Press Releases and News

The Estonian deep-tech startup New Standard Oil has integrated thermal biomass valorisation technologies from the German applied research organisation Fraunhofer into a unified modular platform and launched its first industrial prototype. The goal is to convert currently unused biowaste streams across Europe into valuable renewable products.

How can a respiratory virus be stopped before it spreads throughout the body? In the MucoShield project, Prime Vector Technologies, the NMI Tübingen, and Fraunhofer IGB are developing an intranasal vaccine candidate against human metapneumovirus (HMPV), which causes hundreds of thousands of cases of severe respiratory disease worldwide each year – especially among children, older people, and immunocompromised individuals. The novel approach: A mucoadhesive formulation is designed to activate the immune response directly at the virus’s point of entry – the nasal mucosa.

Industrial drying processes consume large amounts of energy and negatively impact the climate since they burn fossil fuels to heat air. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB are working with industry partners on a new approach to decarbonize this process: Instead of hot air, they are using superheated steam. Combined with a heat pump and smart controls, their superheated steam drying process saves significant amounts of energy and eliminates the need for natural gas.

Materials science meets climate protection: Thanks to novel membrane adsorbers, CO₂ can be recovered efficiently and cost-effectively from air and exhaust gases. In the SAFE-CO₂ project, several research institutes – coordinated by the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB – are now pooling their expertise to develop corresponding membrane modules for industry.

Gelatin is a versatile natural material. To tailor its properties specifically to the requirements of various applications in medicine, diagnostics, and cosmetics, the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB has developed a toolbox for chemical functionalization. With the help of automated processes, the modifications can now be scaled under defined conditions, and reproducible batches of modified gelatin can be produced on a scale ranging from grams to kilograms for customer sampling.

Microorganisms and microalgae can be used to recover valuable metals from electronic waste – in an environmentally friendly, selective manner with potential for industrial application. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB demonstrated this in a study. At IFAT 2026, the leading trade fair for environmental technologies in Munich, IGB will demonstrate how this biological recycling works using a fixed-bed reactor.

The prices of mineral fertilizers are rising. The Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB is working on alternative production methods: Researchers have developed various processes and demonstrated them on a pilot scale to recover nutrients from locally available waste streams. Fertilizers ready for immediate use can be obtained from digestion residues, manure, and wastewater, as the institute will show at IFAT in Munich in early May. This circular approach strengthens supply security and protects water bodies and the climate.

Overfertilization in agriculture weakens crops, endangers drinking water quality and harms the soil. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB are now developing an alternative fertilizer that is fully biodegradable and only supplies plants with the nutrients they actually need, thus preventing overfertilization.

The processing of crustaceans from the fishing industry, the production of insect protein, and mushroom cultivation generate large quantities of chitin-containing waste. The Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB has established a process chain for chitin processing to create added value from these waste streams. These technologies enable the production of high-purity chitosan, which can be used, among other things, for sustainable coatings. Transparent films made from chitosan are suitable for use as biodegradable single-use packaging and could replace petroleum-based plastics.

On January 1, 2026, Professor Petra Kluger took over as executive director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB. At the same time, the previous executive director, Dr. Markus Wolperdinger, took a sabbatical for research.

Microbial biosurfactants are an alternative to chemically synthesized surfactants in dishwashing detergents, household cleaners, and shower gels. After many years of intensive research and development, the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB now provides samples of high-purity glycolipid biosurfactants – versatile, biodegradable and produced from local renewable raw and residual materials. The optimization of biosurfactants was also investigated as part of the “Alliance Biosurfactants” project. The strategic alliance of partners from research and industry will present its results at a final conference on February 4, 2026, in Stuttgart.

A method developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB enables bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic pathogens in sepsis patients to be identified much faster than before and with the highest precision. The approach is based on high-throughput sequencing of cell-free DNA circulating in the blood and was honored with the EARTO Innovation Award in the "Impact Delivered" category on October 14, 2025, in Brussels. The diagnostic kit is already approved for the indication of sepsis and is available as an IVD-certified product in routine care.

How can new bio-based and biohybrid materials with improved features be developed faster? Six Fraunhofer institutes are jointly exploring this question in the SUBI²MA flagship project, using an innovative bio-based polyamide developed by Fraunhofer researchers as a model. Its specific properties make it a promising alternative to fossil-based plastics. The researchers will present demonstrators made from caramides, which were produced as part of the flagship project, at the joint Fraunhofer booth at the K trade fair in Düsseldorf from October 8 to 15, 2025.

Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has established a collaboration with the Technical University of Munich (TUM) from Germany, German research organisation Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) from Singapore, and other leading organisations to drive green technology (GreenTech) advancement and applications with cross-disciplinary research in areas of hydrogen value chain and waste valorisation solutions. The collaboration aims to address the pressing challenge of climate change and support Hong Kong in striving towards carbon-neutrality.

The rapid increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria is one of the most pressing challenges facing global health. A new transatlantic Fraunhofer research project aims to counter these threats with an innovative diagnostic approach: a microfluidic rapid test system using carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) will make bacterial resistance visible in just a few minutes, significantly faster than conventional methods.

After many years of research, the Mibelle Group, LanzaTech and the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB have achieved a breakthrough in sustainable innovation: With the help of modern biotechnology, the partners have developed a CO₂-based ingredient that can replace palm oil in cosmetics and other everyday products.

Sewage treatment plants do more than just clean wastewater. They are also sources of raw materials. In the KoalAplan project, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB are working with partners to recover high-quality products from municipal wastewater. These include ammonium, hydrogen and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), which can be used to produce bio-based and biodegradable plastics.

