Bioeconomy News

Zoologists in Kiel have discovered highly adhesive cellulose nanofibres in the slimy protective layer of plant seeds, which may be very useful for biomedical applications.

Due to its magnetic properties, the microbial species Magnetospirillum has enormous potential for biotechnological applications and was voted Microbe of the Year 2019.

Nuts are traditional winter and Christmas treats. However, they are not only tasty and nutritious, they also have a huge potential as source material for the bioeconomy.

Jasmonic acid is widely known as a defence hormone of plants. Researchers from Würzburg have now identified another function: it also causes the closure of stomata.

Are bioplastics really a "green" alternative to petroleum-based plastics? According to researchers in Bonn, bioplastics are only sustainable if crop residues are used for its production.

Ecologists from Germany and Switzerland report that maize and wheat use the metabolite benzoxazinoid differently depending on which pest attacks them.

Materials researchers from Karlsruhe are using enzymes as a biobased, energy-saving and sustainable alternative to conventional catalysts.

According to Cologne-based researchers, praising insect food as a luxury object rather than advertising it as environmentally-sound motivates more people to actually eat it.

Many types of soft PVC are harmful to one's health. Thus, a consortium of the Hamburg and Bielefeld universities as well as BASF SE is looking for biobased alternatives.

The European Commission calls for a pan-European long-term strategy for a prosperous and climate neutral economy and names the bioeconomy as key to achieving these goals.

During this years "disruptive innovation festival" numerous online sessions and podcasts explained the concept and opportunities of a circular economy and insects as food or feed.

In a new report, the international InterAcademy Partnership states that food production and consumption must change drastically to limit climate change.

The International Rice Research Institute IRRI and the Tübingen-based biotech company Computomics aim to identify new resistant rice varieties using artificial intelligence.

An algal technology developed by Munich scientists could help mitigate global warming. It converts carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into valuable carbon fibers.

The 2018 UN Biodiversity Conference, held until the end of November in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, focusses on the implementation of global goals for the protection of biodiversity.

Following the inititative of the German University of Hohenheim, the six leading European universities regarding bioeconomy will join forces and establish a pan-European university.

Scientific advisors and a WTO-committee are urging European legislators to revise their verdict regarding GMOs to reflect current scientific knowledge and protect EU trade relations.

Certain protein fragments give cheese, beer, soy and the likes their characteristic taste. Munich biochemists have developed a new method to identify these fragments.

In early November, international experts from Ghana, Colombia and Germany gathered in Berlin to discuss the state of the implementation of the sustainable development goals.

Coastal researchers at the Helmholtz Centre Geesthacht have developed a statistical method with which cod stocks in the Barents Sea can be predicted more accurately.

Essen-based specialty chemicals company Evonik invests in British start-up OPTIfarm, which aims to improve poultry production via digitalisation.

Environmental contamination due to plastic waste is enormous. Nuremberg researchers are developing bio-based and biodegradable plastics to put an end to this.

The fourth gene technology report by the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities has been published. The authors urge to rethink the regulation of CRISPR-Cas products.

More than 500 bioeconomy experts from policy, industry and research joined a conference in Brussels organised by the European Commission to discuss the new European bioeconomy strategy.

Nitrous oxide emissions by plants are larger than previously thought. Though a natural process, it should be included in climate change models, say researchers from Heidelberg and Bingen.

According to plant researcher at the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), drought stresses arable crops more than heat and leads to higher crop losses.

An assessment by the Federal Environment Agency with the participation of Fraunhofer researchers states: Even biodegradable plastics remain in the environment for months.

An assessment by the Federal Environment Agency with the participation of Fraunhofer researchers states: Even biodegradable plastics remain in the environment for months.

The European Commission has announced an updated Bioeconomy Strategy containing an action plan to develop a sustainable and circular bioeconomy for all of Europe. 

In its latest report, the IPCC has called for a drastic reduction in CO₂ emissions in order to limit the risks posed by global warming to humans and nature.

