Bioeconomy

Article - 01/07/2009

KIT - Competence in bioprocess engineering

The purification of microbially produced substances such as proteins and polysaccharides and their separation from or release from within the cell are complex tasks in the field of biotechnology. The Bioprocess Engineering department of the Institute of Process Engineering in the Life Sciences TH deals with the development of integrated bioprocesses and is also involved in the separation of biopolymers.

Dossier - 28/03/2008

Bioprocess engineering - more than just the sum of individual disciplines

The inclusion of biological processes in production processes has huge potential for industry. Bioprocess engineering helps to produce materials more efficiently than ever before at the same time it opens up ways to new and often better products. Bioprocess engineering on the one hand is part of biotechnology but on the other hand it is also part of process engineering.

Article - 01/12/2009

Ralf Takors – a bio-engineer

Multidisciplinary talent, people who can combine biological knowledge in an outstanding way with engineering, is in great demand. Ralf Takors, who has been head of the Institute of Bioprocess Engineering (IBVT) at the University of Stuttgart since July 2009, is one such talent.

Article - 15/10/2012

Rudolf Hausmann – green surfactants from bacteria

In April 2012 Rudolf Hausmann jr. was appointed professor of the newly established chair of bioprocess engineering at the University of Hohenheim. His passion biosurfactants used in cleaning agents detergents and foods which will in the future enable normally non-mixable liquids such as oil and water to be mixed together.

Article - 07/05/2010

Effective utilisation and processing of renewable resources

Fermentation isolation separation and purification are key processes in the overall workflow that enable the prepartion of substances from renewable resources and biotechnological production. Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart are focusing on the development of new innovative methods.

Article - 12/11/2012

Furtwangen University of Applied Sciences appoints new professor of bioprocess engineering

Volker C. Hass joined the Furtwangen University of Applied Sciences at the beginning of the 2012/2013 winter semester. His presence strengthens the university’s team on the bio- and process engineering bachelor’s degree programme. Every year, two thirds of the 100 or so first-semester students choose biotechnology as part of their main studies and around one third choose process engineering.

Article - 30/06/2014

Scale is key: biodata for optimising bioproduction

Biotech research is aimed at improving industrial-scale microbial production, making it more profitable and more competitive. However, laboratory-scale data cannot easily be transferred one to one to large-scale production. New systems biology concepts for the simulation of large-scale production are now set to make this possible.

With insects to the circular economy - 30/11/2022

InBiRa: Insect biorefinery turns food leftovers into new products

Insect larvae can convert food leftovers and waste into secondary raw materials for technical products and cosmetics. Researchers are looking to establish an insect biorefinery for this purpose at the Fraunhofer IGB in Stuttgart. The InBiRa project is financed with a total of 3.8 million euros in EU and Baden-Württemberg state funding.

The state of Baden-Württemberg is characterised by strong economic expertise in the field of plant and mechanical engineering as well as excellent research institutions in the fields of biology, biotechnology, bioprocess engineering and chemistry. These form an excellent basis for a sustainable economy by promoting technology development and innovation for tomorrow’s bioeconomy.

Press release - 20/11/2010

BioNexGen: new membrane technologies for water treatment

All steam ahead for international research cooperation at the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences: The “BioNexGen” project brings together eleven partners from Europe and the MENA countries (Middle East and North Africa) with the objective of developing membranes with new nanostructured functional layers for the treatment of wastewater. The consortium is led by Prof. Dr. Jan Hoinkis, Director of the Institute of Applied Research at the…

Article - 04/05/2015

Bioprocess engineering: Sybille Ebert to teach key biotechnological skills

Every single biotechnological production process is tested in shake flasks before it is gradually scaled up to eventually produce tons of platform chemicals or biofuels in cubic-metre sized fermenters. Prof. Dr. Sybille Ebert teaches the theory and practice of bioprocess engineering in the form of lectures and practical laboratory exercises to students at the Biberach University of Applied Sciences. The trained chemist and mathematician was…

Article - 04/04/2011

Clemens Posten: How can algae produce cheap energy?

