acib - THE AUSTRIAN CENTRE OF INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

THE AUSTRIAN CENTRE
OF INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

acib is an international competence centre, developing new, environmentally friendly, economically and technically advanced processes for the biotechnological, pharmaceutical and chemical industry – all of them modelled on nature. acib is bridging the gap between academic research and producing industry. The big advantage for acib partner organisations is the possibility to translate scientific results into concrete processes and products by using scientific know-how, academic infrastructure or industrial networks. Our platform offers tailor-made solutions for our stakeholders from Academia, Industry and Investors.

LATEST BLOG ARTICLES

Wie Muskelkater einen Beitrag zum Klimaschutz leisten kann 

Co-Autorin: Aleksandra Fuchs

Die Umwelt – Ein Thema, das global gesehen, seit 2019 immer mehr Menschen beschäftigt und oft sogar mehr Sorgen bereitet als zB ihre eigenen Jobs.¹ Wir achten darauf weniger Plastik zu verschwenden, weniger zu reisen und möglichst Waren mit langen Transportwegen zu meiden. Ein weiterer, stark diskutierter Punkt ist zudem der enorme Fleischkonsum, der nicht nur schrecklich viele Ressourcen und Land benötigt, sondern auch mehr Wasser- und Luftverschmutzung verursacht als der gesamte Verkehrssektor.

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A sustainable production route to anticonvulsant

The pharmaceutical industry has had to resort to rather inefficient, environmentally harmful chemical synthesis routes for the production of the active ingredient levetiracetam, a drug which is used to treat epilepsy. A consortium led by acib has now developed a chemoenzymatic manufacturing route that promises twice the yield of current production methods while being environmentally friendly. The production method could be ready for industrial use in a year’s time.

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PCR – Ein Kopierapparat auf molekularer Ebene

Gut ein Jahr nach dem Ausbruch der Coronavirus-Pandemie ist sie den meisten Menschen ein Begriff: die Polymerase-Kettenreaktion, kurz PCR (englisch: polymerase chain reaction). Sie ist im Moment eines der verlässlichsten Werkzeuge, um eine Coronavirusinfektion nachzuweisen. Was passiert bei der PCR und warum ist sie soviel genauer als ein Antigentest?

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One step ahead of the coronavirus

Like any virus, SARS-CoV-2 is constantly changing. A wide variety of mutations are the result, to which vaccine manufacturers have so far only been able to react retroactively. Researchers from Graz, Austria have succeeded in using modern AI-based screening methods and virtual scenarios to study and predict the relevance of existing, but also future corona virus variants. This will allow vaccine manufacturers to optimize existing vaccines more quickly to make them effective against a wide range of mutations and to to gain earlier control over epidemics.

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Let’s paint biotechnology to the wall!

In times of COVID-19, we are spending a lot of time at home. Some of us feel the desire to give one of the rooms or even the whole flat a new coat. There is only one challenge: From furniture to window frames and indoor walls, whenever something is painted it should dry and harden fast. This is currently being solved by adding so called siccatives, which contain heavy metals such as cobalt, copper or lead. But we all know that these are toxic and harmful to our health and to the environment.

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RNA basic building blocks – biocatalytically produced

Researchers from TU Graz and acib succeed in the first enzyme-driven biocatalytic synthesis of nucleic acid building blocks. This facilitates the development of antiviral agents and RNA-based therapeutics.

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Fleisch aus dem Labor und seine aktuellen Herausforderungen

,,Der Nächste bitte!“
„Guten Tag! Ich hätte gerne 30 dag Hühnerfleisch aus dem Labor und … 35 dag Kochfleisch, auch aus dem Labor.“
„Bitte sehr, gerne, hier das Hühnerfleisch aus dem Labor für Sie. Kochfleisch aus dem Labor haben wir noch nicht im Sortiment. ‘‘

Diese Konversation aus einer Fleischerei kann bald Realität auf unserer Erde werden. Denn, das erste Hühnerfleisch aus dem Labor befindet sich schon auf dem Lebensmittelmarkt. Singapur hat als erstes Land auf der Welt das Vermarkten dieser Fleischart im Dezember 2020 offiziell zugelassen. Das amerikanische Unternehmen ,,Eat Just‘‘ wird Singapur demnächst mit dieser Art von Hühnerfleisch beliefern.

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Science meets Kids – Biotechnology for at home

The COVID-19 crisis is currently affecting all of us and all eyes are set at the scientific community that is eager to find a drug or a vaccine against the virus as soon as possible. Furthermore, the European Commission has launched the Green Deal concept which includes a research budget within the Horizon 2020 program of 1 billion Euro! Let’s conclude from these two recent examples: Science is important for all of us to move forward and to find solutions to meet the big challenges of our planet. In other words: science affects all of us and life is science!

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Plastic recycling with enzymes – ENZYCLE!

Plastic waste management has become a challenge for our planet. Mankind produces 27.1 million tons per year of plastic waste and only 31.1% can be recycled! More than 65% are landfilled or incinerated. These huge amount of waste comes along with CO₂ emissions of 6.7 million tons per year.

To counteract to these numbers, the project ENZYCLE was launched: it looks for new processes to treat and to recycle plastic fractions that nowadays cannot be recycled. It mainly addresses multilayer packaging, PET trays and clamshell containers and microplastics in waste water. Therefore, the project aims to reduce the amount of plastics that ends up in soil and the oceans.

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Saving sharks by lab-produced squalene

Squalene acts as a booster for potential vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. However, the richest squalene source, shark liver, can and should not be exploited further. acib offers a solution: Yeast cell factories can be designed via biotechnological tools to produce high amounts of squalene.

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acib as the largest Austrian research centre for biotechnology makes use of its competences and possibilities to conduct solution-oriented fast-track research in the context with COVID-19. The unique constellation of complementary research fields of biotechnology allows us to create synergies and to react very fast …

COMPANY PROFILE AND OWNERS

acib is an industrially oriented private limited company with a non-profit orientation. It is publicly owned by:

THE COMET CENTER acib

Next Generation Bioproduction is funded by BMK, BMDW, SFG, Standortagentur Tirol, Government of Lower Austria und Vienna Business Agency in the framework of COMET – Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies. The COMET-Funding Program is managed by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG.

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