Bioinformatics

The Bioinformatics Group at Fraunhofer IME-BR combines state-of-the-art omics technologies with artificial intelligence to gain a holistic understanding of biological systems. We analyse sequence data from genomes and transcriptomes, characterise microbiomes, reconstruct phylogenetic relationships and record complex expression patterns down to single-cell resolutions. In addition, we evaluate proteome and metabolome data, map metabolic pathways and identify biosynthesis clusters in bacteria, fungi and eukaryotes.

Another focus is on predicting protein structures and functions as well as docking and drug screening, which opens up new approaches for enzyme research and biotechnology. Using machine and deep learning methods, we develop models for biodiversity analysis, pathogen detection and the identification of new molecular targets for combating pests and pathogens in agriculture and the environment. These AI-supported approaches range from the classification of large sequence data sets to the analysis of image and mass spectra and the integration of multiple omics levels.

Our expertise ranges from high-throughput pipeline development and data visualisation to FAIR data management and data lake architectures. The applications are diverse: sustainable aquaculture, insect biotechnology, environmental monitoring, pathogen diagnostics, and the development of new biomolecules and active substances.