Success Stories

Researchers from Karlsruhe are fermenting biomass under high pressure to produce the base chemical methanol. The OptiMeOH project is being funded by the German Research Ministry with 1.4 million euros.

How can flax be used for composite materials? Researchers from Bremen have developed a toolbox for plant breeders.

The bioeconomy has a few drawbacks, too. Sociologists from Jena are investigating the bioenergy sector with regard to social inequality.

Most adhesives for films and packaging are based on mineral oil. Fraunhofer researchers are testing a plant-based alternative.

With the “Phenobot” researchers have developed a measuring robot that can help vine-growers with their work.

Researchers at the joint AlBioTex project have found a way of using Azotobacter vinelandii bacteria to produce tailor-made alginates for use in wound dressings.

German fungus researchers from Tübingen have developed a special substrate of biochar that will help young plants to take root and to sustainably protect against diseases.

As part of the GOBI strategic alliance, three companies are actively looking for new, beneficial bacteria for the manufacture of bioactive products in the animal feed, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. The main objective: to find a bio-based alternative to conventional antibiotics.

The Berlin-based company Organobalance has developed a process that protects compounds such as vitamins, trace elements and fatty acids with a natural casing.

The fruit tree Asimina triloba has been known for its nutritious fruit for a long time. German plant researchers are now working on propagating the pawpaw in the laboratory to make them fit for the fruit farm.

The answer for all vegan and lactose-intolerant ice cream fans: a special treat is now available in the freezer section in many supermarkets – lupin ice cream. The vegetable protein that the ice cream is based on is produced using a sophisticated technology, which recently won the German Future Prize.

A team of researchers headed by Werner E.G. Müller at the University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, have made an interesting discovery in their search for biocompatible materials for use in medicine. The source: marine sponges.

Residential areas and industry produce significant quantities of sewage sludge, wastewater and waste materials – otherwise known as ‘waste streams’. Hidden inside these streams are substantial quantities of carbon that remain essentially unexploited. For the chemicals industry, this carbon could serve as a fundamental building block for other useful substances.

Components from the sap of the caper spurge plant could be an ingredient in future biofuels. And because the plant grows well in poor soils, there would be no competition with food crops.

In many industries, enzymes are the secret star of the show. For example, the tiny biocatalysts are a key component of modern detergents. Now, the Monheim-based biotech company Evocatal is coordinating the ‘Functionalisation of Polymers (FuPol)’ strategic alliance to further unlock the potential of enzymes.

Cough mixtures that taste sweet, but are still healthy - natural sweeteners suche as these are in the focus of the strategic alliance NatLifE 2020.The consortium of 22 partners from industry and academia have received millions of euros from the BMBF.