Food products containing proteins from plants, fungi or algae are becoming increasingly popular. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes CBP in Leuna, Germany, have now shown that previously rarely used rapeseed proteins are also a valuable source of protein alternatives: using the EthaNa process, they extract not only high-quality rapeseed oil from rapeseed but also a protein-rich rapeseed kernel concentrate, which can be processed for instance into burger patties and pasta or used as a nutritious feed in poultry fattening.

Tumors of the pancreas seldom cause symptoms in their early stages. This means that in many cases, they are not diagnosed until late, when the chances of successful treatment are poor. A new non-invasive diagnostic method designed by Fraunhofer researchers is set to make it possible to detect this aggressive form of cancer early on with high accuracy, significantly improving the prognosis for treatment.

Carbon fibers are essential in aviation, wind energy, and lightweight construction. However, since they are based on petroleum, their production has been very harmful to the environment. A research consortium led by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now succeeded in developing a production process for carbon fibers from renewable raw materials.

The SUNER-C project, initiated in 2022, has made significant strides in fostering a robust community dedicated to solar fuels and chemicals across Europe. The Coordination and Support Action funded by the European Union has successfully established a Technological Roadmap, outlining critical milestones for the implementation of solar solutions and aligning them with EU carbon neutrality goals. Through collaborative workshops, the project has engaged over 140 stakeholders to create a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda, while also launching an interactive Community Mapping tool for R&D actors. Now, the project concluded with a Final Conference in Brussels on May 15, 2025.

Petra Kluger became a member of the institute management team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB on June 1, 2025. She and Markus Wolperdinger will be leading the institute into the future and tapping into new markets. Kluger, an expert on tissue engineering and biofabrication, is adding her areas of expertise to Fraunhofer IGB’s portfolio in the health and nutrition segment. At the same time, she is also taking over as director of the Institute of Interfacial Process Engineering and Plasma Technology IGVP at the University of Stuttgart, which is cooperating with Fraunhofer IGB.

A publication on glycolipid biosurfactants from the working group of Dr. Susanne Zibek at Fraunhofer IGB has been awarded the Distinguished Paper Award 2025 by the Journal of Surfactants and Detergents. This award is presented annually by the American Cleaning Institute®. The article, which focuses on cellobiosolipids (CL) and mannosyerythritollipids (MEL), provides a comprehensive overview of the microbial production of these biosurfactants and their potential industrial applications.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB has entered into strategic partnerships with two of the most premier technology universities in India, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani. The MoUs were signed on February 05, 2025 at the German Embassy during the visit of Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister of Economic Affairs, Labour and Housing of the State of Baden-Württemberg, Germany to India. She led a high-level delegation from the state of Baden-Württemberg to India to formalize strategic alliances between India and Germany in the field of Circular Economy and Sustainability and among others was accompanied by Dr. Hannes Spieth, Managing Director of Umwelttechnik BW, Germany.

Up to now, wood waste has had to be disposed of at great expense and, at best, has been used to generate energy in incineration plants. Fraunhofer researchers are now using this valuable resource to produce biohydrogen in the Black Forest region of Germany. In the joint project H₂Wood — BlackForest, fermentation processes using hydrogen-producing bacteria and microalgae have been specially developed for the biotechnological production of this green energy carrier. A pilot plant for the production of biohydrogen is to be commissioned as early as 2025. A study published as part of the project also examines the potentials, barriers and measures for regenerative hydrogen production from waste wood and old wood in the Black Forest region.

There is fresh momentum in our protein supply — and it’s moving along on six legs. Insects are a source of protein with a smaller resource footprint than conventional alternatives in every possible way. To ensure the safety of insect farms and their products, Fraunhofer researchers have developed a system that reliably detects pathogens right away, at low cost and with the possibil-ity of automation.

Ammonia plays an important role as a transport and storage medium in the hydrogen economy. Promising solutions for its use as an energy vector are currently being developed in the Fraunhofer flagship project AmmonVektor. But how great is the potential? And where are the limits? The workshop “Ammonia – THE supply chain for the hydrogen economy?”, on October 30 in Oberhausen, will provide an overview of the latest technologies and developments and provide impetus for the energy transition.

Production of fine chemicals such as those used in pharmaceuticals is typically complex and laborious. An interdisciplinary team of Fraunhofer researchers worked together across different projects to devise a method modeled on a cascade, in which multiple successive stages of synthesis proceed without interruption. This is made possible through the use of novel catalysts in specially adjusted flow-through reactors. The new method makes the process of manufacturing drugs more efficient and conserves energy. In this way, the modular technology platform supports the production of pharmaceuticals in Germany as an industrial location.

The EU has banned animal testing for cosmetics and non-animal alternative methods are preferable for the risk assessment of new chemical substances. At the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, a three-dimensional skin model has now been set up for the first time that directly displays the skin's reaction to substances: The reporter skin. Thanks to the built-in reporter, the cellular response can be measured precisely and quickly – using a living model. This means that not only cosmetics can be tested effectively, but also allergens and the inflammation-causing or toxic effects of biocides, pesticides and chemicals.

Regional conflicts over the use of water resources are rather common and will continue to intensify as a result of climate change and the increasing strain on natural water resources. Water-intensive agriculture in particular is dependent on efficient solutions. In the HypoWave+ research project, a farm in Lower Saxony is currently implementing a particularly water-efficient process for the hydroponic cultivation of vegetables using high-quality recycled wastewater. On August 20, 2024, media representatives are invited to explore the large-scale implementation as part of this scientifically supported living lab.