Prof. Ulrich Schwaneberg | RWTH Aachen | Biotechnology

Research topics and profile (related to bioeconomy)

The core competence of the Schwaneberg Group at the RWTH Aachen University is the rational and evolutive design of proteins. Projects range from fundamental science to understand structure-function relationships over protein modeling to methods development for directed evolution and optimization of biocatalysts for sustainable production from renewable resources. In addition, within the DWI Leibniz Institut for Interactive Materials, tailored and triggered proteins are developed for release systems used in plant health and medical applications. Prof. Schwaneberg serves as speaker in the Henkel Innovation Campus for Advanced and Sustainable Technologies (HICAST) at RWTH Aachen University, founded the startup company SeSaM-Biotech GmbH together with coworkers in 2008  and received the prestigious BMBF award for the next generation of biotechnological processes (1.5 Mio€) in 2016. The Schwaneberg Group published more than 180 manuscripts and is an inventor or coinventor in 18 patent families.

Contributions to BioSC

Enzymes and reengineered enzymes are broadly applied in the transformation reactions of importance to the bioeconomy, e.g. food and feed, paper, leather, textile, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. A main focus of the Schwaneberg group is the sustainable biomass conversion from renewable resources. This research is for instance being addressed in the excellence cluster TMFB (Tailor-made fuels  from biomass).

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