Reference projects IME | Aachen

The global spread of bacteria resistant to many, or even almost all, known antibiotics poses an increasing threat to human and animal health. At the same time, hardly any new conventional antibiotics are being introduced to the market. Therefore, alternative approaches are urgently needed to effectively combat bacterial infections. One particularly promising approach involves endolysins. These are natural antibacterial enzymes originally produced by bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria. Endolysins can selectively destroy the protective cell wall of bacteria, thus acting very quickly and effectively. Despite this great potential, endolysins are currently used very little in medicine. Reasons for this include their often highly specific effects on individual bacterial strains, as well as unresolved issues regarding the safe, sustainable, and cost-effective production of large quantities of these active substances.

Functional proteins are essential building blocks in many industrial processes and products. They contribute to value creation in the bioeconomy and enable sustainable, resource-efficient solutions. Their applications range from food production (e.g., cheese making, fermentation, or juice clarification) to crop protection and medicine, and on to new technologies such as sensors or artificial photosynthesis. Previously, primarily naturally occurring proteins were used. Today, advances in structural biology, the understanding of structure-function relationships, and protein engineering—often supported by AI—enable the targeted development of new proteins. This results in many new candidates that must be tested using appropriate screening methods. Regardless of how they were designed, these proteins must be synthesized in the laboratory and their function verified before they can be further developed and produced on a larger scale.

In the face of the energy transition, solar fuels represent a sustainable solution for an environmentally friendly energy supply – whether in transportation, private households, or industrial sectors with high CO2 emissions. Artificial photosynthesis is a promising approach to producing solar fuel; however, current systems are inefficient and unsuitable for industrial use due to their high costs. The EU project SUNGATE aims to overcome these limitations by combining the principles of artificial photosynthesis with photoelectrocatalysis, flow microreactor technology, and biotechnology. SUNGATE's overarching goal is to provide a technology that can ensure a cost-effective global energy supply and contribute to climate neutrality by 2050.

Artificial photosynthesis (AP) is a technology that can sustainably convert abundant resources such as sunlight, water, and CO2 into fuels like hydrogen and methanol, or building blocks for the chemical industry. In its basic concept, AP mimics the processes of natural photosynthesis (NP) by using synthetic, e.g., abiotic and/or biological components, to harness solar energy for the splitting or oxidation of water and the reduction of CO2, converting it into energy carriers. By utilizing CO2 as a raw material, AP can make a significant contribution to the future transition away from fossil fuels and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, potentially helping to combat climate change. Compared to other renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, which produce energy intermittently, AP can convert surplus energy into chemical energy, thus contributing to a stable energy supply even when light or wind is unavailable. Its development is therefore a key component of future energy strategies and innovative approaches to resource management.

Biotechnological fermentation processes are gaining increasing importance as they open up new possibilities for the production of high-quality food ingredients and can meaningfully complement the existing food system. Particularly for novel foods based on microorganisms, fungi, or plant cell cultures, bioreactor-based processes offer a precisely controllable and resource-efficient production alternative. At the same time, these processes are challenging to control due to the many simultaneously acting parameters and variable substrates. MiKI develops data-driven methods for metabolite analysis and artificial intelligence to better understand biotechnological fermentation processes and to make their control more reliable and efficient.

In sub-Saharan Africa, the cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), also known as the eye bean, is a key source of plant-based protein. Although this crop exhibits relatively high drought tolerance and can grow even in low-fertility soils, its productivity is still too low to ensure adequate nutrition and economic sustainability. The overarching goal of “SCOPE” is to develop an innovative approach to increase the photosynthetic performance of the cowpea.

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a metabolically active peptide hormone that can reduce obesity-associated metabolic disorders in various animal models. Initial clinical trials with FGF21 analogs (administered by injection) confirmed reductions in body weight, blood lipids, and insulin in humans and point to the liver as an important target organ, particularly in patients with fatty liver disease. The liver is also the main producer of FGF21, but direct hepatic effects and mechanisms are still poorly understood. This project aims to investigate whether an oral administration system can achieve positive metabolic effects by targeting the liver and avoiding side effects.

The use of chemical fertilizers, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, contributes significantly to global warming and environmental pollution. This project aimed to optimize the root architecture of maize by modulating strigolactones. These natural plant hormones play a key role in nutrient uptake and promoting symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi, which improves phosphate and nitrate uptake. Researching this strategy should enable the development of new breeding technologies for maize varieties with improved resilience and productivity.

Diseases such as cancer, diabetes, or certain cardiovascular disorders are caused by a combination of genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors. Endogenous proteins typically play an important role in the development and clinical manifestation of these diseases and are therefore potential targets for pharmacological intervention. Many conventional drugs act as inhibitors that bind to target proteins and block their catalytic activities or molecular interactions. A relatively new strategy, however, involves the degradation of target proteins through the cell’s own ubiquitin–proteasome system.

Plant molecular farming is the production of high-value compounds from plants using biotechnology. Several such plant biotechnologies are under development, and a few products are already commercially available (such as the biologic Elelyso (Protalix Biotherapeutics) and the secondary metabolite paclitaxel (Phyton Biotech)). Plant biotechnology for biologics has only been developed in the last 20 years. Therefore, plant-based production platforms are not yet mature compared to the microbial and mammalian cell expression systems that are routinely used in the pharmaceutical industry today and on which current Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines are based.