Microalgae are a real treasure trove. The cosmetics food and chemical industries already use many algal metabolic products and it is envisaged that algae will become an important regenerative source of energy in the future. Prof. Dr. Clemens Postens Bioprocess Engineering team at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT focuses on bioprocess development and is investigating the effect of different diets and the dilution of light on algal product…

Article - 01/02/2010

Succinic acid – producing a green platform chemical with biotech

Fermentative Production of Succinic Acid is the title of one of the projects being worked on by the BiopolymersBiomaterials cluster in Baden-Württemberg. Researchers from BASF SE one of the project partners have isolated a bacterium with highly promising properties including the ability to use glycerine a waste product of biodiesel production as substrate for the efficient production of succinic acid.

Article - 10/07/2010

Algae light up industry

The potential of Microalgae cannot yet be optimally used on the large scale. The bioprocess engineer Dr. Rosa Rosello and her team at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT are investigating the conditions under which different microalgae species can optimally grow in photobioreactors and lead to high product yields. It is all a question of light and shade.

Press release - 21/01/2010

Driving cars with biogas produced from biological waste

The ETAMAX research project brings together partners from research, the energy sector and industry and is aimed at using a combined, modular process to produce biogas from low-lignocellulosic waste such as supermarket waste and micro-algal biomass, at the same time as closing all substance cycles. The regenerative biomethane will be used to fuel a small fleet of gas-driven vehicles.

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.

Press release - 07/04/2008

Bacteria for the production of better plastics

Nylon made by bacteria high-tech plastics from the bioreactor the BiopolymersBiomaterials cluster has plans to combine biotechnology with polymer technology and hence boost innovation in traditional industries such as the chemical and automobile industries.

Press release - 16/12/2008

The Biopolymers / Biomaterials Cluster

BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH’s Biopolymers/Biomaterials Cluster was one of five clusters to come out top in the German BioIndustrie Competition in 2007. The BMBF will provide a total of 10 million euros in funding for the implementation of the proposal from 2007 to 2021.

Article - 31/01/2011

Technische Universität Braunschweig – made-to-measure synthetic microorganisms

The Institute of Biochemical Engineering at Technische Universität Braunschweig (Technical University (TU) Braunschweig) is a member of the Biopolymers/Biomaterials cluster and, as such, is involved in two projects to produce diaminopentane and succinic acid using optimised microorganisms with the aim of establishing a basis from which to provide industry with new materials made from renewable resources.

Energy experts have been dreaming about using hydrogen as an inexhaustible energy source for a long time. However this vision has not yet become reality. The search for intelligent affordable methods that can be used to convert sun energy wind or water power into hydrogen has so far led to dead ends. However small algae might now pave the way into the hydrogen era.

Article - 25/10/2010

Industrial biopolymers – between children’s shoes and seven-league boots

The International Symposium on Biopolymers was held in Stuttgart between 4th and 7th October 2010. The event organisers also held a special focus day on industrial applications as suggested by BIOPRO. The conclusions drawn from the Industry Day can be summarised as follows methods are becoming increasingly mature production capacities are growing and the price of biobased polymers and bulk chemicals are becoming more attractive. However many…

Article - 05/04/2017

Wood as raw material for platform chemicals

Petroleum is required for producing fuels as well as many everyday items. However, as petroleum resources are dwindling, researchers are carrying out intensive research into possible alternatives. Wood might be one such alternative. It is a renewable resource that can potentially be used as a raw material for many products manufactured by the chemical industry.

Article - 14/01/2013

Novel bioreactor and sponges that thin out light

Microalgae are veritable treasure troves. The cosmetics food and chemical industries already use algal metabolic products for various applications. In future the green unicellular organisms might also be grown on a large scale in photobioreactors installed on fallow land where they will be used as regenerative sources of energy. Mark Fresewinkel from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT is involved in a cooperative project aimed at…

Article - 08/06/2015

Biosurfactants - effective fat solvents made by bacteria

In early 2015, a company called Biotensidon GmbH from Karlsruhe established a white biotechnology subsidiary to develop a fermenter prototype for producing rhamnolipids, which are excellent bacterial surfactants. The project, which was carried out in cooperation with scientists from the Science & Technology Center in Ukraine, means that traditional petroleum-based surfactants can now be replaced by biosurfactants. The latter are extremely…

Article - 10/04/2010

“We need to tap alternative energy sources”

Prof. Dr. Christoph Wittmann from the TU Braunschweig is a partner in the BiopolymersBiomaterials cluster. He is developing mathematical models of metabolic processes to optimise microorganisms for use in biotechnology. In an interview with Christoph Bächtle Wittmann talks about systems biology drawing-board organisms biobased plastics and biotechnologys capacity to complement existing large-scale methods.