Projects

CBBS – Center for Biobased Solutions

Projects

Circular Bioconversion of Epoxy-based Polymers Inspired by Nature

To date, we have no sustainable solution to recycle carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) from end-of-life waste and some of production wastes. The global challenge is to find biologically-sourced or biologically-inspired technologies to degrade synthetic polymers e.g. the epoxy matrix to retrieve the carbon fibers in a quality close to that of the virgin fibers. The biotransformation of these synthetic chemicals will be accomplished by microbial enzymes and or microbes.

Modern and classical methods including multi-omics approaches and high throughput screening (HTS) will be applied for discovering and exploiting the microbial diversity of our planet including extremophilic bacteria and archaea with the aim to identify robust biocatalysts (enzymes and microbes). The degradation products (monomers/oligomers) will be used for the biosynthesis of valuable compounds which will be applied in various fields including recyclable packaging material, building blocks, bioactive compounds and polymers for ship building, aircraft and automobile industries.

I³-Lab: Novel Products from Marine Resources

Besides terrestrial biomass, marine biomass such as macroalgae comprise an alternative renewable feedstock for a regenerative biorefinery. Macroalgae contain valuable components, such as rare sugars, structural polysaccharides, proteins and other unique polymers.

The major objective of the project is the utilization of biomass from marine environment as a resource for the generation of high-value products, such as biodegradable polymers, carbohydrates and vitamins, for various applications in food and non-food products.

VolcanZyme: Identification of Novel Industrial Relevant Extremozymes from Volcanic Areas of Costa Rica

The application of enzymes derived from extremophilic microorganisms (extremozymes) offers many benefits with regard to establishing and implementing novel biocatalytic processes, such as in integrated biorefineries. The study of volcano-associated environments provides a unique opportunity for bioprospecting novel enzymes relatively tolerant to multifactorial stress conditions (e.g. temperature, pH, enriched mineral conditions such as sulfur, iron, silicon, among others).

The scientific goal of the project is the identification of novel lipolytic and proteolytic extremozymes from volcano-associated environmental samples from Costa Rica by integrating the expertise of Costa Rican and German scientists.

MikiE - Mikroben im Einsatz

MikiE is a teaching project in the framework oft the Hamburg Open Online University (HOOU) to enable a dialogue of science, research and industry to scientific education. It gives an exciting insight into the world of extremophilic microorganisms. What is so special about these tiny organisms? Where can they be found and what makes them so valuable for use in the laboratory?

Moreover, we developed experiments in a virtual lab simulation game where pupils, students and other interested person can dive into different biology lab experiments like PCR, restriction and ligation as well as transformation and gene expression in E.coli.

MikiE Website

Visit our virtual lab

Our learning programs at HOOU.de

Circular Bioconversion of Epoxy-based Polymers Inspired by Nature

I³-Lab: Novel Products from Marine Resources

VolcanZyme: Identification of Novel Industrial Relevant Extremozymes from Volcanic Areas of Costa Rica

MikiE - Mikroben im Einsatz

CBBS

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