Bioeconomy News

Molecular plant physiologists in Golm managed to engineer the chloroplast DNA of the tobacco plant. Via horizontal gene transfer they were able to produce the carotenoid astaxanthin.

Biochemists in Munich managed to improve the photosynthesis process by generating the Rubisco enzyme in a bacterial host. This could also boost future crop yields.

A new technique enables Hendrik Dietz at TU Munich to build DNA origami structures the size of viruses, while also reducing the cost of production substantially.

17 green start-ups were competing for potential investors in Berlin. Biobased plastic produced in Sweden and a map for air quality developed in Munich convinced the panel.

According to a recent study, there are 224 biorefineries online in Europe. The platforms differ by region, depending on the available resources.

Researchers in Jena found out why the corn rootworm is such a devastating pest: it exploits the plants defenses and then uses it against potential enemies.

According to researchers in Kiel, the increasing acidification of the oceans cause growing problems for mussels when developing their shells.

Pseudomonas bacteria can immobilise microalgae within moments. Researchers from Jena identified orfamid A as the chemical culprit.

Researchers from Jena report that the symbiosis of the thistle tortoise beetles with a specific bacterium allows them to digest plant cell walls.

Researchers in Munich deciphered the complex genome sequence of goatgras. This ancestor of the common wheat could improve targeted breeding.

According to a new report by researchers from Leipzig University, the economic and ecological value of any forest increases with its level of biodiversity.

The new Green Finance Cluster in Frankfurt is open for business. The goal: to pair up sustainable innovations and funding opportunities.

According to a new study by Munich researchers, warmer temperatures in cities speed up the growth of urban trees and let them age faster.

Researchers from Berlin managed to reprogram the intestinal bacteria E. coli in such a way that they generate the underwater adhesives as seen in mussels.

The 15 German teams at the finals of the iGEM competition for synthetic biology did very well: no overall win, but they received eight gold, three silver, and three bronze medals.

In the "Lancet Countdown" report, international experts from basic research to political scientists analyse the relationship between public health and climate change.

The swiss specialty chemicals company Clariant is set to build a sunliquid® cellulosic ethanol plant in Romania.

The German industrial biotech company Brain AG has developed a new bio-leaching method to isolate and retain metals by breaking down waste and ore.

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute in Mainz calculated that reducing agricultural ammonia emissions from manure and fertilizers decreases air pollution and reduces mortality.

A new EU project headed by Ralf Reski in Freiburg will promote the environmentally friendly production of specialty chemicals from genetically modified moss.

Geomicrobiologists from the University of Tübingen demonstrate that co-composting of mixed manure and biochar creates an organic coating, which improves its fertiliser properties.

Researcher in Kassel and Potsdam identified shear forces as the mechanism that turns the slimy secretion of velvet worms into stiff polymer fibres, which can even be recycled.

A long-term study by researchers in the Netherlands, the UK and volunteers across Germany found a 75% decrease of flying insects over the last 27 years.

BASF has signed an agreement for €5.9 billion to acquire significant parts of Bayer’s seed and non-selective herbicide businesses.

Special bladder cells on quinoa leaves remove salt from the plant metabolism. Researcher at the University Würzburg identified specific gene activities underlying this mechanism.

The speciality chemicals company Evonik is opening a new site in Tours, France. The new production site will focus on plant-based cosmetic active ingredients.

Green algae cause biofilms that wreak havoc for bioreactors and other structures. Göttingen-based researchers found that red light hinders surface adhesions.

Researchers at Fraunhofer WKI developed new technologies to recycle wood without diminishing its quality.

Scientists from Gatersleben helped decipher the genome sequence of the pearl millet, a drought resistant crop plant that grows even on nutrient-deficient soil.

Leipzig-based researchers have shown that the combination of microbial and electrochemical conversion of biomass can yield valuable products such as fuel.

Algae fix carbon dioxide more efficiently than land plants. An international research team deciphered the surprisingly liquid mechanisms behind it.

Swiss chemical company Clariant and Slovakian bioethanol specialist Enviral announce first license agreement on Sunliquid Cellulosic Ethanol Technology.

What will the industry of tomorrow look like? 350 experts discussed future directions during the second international bioeconomy conference in Stuttgart.

As part of its sustainability initiative “ForwardFarming”, Bayer CropScience opened its second role model farm - this time in Nauen, just outside of Berlin.

Insects could offer an alternative protein source for food, feed, or cosmetics. International experts discussed recent trends during the INSECTA conference in Berlin.

KIT researchers are testing fungi roots as an alternative and sustainable building material. They are presenting a “MycoTree“ made of fungi and bamboo at the Biennale in Seoul.

The new EFI office in Bonn has become operational. Above all experts will focus on the resiliency of European forests and an international knowledge exchange.

Scientists from China and Germany trace the origin of the huge sweet potato genome back to a crossbreeding between two ancestors 50,000 years ago.

Among the winners of the German Packaging Awards 2017 are three manufacturers that have developed the best packaging in the category of "sustainability".

Japanese company Denka pays €75 million to acquire German plant biotech Icon Genetics. The Halle-based company produces therapeutic proteins in plants.