Eight SEED FUND projects and five BOOST FUND projects were successfully finished in 2016. The projects mainly focussed on biomass conversion and on production of platform and high value chemicals.

The BioSC welcomes a new Core Group. Prof. Petra Bauer is head of the Institute of Botany at the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. Her research focusses on the micronutrient iron which plays a major role for many reactions and transport mechanism within the plant.

On 15th March 2017 the 16th BioSC Lecture took place at Forschungszentrum Jülich. Dr. Léon Broers, member of the board of management of KWS Saat SE (Einbeck) and member of the German Bioeconomy Council, discussed how plant breeding can contribute to a sustainable bioeconomy and what is needed to facilitate future contribution.

The plant cell wall is the main research interest of Holger Klose. This natural barrier serves to prevent pathogens from entering the cell, but as well is a promising resource to be further utilized as feedstock. In both cases the structure and composition of the cell wall play a crucial role, and thus the genetic basis of its biosynthesis.

The next tender for the BioSC Supervision Award will take place in June 2017. With the Supervision Award, the Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC) honors young academics for special achievements with regard to the quality of their supervision service for doctoral students. A panel of recognized scientists will select the three best applicants because of the submitted papers.

In phase 2 of the NRW Strategy Project BioSC the Core Groups have again various opportunities to take part in the further development of the BioSC. SEED FUND 2.0 projects, White papers and visits of guest scientists can be applied for. Moreover there is the opportunity to host events like BioSC Spotlights or Summer Schools with organisational support of the Office.

Information on events and calls you will find here.