TUHH Spokeperson: Professor Johannes Gescher
Duration: since 2025
We pursue with this project the evidence-based hypothesis that productive biofilm systems will be key for future sustainable bioengineering and bio-based production.
In biofilms, microorganisms are typically attached to a surface and occur in high cell density. Also, they are more resilient to growth inhibiting factors which is problematic in the medical context but can be of advantage considering process robustness in biotechnological applications. Although most potential microbial biocatalysts on Earth grow in the form of biofilms and although they can be established in high cell density and can be rather robust life forms, we still operate in biotechnology mainly with planktonic micro-organisms in stirred tank reactor systems. This is also surprising as biofilms have proven in the past that they can be (I) more productive, (II) have higher resilience, and (III) allow easier downstream processing compared to planktonic systems.
It is lacking knowledge, experience, and reactor technology that hampers the successful implementation of these systems as new biocatalytic tools in a bio-based economy. Consequently, there is an urgent need in fundamental research to understand applied biofilm catalysts, harness their full potential by metabolic and genetic engineering and apply them in reactor environments that allow competitive space-time-yields in future applications.
In Germany, there are numerous research groups in many different disciplines (e.g., engineering, microbiology, molecular biology, physics) conducting research on biofilms. This diverse group of scientists is addressed within this SPP to synergistically combine expertise and techniques to focus on Productive Biofilm Systems. The priority programme will enable and foster such an interdisciplinary collaboration. Also, it will train a new generation of scientists and will setup a tailored curriculum for individual methodological communication as well as soft skill training. Moreover, the programme has a strong focus on internationalization by collaborating with three centers for biofilm studies located in the UK, USA and Singapore. From this strategy, the priority programme will benefit scientifically, and the students will individually benefit by networking with potential partners for future international career steps.
