Bioeconomy News

By combining a photosynthetic protein complex with a light-collecting protein from cyanobacteria, researchers have succeeded for the first time in converting the green part of light into energy.

Climate change has consequences for the future of forests: According to an international study involving Munich researchers, large trees in particular are falling behind.

Among the first consortia for the establishment of the National Research Data Infrastructure (NDFI) are also three large associations that are important for bioeconomy research.

Biotechnologists from Münster have discovered an enzyme whose oxygen-transferring activity can be switched on by light.

The German-Dutch project "Bioeconomy-Green Chemistry” of the Ems-Dollart-Region is among the nominees for the European REGIOSTARS Award 2020.

Through electrolysis, chemists in Mainz have succeeded in producing high-quality vanillin from lignin.

The plant hormone jasmonic acid is widely used, but the chemical synthesis of the precursor 12-OPDA is expensive. Researchers have now biotechnologically imitated the production process.

Researchers from Bayreuth have discovered an enzyme with which important components of complex biologically active connections can be produced precisely.

Two designers from the USA have used bacteria to produce a mouth and nose protection mask that filters air particles and is also biodegradable.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research is providing 25 million euros to advance projects for the conservation of biodiversity.

Genome editing at a higher level: Plant researchers from Karlsruhe and Gatersleben have used the molecular scissors CRISPR-Cas9 for the first time to exchange chromosome arms.

Ferulic acid is a promising natural substance. Researchers have now found a way to produce this active ingredient using bacteria.

Fraunhofer researchers have developed a miniaturized plant to study the processes involved in the production of methanol from carbon dioxide and hydrogen.

The majority of Germans are in favor of sustainable economic activity, but still have difficulty making sacrifices. This is shown by the latest TechnikRadar conducted by acatech and the Körber Stiftung.

A team of researchers is the first to provide an explanation why plants cannot absorb an unlimited amount of water through their roots.

In a new bioeconomy cluster, 15 institutes of the Zuse-Gemeinschaft are combining their activities in order to promote industrial research for a biobased economy.

Partners from research and industry hope to use green waste as a source of raw materials for biorefineries in order to produce basic chemicals as well as electrodes.

More than a quarter of all German citizens are convinced that the corona pandemic can lead to a change in people's thinking towards more sustainability and climate protection.

Researchers are developing an enzymatic process to make fivefold sugar available to produce biofuels.

A new irrigation concept for vegetable cultivation could set a precedent: In the Hypowave project, treated water from a sewage treatment plant was used for growing lettuce in the greenhouse.

The custom-made product for a bicycle drinking bottle combines functional properties and enables use in a bio-based recycling economy.

Epigenetic processes have less influence on the rapid adaptation of organisms to environmental changes than previously assumed. This is the result of a study led by researchers from Kiel.

Leibniz researchers have developed a sustainable alternative to the petrochemical process to produce an important basic drug substance.

A new algorithm allows the identification of phytoplankton species in the ocean based on satellite data and predicts the growth of toxic algal blooms.

In the corona crisis, disinfectants are a scarce commodity. German bioethanol producers are changing their policy and now produce alcohol for hygiene products rather than petrol.

The Martinsried-based company GNA Biosolutions plans to launch an ultra-fast corona test based on its laser PCR. The BMBF has funded the development of the method.

Following the example of grasshopper feet, bionics researchers from Kiel have created an adaptive frictional system that adheres even to rough and uneven surfaces.

Animal feed must be high in protein, which is why soya is very well suited for this purpose. For ecological reasons, researchers are looking for domestic alternatives.

Lignin is an attractive raw material for bioplastics. X-ray analyses have shown how the different molecular structures influence the properties of the biopolymer.

Biotechnologists from Halle and Berlin have produced an improved version of the genome editing tool CRISPR-Cas9. The gene scissors make fewer mistakes in cutting.

In order to make potatoes more resistant, researchers want to coat the seeds of the nightshade plants with beneficial fungi and thus help them grow.

At the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, scientists have compiled 15,000 metagenome data sets from soil samples of various origins according to uniform standards.

In the search for alternatives to plastic, researchers want to further develop packaging made of banana leaves and water hyacinths to better protect food.

Eat the silverware instead of throwing it away: This idea is being pursued by the start-up Frenvi, which wants to offer an alternative to disposable plastic cutlery with its edible spoons.

Rostock chemists use the concept of artificial photosynthesis to produce high-quality hydrocarbons from carbon dioxide.

With the help of a new process, researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis in Rostock extract pentylene glycol, which is important for cosmetics, from bagasse, residual materials from the sugar cane industry.

Partners from research and industry want to develop multilayer packaging materials based on chitosan and at the same time work out a corresponding method for quality control.

Big news for the Leuna chemical site: The Finnish group UPM is investing EUR 550 million in an industrial biorefinery. The plant will produce green chemicals from wood.

Max Planck researchers have created a synthetic cell that enables biochemical reactions and reacts to environmental influences.

If we were to modify the metabolism of plants, they could bind up to five times more carbon dioxide than is currently the case. Bioinformaticians from Würzburg have run a simulation.