Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME
Your Challenges
The spread of pathogenic microorganisms and parasites poses a threat to humans, animals, and plants alike. As pathogens adapt—and antibiotic resistance, for example, increases—there is a lack of alternative treatment options in human and veterinary medicine. As a result of climate change, the intrinsic resistance of crops to pests has been drastically reduced. This dynamic makes the development of innovative active compounds imperative.
Our Solutions
Microbial natural products offer exceptional chemical diversity and, through evolutionary processes, possess highly specific mechanisms of action. Natural products therefore provide promising starting points for innovative solutions that can prevent or effectively combat diseases in humans, animals, and plants. Within the Department of Natural Product Research, the “Assay Development and Screening” group serves as the interdisciplinary link between (micro)biology and analytical chemistry. In close collaboration with partners from academia and industry, we operate a screening platform that enables in vitro testing of extracts and active compounds.
Our Methods
The screening platform of the Natural Products Department at Fraunhofer IME – Bioresources Division in Giessen offers a wide range of assays for identifying extracts and bioactive compounds with desired properties. For this purpose, we have access to a vast collection of human pathogenic bacteria and phytopathogenic fungi, for example. The hit identification workflow combines established expertise with the ability to flexibly integrate new test systems. Automated liquid handling enables high-throughput testing with minimal sample consumption. Our assays are compatible with all technologies used by the Analytical Group. Follow-up assays for hit characterization allow, among other things, the identification of the molecular target of unknown substances or the assessment of anti-biofilm activity in a hydrodynamic system.
Our Resources
- Natural product library >3,000 substances
- Extract library >30,000 extracts
- Collection of natural product-producing microorganisms >110,000 strains