About us

Since the beginning of 2017, Fraunhofer IME has comprised the divisions of Molecular Biotechnology, Applied Ecology and Bioresources. Fraunhofer IME is a strong partner for contract research in the areas of agriculture, chemistry, environmental and consumer protection, as well as pharmacy and medicine. Our interdisciplinary organization allows us to process complex projects across departments and where appropriate, also focuses on cooperation with external institutes and partners. We work closely with basic research and are internationally networked. Our laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment and complex environmental simulation facilities allow us to offer a wide range of research and services as well as studies according to good laboratory practice (GLP).

The institute has 400 employees working at the locations Schmallenberg, Aachen, Münster, and Gießen. We have close ties with the Department of Biology and Biotechnology of Plants at the University of Münster, the Department of Applied Entomology at the Justus-Liebig University Gießen, and the world’s first Institute for Insect Biotechnology, founded in Gießen in 2016. We cooperate with many international research partners and remain in close contact with universities and other re­search organizations. Our aim is to recog­nize trends and developments as they emerge, and to develop and implement novel research strategies and technologies.

Within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft we have close co-operations with the other institutes of the Fraunhofer Group for Resource Technologies and Bioeconomy, the Fraunhofer Agriculture and Food Industry Alliance, the Fraunhofer Chemistry Alliance and other Fraunhofer institutes. We also contribute our expertise to the High Performance Center Networked Adaptive Production Service and the Fraunhofer Sustainability Network.