain that is beyond human reach.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/high-tech-spider-for-hazardous-missions
Press release - 18/10/2011 New additives for high-performance bioplastics In view of dwindling reserves of fossil resources, industry is showing growing interest in bioplastics. However, compared to conventional high-performance plastics, these have their limitations – among other things in terms of stability and strength. In cooperation with Tecnaro, Henkel has now succeeded in developing new high-performance polyamide additives based on renewable raw materials that can significantly improve the performance of…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/new-additives-for-high-performance-bioplastics
Press release - 12/10/2011 Don't give micro-organisms a chance - Development of antimicrobial workwear As part of a research project (IGF No. 16039 BG), scientists at the Hohenstein Institute, in cooperation with the Thüringen Institute for Textile and Plastics Research and the Saxony Textile Research Institute at the Technical University of Chemnitz, have developed a fabric for making antimicrobial workwear suitable for leasing that is based on regenerated cellulose fibres, and they have examined it with regard to its properties when it is used…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/don-t-give-micro-organisms-a-chance-development-of-antimicrobial-workwear
Dossier - 10/10/2011 Global players in theory but not always in practice Biotechnology companies have always had international ties: they employ cutting-edge technologies and market the discoveries and developments of researchers around the world. Rapid innovation cycles and rapid technological developments force companies to undertake costly R&D as well as market their products and/or services across national borders.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/dossiers/global-players-in-theory-but-not-always-in-practice
Press release - 04/10/2011 European joint conference on chemical engineering and biotechnology in Berlin end on an upbeat note The 8th European Congress of Chemical Engineering and 1st European Congress of Applied Biotechnology closed on Thursday in Berlin on an upbeat note. For four days, about 3,000 scientists from industry and academia discussed topics from research and practical application. Especially the lectures on downstream processing of biotechnological products were strongly frequented; sessions on energy storage, future thinking in innovation and process…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/european-joint-conference-on-chemical-engineering-and-biotechnology-in-berlin-end-on-an-upbeat-note
Press release - 03/10/2011 BioIndustry 2021: Meet German leading-edge clusters at BIOTECHNICA 2011 Four of the five clusters that have won the BMBF “BioIndustry 2021” competition will be present at a joint booth at BIOTECHNICA, Europe’s leading trade fair for biotechnology and the life sciences to be held in Hanover, Germany from 11th to 13th October. They will be presenting insights into visions they have been working on and talking about their place in the industrial biotechnology sector of the future.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/bioindustry-2021-meet-german-leading-edge-clusters-at-biotechnica-2011
Dossier - 19/09/2011 Social media are gaining in importance in the life sciences Social network services are springing up like mushrooms; everybody seems to be talking about ‘Web 2.0’ or ‘Podcast’. The life sciences are also starting to use the new communication media for their purposes. Social network services are online platforms with a representation of each individual user who links up with a number of different social networks composed of other users. Terms like Web 2.0 and Podcast are commonly used and the World Wide…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/dossiers/social-media-are-gaining-in-importance-in-the-life-sciences
Article - 19/09/2011 Uwe Ludewig and the future of agricultural crops Prof. Dr. Uwe Ludewig has been head of the Department of Nutritional Crop Physiology at the University of Hohenheim for around a year now. Physicist by training and specialist in electrophysiology, Prof. Ludewig now works mainly on transport processes in plants. He plans to use molecular relationships to enhance the potential of agricultural crops, reduce the use of fertilisers and make agricultural plants fit for climate change.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/uwe-ludewig-and-the-future-of-agricultural-crops
Article - 19/09/2011 k-labor GmbH – a specialist in material analysis and characterisation k-labor GmbH focuses on the initial inspection of samples for the automotive industry and the testing of a broad range of different materials. k-labor also specialises in environmental simulations and durability testing and offers consulting and the transfer of technologies in the plastics sector. https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/k-labor-gmbh-a-specialist-in-material-analysis-and-characterisation
Article - 12/09/2011 What happens inside molecular light receptors? A team of researchers led by Prof. Dr. Tilman Lamparter from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT is investigating how the absorption of light alters the three-dimensional structure of phytochrome molecules and how this effects the behaviour of plantcells. The researchers use bacteria with phytochromes that have largely unknown functions.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/what-happens-inside-molecular-light-receptors
Article - 05/09/2011 1001 Genome-Project – On the way to a complete catalog of the Arabidopsis genome People can develop new technologies and animals may migrate to other regions. However, plants are tied to their location. Nevertheless, they have found ways to ensure their survival. This is the case for the plant Arabidopsis thaliana, which is found throughout the entire northern hemisphere. But how does this small, inconspicuous plant deal with all these different extremes? In order to discover the whole-genome sequence variation, the 1001…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/1001-genome-project-on-the-way-to-a-complete-catalog-of-the-arabidopsis-genome
Article - 05/09/2011 How microalgae bind carbon dioxide and how they are used as sources for material and energy production In comparison to other plants, algae grow quickly and produce large quantities of biomass. They generate a much greater mass per square metre than other energy plants. In addition, almost all algal biomass can be used as raw material for the pharmaceutical industry, amongst others. Therefore, a technology that is able to effectively produce microalgae on an industrial scale could make a considerable contribution to the energy and material…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/how-microalgae-bind-carbon-dioxide-and-how-they-are-used-as-sources-for-material-and-energy-producti
Press release - 02/09/2011 Environment Action Programme evaluated Major accomplishments in the field of environment during the past ten years have been the extension of the Natura 2000 network to cover almost 18 of the EUs land area the introduction of a comprehensive chemicals policy and policy action on climate change. https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/environment-action-programme-evaluated
Press release - 31/08/2011 »Lean Production« in the world of bacteria Insilico Biotechnology will use its models and simulations to improve bioproduction via bacteria by throwing unnecessary ballast overboard. Bacteria for industrial purposes can do without the survival and adaptation strategies needed in natural environments so these metabolic pathways and products are to be eliminated for production processes. The pioneer research project is supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/lean-production-in-the-world-of-bacteria
Article - 22/08/2011 IHB – Textile research that leads to new applications Innovative medical textiles can offer clear advantages when it comes to improvements in delivering modern health care systems. The Institute for Hygiene and Biotechnology (IHB) at the Hohenstein Institute is currently involved in the development of new fibre-based materials for successful applications in the private and public health sectors. Both natural biopolymers and stem cells have the potential of becoming part of such medical products of…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/ihb-textile-research-that-leads-to-new-applications