About 500 experts from 70 countries met in Berlin at the beginning of October for the 12th International Working Conference on Stored Product Protection - IWCSPP2018.

For the first time, plant researchers have succeeded in using the CRISPR-Cas genome editing tool to breed a new crop from a wild tomato plant within just one generation.

The Technical University Berlin set up a start-up center for innovative ideas for a more sustainable economy. The advisory board includes high-ranking members from research and industry.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research launched its first funding measure towards the sustainable use of forest wood. This is part of the "Bioeconomy in the North" initiative.

How far has the implementation of the UN sustainability goals come? This and other questions were at the core of a Leibniz Association conference in Berlin in mid-September.

For the first time, researchers identified metabolites in above-ground parts of a plant that reveal its symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi. This will advance targeted breeding endeavors.

The German biotechnology company AMSilk is partnering with Airbus to develop novel biocomposite fibers for lightweight, high-performance planes that will require less fuel.

Researchers from Mainz have found out why the addition of inulin from dandelion changes the texture of food: The colder the mixture, the more it crystallizes.

Iron is essential for plant growth and harvest yields. Now, researchers in Jena discovered a new iron transporter that significantly improves the productivity of plants.

Following the EU's decision to classify crops created by genome editing technologies as GMOs, the German Bioeconomy Council urges politicians to modernize genetic engineering laws.

An international research team managed to decipher the gigantic and complex wheat genome. The new information is hoped to help in breeding more yield-efficient wheat varities.

Domestic trees are growing faster and faster, but the wood is also losing weight, according to Munich forest researchers.

An international research team analysed the soil microbiome. Bacteria and fungi are constantly fighting for resources and fungi even produce antibiotics to gain an advantage.

Biogas contains too much carbon dioxide compared to natural gas. Researchers have now produced a new type of active carbon from the fermentation residues of the biogas plant, which removes carbon dioxide from the biogas.

Bionic scientists at the University of Kiel have designed silicone material surfaces based on the model of a leaf beetle, thus significantly increasing its adhesion to other materials.

Researchers from Hannover have found a way to make food safer: Cold plasma succeeded in killing bacteria in sausages.

Using DNA snippets from tomatoes, researchers hope to identify breast implants in a way that prevents them from being falsified. This will enable them to track down inferior forgeries more quickly. 

Munich biotechnologists have developed a highly efficient method to extract large amounts of the amino acid methionine from climate-damaging CO₂.

Manufacturing carbon fibres from sustainable resources is expensive – until now. A researcher at TU Dresden develops new and efficient manufacturing processes.

Molecular biologists from Freiburg have constructed intelligent materials from biological modules that can absorb and process information.

The Court of Justice of the European Union declared that crops bred via the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas are "GMOs" and are to be regulated as such.

The German pharma company Merck is investing in the development of cultured meat by the Dutch start-up Mosa Meat.

Bacteria protect the eggs of the wool beetle from fungal attack. According to Mainz researchers, the bacteria obtained the mechanism through natural gene transfer - possibly even from marine organisms.

Not only is fine dust unhealthy for humans, it also affects the vegetation: According to an international study, the particulate matter makes trees more susceptible to drought.

Munich natural product researchers have investigated and identified allergenic proteins in strawberries and tomatoes: The variety of fruit determines the allergy potential. 

Before the European Court of Justice (ECJ) decides on the regulation of genome-edited plants, environmental and industrial associations advocate their positions.

Researchers from Karlsruhe have built an apartment near Zurich that consists exclusively of compostable and recyclable materials.

The Aquaponic startup ECF Farmsystem gained a new investor: Since June, a Swiss investor group holds shares of the Berlin-based company.

39 Nobel Laureates and 600 young scientists across 84 different nations come together this week for the prestigious Lindau meeting. This year’s focus: medicine and physiology.

Munich food chemists found that ingredients such as citric acid and 6-gingerol from ginger stimulate the molecular defences in human saliva.