Bioeconomy

Tübingen biotechnologist Lars Angenent is being awarded the Leibniz Prize by the German Research Foundation (DFG) in appreciation of his outstanding work in the field of environmental biotechnology, it was announced in Bonn on Thursday. The DFG said: “In view of climate change and the resulting need to develop a sustainable food, chemistry and energy economy, his work is highly relevant.”

Mini-factories for producing bioplastics - 05/05/2022

Bacteria produce bioplastics: resource-saving and very environmentally friendly

Using living cells as mini-factories to produce plastic from nothing more than water, sunlight and carbon dioxide; plastic that is also 100 percent degradable – it sounds far-fetched but it actually works: researchers at the University of Tübingen have genetically engineered cyanobacteria so that they fill their cells to the brim with polyhydroxybutyrate. The researchers are now turning the idea into reality with the development of pilot plants.

pre-start-up company Wheyfinery - 13/04/2022

Acid whey as a valuable raw material for platform chemicals and more

There is not much you can do with acid whey, which is why several million litres of it are disposed of every year. This is both costly and not sustainable. However, researchers at Tübingen University have shown: acid whey can be used to produce precursors for biofuels, fine chemicals and antimicrobial livestock feed additives. They have set up the pre-start-up company Wheyfinery in an endeavour to make their scalable biorefinery concept…

Microorganisms are the oldest, most abundant, and most diverse life forms on earth and offer enormous potential for biotechnological applications. To date, however, only a fraction of them could be isolated and cultivated. The “MicroMATRIX” research project, funded with € 1.5 million by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and led by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), aims to shed more light on the microbial darkness.

Microbiologists at the University of Tübingen modify bacteria to produce climate-neutral and rapidly degradable bioplastics.

Natural substance with herbicide potential - 10/12/2020

The same but different: What makes sugar 7Sdh a better herbicide?

The sugar 7-deoxy-sedoheptulose (7dSh) is produced by cyanobacteria and inhibits the same metabolic pathway as the broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate, thus making it an excellent herbicide candidate. Despite this amazing similarity, the microbiologist who discovered 7dSh, Prof. Dr. Karl Forchhammer, believes that this sugar has clear ecological advantages over glyphosate.

Article - 02/04/2019

Simple sugar could soon compete with glyphosate

For many decades, glyphosate has been a common component of agricultural pesticides worldwide, although it is a controversial herbicide that may be harmful. The good news is that a more sustainable alternative is now in sight: researchers from the University of Tübingen have discovered a sugar molecule called 7-deoxy-sedoheptulose (7dSh) which inhibits the growth of plants and microorganisms, but appears to be completely harmless to human cells.

Chemists and microbiologists at Tübingen University discover sugar molecule that inhibits the growth of plants and microorganisms and is harmless to human cells ‒ An alternative to controversial glyphosate?

Article - 23/08/2016

Bioenergy from meadow orchards

A project called ”Energiebündel & Flowerpower" run by the “Netzwerk Streuobst Mössingen" has established a complex local recycling network for biomass from meadow orchards. The network involves the city of Mössingen, the neighbouring municipality of Nehren, the KFB institution for the physically disabled and their self-help work group called “Streuobst und Naturschutz”, a biogas operator from Nehren, a start-up company called Vital…

Article - 25/01/2016

How the application of chemicals in response to oil spills can be improved

When an oil spill occurs, chemical dispersants are routinely applied to the surface of the oil-contaminated seawater or into deeper water regions. Dr. Sara Kleindienst, a molecular ecologist from the Centre for Applied Geoscience at the University of Tübingen, has now shown that chemical dispersants do not stimulate oil biodegradation. In cooperation with an international team of researchers, Kleindienst simulated the Deepwater Horizon oil well…

In collaboration with researchers from the University of Tübingen scientists from the Tübingen-based biotechnology company Novis GmbH have now evaluated a biological leaching method that can be used to recycle valuable resources from incineration slag using bacteria. Funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Environment Climate Protection and the Energy Sector the experts from Tübingen are studying the possibility of using this method in…

Article - 09/12/2013

Biological soil remediation: phytoremediation with plants and their associated microbes

Prof. Dr. Andreas Kappler and his team of researchers from the University of Tübingen are exploring how cadmium and other harmful metal compounds can be removed from soil. The principle is based on the ability of bacteria to break up cadmium-containing soil particles the released cadmium is then taken up by the plants and removed as the plants are pruned and disposed of.

