Picture: TUMCS
Chemical Biotechnology
Chemical or industrial biotechnology is one of the future key technologies and uses enzymatic and microbial systems to produce a variety of bulk and fine chemicals, fuels, materials and pharmaceutical precursors based on renewable raw materials. Applying biochemistry, biocatalysis, bioinformatics, bioprocess engineering, electrobiotechnology, micro and molecular biology and synthetic biology, new sustainable production processes are developed and optimized.
Project highlights
DiveIT – Identification of enzymes by in vitro transcription / translation in microcompartments
The analysis and screening of large metagenome libraries for functional enzymes should be enabled and applied by establishing a microfluidic platform in combination with cell-free enzyme production.
ValProWa – Sustainable use of industrial process waters
In the project, TUM is working together with other research partners on the microbial production of bulk chemicals based on process waters that are produced as a by-product or residual stream in the thermochemical conversion of biomass.
Vpower – Vibrio natriegens as a new workhorse of industrial biotechnology
Vibrio natriegens is the fastest growing non-pathogenic bacterium that has been isolated so far. In the Vpower project, TUM is investigating how this potential can be utilized for industrial biotechnology.
Xylophone – Utilization of xylan-rich biomass residues
Xylan-rich biomass waste streams accumulate in the processing of biogenic raw materials in large quantities. The goal is the development of a biotechnological platform for the targeted use u.a. for the production of hydrocolloids and branched alkanes as sustainable lubricant additives.