Algal Biotechnology in Koethen

At the Competence Center Algal Biotechnology (CAB) at Anhalt University, a multidisciplinary team led by Prof. Dr. Carola Griehl has been working on the biotechnological production of valuable substances from microalgae for over 20 years. Their experience in this field ranges from strain selection and cultivation to the metabolic physiology of microalgae and product extraction and analysis. A collection of microalgae strains from freshwater and terrestrial habitats has been built up, which currently comprises over 300 strains and is continuously being expanded with new strains. An algae cultivation pilot plant enables the transfer of cultivation methods from the laboratory to industrial practice. The CAB is excellently equipped with downstream apparatus and analytical instruments and a wide range of analytical methods are used for the qualitative and quantitative determination of algae ingredients. The chemical diversity of secondary metabolites also makes microalgae and cyanobacteria attractive for pharmaceutical research. Therefore, in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Stephan Schilling and the Fraunhofer IZI-MWT Halle, a research laboratory for algae-based pharmaceuticals (ZNT) was set up in Koethen in 2021.

Therefore algae:

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Milestones

2001

Start of algae research in Köthen and foundation of the Competence Center Algae Biotechnology (CAB).

2011

The Biosolar Center was founded in 2011 in cooperation with GICON GmbH with the aim of establishing a marketable industrial algae biotechnology in Central Germany and linking academic and industrial research. The construction and commissioning of a modular microalgae pilot plant with 4 Tannenbaum reactors with a total volume of 1700 liters has made it possible to take the results obtained in the laboratory through to industrial application.

2013

The working group's research work was honored twice in 2013 with the Hugo Junkers Prize for Research and Innovation from Saxony-Anhalt:

Active substances from algae for the prevention of Alzheimer's dementia (category: Most innovative basic research projects), together with the Fraunhofer IZI-MWT Halle and the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry Halle
Tannenbaum reactor - an innovative system for microalgae cultivation (category: Most innovative alliance), together with GICON GmbH

2019

Symposium "Saxony-Anhalt - Center of algae biotechnology in the metropolitan region"

2021

Opening of the Center for Natural Product-Based Therapeutics (ZNT) on 27.05.2021 in Köthen: In cooperation with the Fraunhofer IZI-MWT Halle, active ingredients/active ingredient-enriched products from algae for the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food sectors are to be identified and produced at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in the future.

1st Central German Algae Stammtisch on 27.05.2021 in Köthen: The Stammtisch is a new communication platform for representatives from industry and research who are interested in the utilization of algae and their ingredients. In addition to short overview presentations, innovative utilization possibilities of algae and new research needs were discussed together in a relaxed atmosphere.

D-A-CH Algae Summit on 11/12 October 2021 in Vienna: In 2021, the Austrian Algae Network and the German DECHEMA specialist group "Algae Biotechnology" combined their annual meeting and the Federal Algae Round Table and organized the "D-A-CH Algae Summit" for the first time together with scienceindustries, the trade association Chemie Pharma Life Sciences from Switzerland.

2022

2nd Central German Algae Stammtisch on 03.06.2022 in Halle: The event was held in cooperation with the association "science2public e.V." on the citizen research ship "Make Science Halle", including a river cruise for relaxed networking and a barbecue on the Saale afterwards.

2023

Research prize of the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences.

2024

3rd Central German Algae Round Table in Koethen

On 24th and 25th of October, microalgae took centre stage at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences. The Competence Centre for Algae Biotechnology (CAB) doing research on this versatile raw material of the future for more than 20 years - and regularly hosts the Central German Algae Round Table.

Competence Center Algal Biotechnology