RESEARCH FIELDS
The broad range of scientific excellence at acib is divided in 7 research fields,
covering all sectors of industrial biotechnology.
Biocatalysis & Chemical Analytics
While chemical reaction conditions usually vary a lot, the conditions of enzymatic reactions are in principle quite similar to each other. The high level of complexity of multistep-onepot cascadic reactions demand for the integration of molecular techniques such as cell- and protein engineering as well as reaction techniques.
Contact: Prof. Robert Kourist
Enzyme Technologies & Protein Engineering
The production and modification of proteins and enzymes for functional use in pharmaceutical agents, food and feed is an important focus as well. At the medical sector, smart technologies (eg fusion technologies) are used for a controlled production and purification of glycosylated proteins.
Contact: Prof. Bernd Nidetzky
Microbial Biotechnology
- Making use of genetic diversity of microbial strains in order to increase the productivity and robustness of production strains
- Development and characterization of standardized and customized elements for the systematic strain development of yeasts and fungi
- Development of “carbon capture and utilization” technologies in order to convert CO2 into high-value products biotechnologically
- Development of microbial populations (named microbiomes) for biologic plant protection
Cell line Development & Epigenetic
The research aims at optimizing the efficiency of cells so that higher yields are possible at highest quality, while at the same time reducing costs and necessary time lines. In particular, new technologies are to be developed which, with the help of systems biology and the analysis of genetic and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms in cells, improve the properties of cells for production and in the industrial bioprocess.
Contact: Prof. Nicole Borth
Bioinformatic & Simulations
The aim of the research is therefore not only to decipher these network interactions with mathematical methods, but also to enable targeted influencing, control and monitoring of these networks on all cellular levels as well as on the levels of the bio-process (especially in the upstream and downstream area). This makes it possible to design and optimize biological cell factories in a targeted and rational way on the drawing board, which enable the sustainable production of chemical raw materials.
Contact: Prof. Jürgen Zanghellini
Bioprocess Technologies
- Development of production processes for bionanoparticles (eg viruses and virus-like particles VLP)
- Scalability of processes and their transferability from laboratory to industrial scale
- Modelling and simulation of biotechnological processes as a basis for automation
- Development of new materials for biotechnological applications
- Development of new (continuous) processes for the purification of proteins as Exploration of interaction between proteins and surfaces
Bioeconomy & Environmental Biotechnology
Microbial enzymes play an important role in this. The focus of this project is the design of new enzymes with improved and, above all, tailored activities towards (bio)polymers. In addition to the processing of (bio)polymers in large quantities, polymer-active enzyme reactions for new pharmaceutical strategies in connection with abusive opioid formulations are also being investigated.
In other sub-areas of the research project, modern metagenomic techniques are used to identify even non-cultivable microbes and their enzymes, and bacterial cell systems are investigated which, after exposure to certain human biomarkers, release intracellular indicator molecules, which subsequently lead to reactions with color development.
Contact: Prof. Georg Gübitz