Institute of Biochemical Engineering (IBVT)

The Institute of Biochemical Engineering (IBVT) at the University of Stuttgart focuses on researching and developing new bioprocesses for the sustainable production of products for basic and fine chemicals, food production, diagnostics and pharmaceuticals. In addition to sugars, residues, e.g. from exhaust gases from technical plants, also serve as substrates. The activities at the IBVT are thus an integral part of the bioeconomy. Thematically, the research work is located in the areas of ‘Systems Metabolic Engineering’, ‘Synthetic Biology’ and ‘Bioprocess Engineering’.

Through intensive collaboration between researchers from the fields of molecular-, micro- and cell-biology, chemistry, computer science and process engineering, producing cells and bioprocesses are researched and developed from the laboratory to large-scale industrial applications.

A special focus is on the quantitative investigation of intracellular metabolic processes that correlate with the cultivation conditions of the cells. The aim of the research work at IBVT is to record these and to specifically change them in such a way that sustainable product formation is optimised. As a rule, the laboratory studies are linked to extensive modelling approaches for simulating cellular activity in the context of the bioprocess. This also includes the modelling of bioprocess conditions up to the large-volume industrial production scale.

Research at the IBVT uses isolated enzymes, cell-free production systems, microorganisms and mammalian cells.

The institute is closely associated nationally and internationally with leading academic partners and companies and is integrated into a large number of research networks.