Group photo

Welcome to the Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering at the Hamburg University of Technology

Founded in 1986 as one of the first university research institutes in Bioprocess Engineering in Germany, IBB has a long tradition and wide expertise in research and development of new bio-based processes for the production of chemicals, fuels and biomaterials from renewable raw materials, including CO2 and other one-carbon (C1) substrates based on biosystems engineering approaches (Prof. Dr. An-Ping Zeng, former head of institute until March 2022). Other activities relate to model-assisted development of cell culture techniques for the production of biopharmaceuticals and new engineering concepts for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

For teaching we are actively involved in several B.Sc. and M.Sc. programs in General Engineering Science, Process Engineering and Bioprocess Engineering. Following the German tradition in training engineers we emphasize a solid engineering understanding and practical handling. Furthermore, we train a new generation of engineers with a deep quantitative and systemic understanding of cellular and bio-molecular processes.

Prof. Dr. Anna-Lena Heins

Head of the institute

Farewell to Prof. Dr. An-Ping Zeng

In March 2022 Prof. Dr. An-Ping Zeng left Hamburg University of Technology to join Westlake University in China as a Chair Professor for Synthetic Biology and Bioengineering in the School of Engineering and founding Director of the Westlake Center of Synthetic Biology and Integrated Bioengineering. Prof. Zeng has been a Chair Professor and Director of the Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering at the Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) since 2006, he has been also the Director of the TUHH Bachelor of Science and Master of Science Study Programs in Biochemical Engineering.

We as active and former members of the Institute do not find it easy to let you, Prof. Zeng, go, but sometimes you have to say goodbye in order to achieve further goals in life. We thank you very much for the time we were allowed to spend with you and wish you all the best in your future career and good health for you and your family.

The IBB team