Article - 11/11/2013

Pesticides and their effect on the environment

Ecotoxicologists from Tübingen are calling for new interdisciplinary approaches in order to improve investigations into the effect of pesticides on the living environment. They expect that a more effective and more frequent combination of field work and laboratory analyses will provide them with a clearer picture of the overall situation. This knowledge will enable all stakeholders involved in solving environmental issues to draw the right…

Article - 25/02/2013

Computomics: unlocking the secrets of plant genome sequences

Thanks to the latest generation of sequencing technology, the deciphering of the complete genome of organisms is becoming faster and cheaper. The challenge is to compile the book of life from millions of DNA fragments and unlock the secrets of the human and other organisms. The young bioinformatics company Computomics in Tübingen is doing just this for crops. In contrast to the human genome, the genome of the majority of plants is still a book…

Article - 18/02/2013

Biotechnology in Biberach: a success story that breaks new ground

At its New Year reception Biberach University of Applied Sciences outlined the universitys success the establishment of its biotechnology programme is going smoothly and student interest remains steady. Biberach also has a successful track record of acquiring third-party funding and has established new national and international cooperations.

Article - 31/12/2012

siRNA for the regeneration of tissue and nerves

Regenerative medicine is increasingly making use of siRNA to turn off proteins that prevent the application of regenerative therapies. Researchers at the NMI in Reutlingen develop siRNA technologies that have the potential to prevent the development of fibroses, the encapsulation of implants and improve the regeneration of nerves.

Dossier - 01/10/2012

Systems biology: understanding complex biological systems

Systems biology studies complex interactions within biological systems on the genome proteome and organelle level. Many techniques from the fields of systems theory and associated fields can be used to gain an understanding of the behaviour and biological mechanisms of cellular systems.

Article - 19/03/2012

Soil bacteria to produce new antibiotics

An ever-growing number of genomes of soil bacteria of the genus Streptomyces are being sequenced. Using a method known as “genome mining”, researchers at the University of Tübingen are working on the identification of gene clusters that have the potential to be used in industrial biotechnology for the production of new antibiotics and other pharmaceutically active substances. To achieve this, the biosynthesis gene clusters are integrated into…

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.

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.

Dossier - 02/05/2011

Molecular bionics – inspirations from the microworld for the macroworld

Knowledge about the molecular organisation of structural and functional biological properties has led to the establishment of a new field of research molecular bionics. Everything that can be learnt from the macromolecular observation of interesting natural phenomena is complemented in this field by observations on the smallest i.e. molecular level. Processes and materials that have been optimised in the course of evolution are thus able to…

Press release - 28/02/2011

"Sebacinales Everywhere" – fungi that live in special symbioses

Researchers have a created a specific type of endophytic symbiosis between fungi and plant roots that does not lead to visible mycorrhiza. In addition, a team of biologists from Tübingen along with international partners has discovered that Sebacinales (fungi) are ubiquitous endophytes of plant roots.

Press release - 22/11/2010

Tübingen scientists turn snails into “slugs”

Biologists from Tübingen have reshaped the body plan of snails. Temporary exposure to platinum ions resulted in the formation of an internal shell in place of the normal external shell. The snails, which were artificially turned into slugs, survived normally. In the journal “Evolution & Development”, the researchers reported that the reshaping is most likely the result of altered gene activity. This shows that the shape of organisms may have…

Article - 11/10/2010

Mineral-forming bacteria of great usage value

They’ve been active in the background for billions of years, but they have now come to the fore as potent helpers – we’re referring to iron-oxidising bacteria. Researchers from Tübingen have recently shown that iron-oxidising bacteria lead to rust-coloured, banded rock formations in countries like South Africa and Australia. When the bacteria form iron minerals they bind heavy metals, a characteristic that makes them interesting candidates for…