Microorganisms

The Invisible Engines of the Bioeconomy

The bioeconomy relies on renewable resources to create sustainable products and processes. Invisible to the bare eye, microorganisms play a key role in this transition. At Forschungszentrum Jülich, researchers harness their power to develop innovative solutions for a greener future.

Bacteria are the key players in the Earth's carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles. Their metabolic diversity and biocatalytic capabilities are unparalleled, making them essential for the cycle of biological processes, where no waste is generated.
Prof. Dr. Michael Bott, director at the Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG -1: Biotechnology

Challenges in the Microbial Bioeconomy

Microorganisms are essential for natural cycles and offer enormous potential for the bioeconomy. Their metabolic diversity enables innovative biotechnological applications but also presents challenges. As microbes evolved for survival in nature rather than biomanufacturing in a technical environment, their metabolism and regulation often need to be engineered for the desired production processes. This can be particularly demanding for newly isolated microorganisms. Additionally, extensive expertise in bioprocess development is required to establish viable technical processes. Bio-based production must also be both ecologically and economically sustainable to effectively replace fossil resources in the long term.

1

The average microorganism is about 1-5 micrometers (µm) in size.

5

5 million tons of amino acids are biotechnologically produced annually by microorganisms.

7-10

The fastest bacterial doubling time is 7-10 minutes.

Jülich Approaches for a Sustainable Bioeconomy

Researchers at Forschungszentrum Jülich utilize microorganisms as cell factories to produce bio-based chemicals, materials, enzymes, and pharmaceuticals. By optimizing the metabolic pathways to the product, resource-efficient production processes are enabled. Another key focus is on circular economy solutions, where microorganisms are used to convert waste, such as plastics, into valuable raw materials. At the same time, research on microbial communities and bacterial viruses enables novel approaches for sustainable biotechnology and agriculture.

Jülich Biofoundry

The Jülich Biofoundry is an automated research platform at Forschungszentrum Jülich that develops and optimizes novel biotechnological production processes.

MiBioLab

MiBioLab is an interdisciplinary research laboratory that develops and researches novel processes in microbial biotechnology.

MibiNet

The MibiNet is an interdisciplinary research network that investigates microbial networks for new biotechnological applications.

AutoBioTech

The Innovation Lab AutoBioTech is part of BioökonomieREVIER and develops highly automated systems for sustainable and bio-based research and production processes.

Priority Programme on Virus–Host Interactions

The SPP 2330 priority programme, coordinated by Prof. Dr. Julia Frunzke from the Institute of Bio- and Geosciences (IBG-1) at Forschungszentrum Jülich, is conducting research into phage–host interactions.

Nylon-Eating Bacteria

A team of scientists from the Institute of Bio- and Geosciences – Biotechnology worked together with the company Novonesis to develop a bacterium that “eats” individual building blocks of different types of nylon and converts them into value-added products.

Conclusion and Outlook

Jülich research is driving the bioeconomy forward by replacing fossil resources and promoting a sustainable circular economy. The development of new microbial technologies is creating environmentally friendly solutions for industry and agriculture. Close collaboration with academic and industrial partners ensures the transfer of innovative biotechnological processes into real-world applications—an essential step toward a resource-efficient, bio-based future.

More about Microorganisms

SenseUp

The ‘SenseUp’ sensor technology developed by Jülich researchers Georg Schaumann and Stephan Binder can be used to quickly and efficiently find highly productive microorganisms that produce valuable building blocks for food and nutrition from renewable raw materials.

Helmholtz Earth and Environment–Topic 7

Topic 7 contributes to a sustainable bioeconomy that provides a growing and demanding population with food and renewable resources for industry, while reducing the ecological footprint and supporting a growing circular economy.

Helmholtz Topic: Sustainable Bioeconomy

In the Helmholtz topic ‘Sustainable Bioeconomy’, Jülich researchers are looking for ways to establish a circular economy based on natural resources.

BioSC

The Bioeconomy Science Centre (BioSC) is an interdisciplinary network that researches and develops sustainable concepts for a bio-based economy.

IInstitutes with experts on microorganisms

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