Research Fields
acib develops innovative biocatalytic processes and technologies to make the production of valuable compounds more sustainable and efficient. The focus is on establishing new enzyme reactions in the areas of amidation/esterification, redox reactions (such as biocatalytic C=C cleavage, C-H, alcohol/amine, and aldehyde oxidations), and C-C bond formation. New enzymatic (cascade) reactions, enzyme optimization, and process development enable the industrial application of these reactions. Combining several enzymes in one reactor makes it possible to reduce complex, multi-step processes to a single step. The goal is to establish biocatalytic processes as environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical synthesis and to revolutionize the production of specialty chemicals, pharmaceutical active ingredients, and functional biomolecules. An important aspect is the use of tailor-made enzymes for specific reactions in order to achieve higher selectivity, stability, and efficiency. For example, acib is working on the enzymatic production of beta-lactam antibiotics and enzymes for industrial, medical, and environmental applications.
Innovative Products from Renewable Resources/ Biorefineries
acib pursues a holistic strategy for developing bio-based products and materials through the consistent use of sustainable resources. The main focus is on the material use of CO₂ and biogenic and industrial waste streams to generate high-quality products for food, cosmetics, animal feed, chemicals, material development, and agriculture.
The focus is on:
- The production of functional biomolecules (proteins, prebiotics/probiotics, cosmetic active ingredients)
- The development of highly advanced biopolymers (e.g., PHA, cyanoflan) with tailor-made properties
- The (bio)catalytic utilization of difficult-to-degrade plastics, and
- The design of innovative biorefinery concepts as the basis for a circular bioeconomy. A central goal is to reduce the carbon footprint through CO₂ fixation, upcycling of side streams, and the substitution of fossil raw materials with agricultural or industrial waste.
Plant Biotechnology
R&D activities in the field of plant biotechnology aim to make the production of relevant crops more future-proof and to establish innovative, sustainable production options for food and feed, cosmetics, and, in particular, pharmaceuticals. The focus is particularly on products that, due to their complexity (e.g., structure), cannot be produced or can only be produced poorly in existing biotechnological systems (e.g., microorganisms or mammalian cells).
Specifically, new ways have been established to produce so-called small molecules as well as protein-based active ingredients and nutrients in active form. This solves, among other things, the problem of climate change-related threats to supply chains. At the same time, plants are strengthened in their germination and growth potential through targeted modification of the microbiome surrounding them and individual substance groups.
Applied Biodiversity
This topic area aims to translate scientific findings from our microbiome research into practical measures for the protection, sustainable use, and restoration of agricultural and natural ecosystems. Specifically, it focuses on:
Promoting microbial diversity in soil – biological protection against pests, supporting high-yield ecosystems through the targeted colonization of beneficial microorganisms.
Sustainable healthcare – supporting a healthy gut microbiome, preserving microbial diversity and the associated genetic potential (next-generation probiotics).
Sustainable use of resources – evaluating biomass from microbial production for environmental compatibility, strategy for reducing silage spoilage.
Biological decontamination – detection and monitoring to prevent pathogen outbreaks, use of probiotics to reduce germs in food production facilities.
Sustainable Microbial Biotechnology
“Sustainable microbial biotechnology” researches and develops microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts, and filamentous fungi for the sustainable production of bioproducts. The aim is to increase the sustainability of microbial strains and bioprocesses through novel strategies.
One focus is the microbial conversion of previously unused, climate-friendly substrates such as lignocellulose sugars, glycerin, and methanol into high-quality biomolecules (proteins for biopharmaceutical and food purposes, organic acids, and biofuels).
In particular, the aim is to improve the use of cellular resources and save time, e.g., through targeted strain improvement and cell engineering, through the development of coupled production processes in which several products are produced simultaneously in a single microbial host, or through the use of predictive models for bioprocesses. In addition, the use of environmentally harmful substances and antibiotics is to be drastically reduced or avoided altogether.
Specific objectives are the development of antibiotic-free, co-producing Komagataella phaffii strains for the production of high-quality recombinant proteins; the microbial production of 1,3-propanediol and 3-hydroxypropionic acid from alternative raw material sources using Lentilactobacillus diolivorans; or the more efficient utilization of alternative substrates in methylotrophic yeasts.
Bioprocess Technology, Biopharmaceuticals and Diagnostics
The aim is to make novel biopharmaceutical agents such as peptides and bionanoparticles (BNPs) accessible through new manufacturing processes. At the same time, established biopharmaceuticals such as antibiotics, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and vaccines are to be made usable for additional indications through new approaches, and their production in Europe is to be secured. In the field of diagnostics, the focus is on improving methods for the early detection of diseases. In addition, growing knowledge about the interaction between the microbiome and human health is being used to develop a new generation of prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics for humans and livestock.