Biotechnology/Systems biology

It has been seven years since chemists at the University of Konstanz presented a completely new class of plastics that resemble biomaterials in structure. The so-called mineral plastic was a hydrogel consisting of nanoparticles of calcium carbonate (lime) crosslinked with polyacrylic acid in water. Hardly any energy is consumed in its production, as room temperature is sufficient. It also has self-healing properties and is easily recyclable. But the mineral plastic had a crucial flaw: due to its chemical components, it was not biodegradable.

Enzymes are at the core of biotechnology. As biocatalysts, they are supposed to help the chemical industry to move away from environmentally harmful processes and to enable particularly sustainable processes. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have now transformed the enzymes into a new form: As foams, the biocatalysts prove to be extremely stable and active.

Aspects such as animal welfare and environmental protection play an increasingly important role when buying meat products. The increasing demand for plant-based alternatives also drives the development of so-called lab-grown meat. In this process, muscle stem cells from chickens or cattle are grown in a bioreactor and formed into meat-like structures using a 3D printer - without any animal having to suffer or die. The first Clean Meat products are already on the market in Singapore and the USA.

Nitric oxide - NO for short - is a gas that is both important and deadly to living things. Researchers speculate that it may have been involved in the origin of life as a precursor to oxygen in prehistoric times. However, it damages the ozone layer and can react to form nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. Reactive nitric oxide is also a signaling molecule that is toxic to many organisms. However, some microorganisms can feed on the energy-rich gas.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) has a bad reputation as a greenhouse gas. In order to achieve the climate targets, experts believe that it is far from enough to reduce emissions of the climate gas. Some of it must be permanently bound. There is great potential in the material use of CO2 as a raw material, because the carbon it contains is an important basic material for industry. Sustainable and innovative ways of using CO2 could therefore relieve the climate and benefit industry at the same time.

It is a challenge that young researchers have been taking up with enthusiasm for years: the international student competition for synthetic biology iGEM. This year, the world championship in bioengineering celebrates its 20th anniversary. 350 teams from around the world will again travel to Boston in October to compete with their projects. Fourteen teams from colleges and universities in Germany are also entering the race for the coveted places, including young researchers from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU).

For many people, pasta is a natural part of their meals. For 250 million people worldwide, however, such food causes serious health problems. The reason: they suffer from celiac disease - an intolerance to gluten, a protein found in many types of grain. Although there are already gluten-free products on the market, the baked goods lack the right texture. This is because gluten is a gluten protein that provides stability to air bubbles in dough and bread and gives volume to pasta. Without the supporting gluten framework, the dough collapses.

According to weather experts, the summer of 2022 was the hottest since weather records began. Temperatures above 30 degrees have long been normal in Germany, and even heat records of over 40 degrees Celsius are more frequent. Especially in densely built-up cities, heat and air pollution are increasingly becoming a problem for people. Studies have shown that green spaces, but also watering holes or greened house facades, can improve the urban climate.