Press Releases and News

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.