In times of climate change, environmental protection and resource preservation are becoming increasingly important. Innovations and alternative concepts for common processes are necessary and essential, to reduce greenhouse gases like carbon dioxid (CO2). SolarBioproducts Ruhr (Sbp) concentrates on biological alternatives for common chemical processes. The research focus is on microalgae. The repertoire comprises the bio economical production of hydrogen (H2), the generation of chemical substances, the isolation of enzymes, thus generating high value products like vaccines and pigments and much more.

Sbp strives for applying the research results into industry. Here, the team focuses on the transfer of basic research into applied research. Long-term aim of Sbp is the establishment of a scientific competence centre for algal biotechnology in the Ruhr area, thus laying the foundation for research within the field of renewable energy and ecological products.

Initiated by Prof. Dr. Thomas Happe, the leader of the Photobiotechnology group of Ruhr-University Bochum (RUB), the application-based project Sbp combines research with economy. The official start of the project was in June 2015. The coordinating team opens up new biotechnological application fields, develops innovative project ideas for the investigation of microalgae, establishes new contacts with partners from industry and research and assists with raising external funds.

Research cooperations, contract research, third-party funding projects - SolarBioproducts Ruhr (Sbp) is active in versatile ways. Within the scope of biotechnology, Sbp together with partners from economy, industry and research develops ideas and draft proposals for (inter)national calls and contests, coordinates external funding projects, organizes workshops and (inter)national conferences and meetings and is the person in charge for contract work.

Together with the Photobiotechnology group of Ruhr-University Bochum (RUB), Sbp investigates different metabolic pathways of microorganisms and their interaction. The focus is on the generation of high value products for the industry and the energy production in the form of hydrogen from microalgae enzymes.

Do you have project ideas or suggestions within the field of algal biotechnology and are you searching for suitable research partners? Please do not hesitate to contact us without any obligation.

The Photobiotechnology group of Ruhr-University Bochum (RUB) has long-standing expertise within the field of green biotechnology, especially in the enzymatic production of hydrogen and chemical substances by means of microalgae. As co-initiator of SolarBioproducts Ruhr, the Photobiotechnology team is available for scientific issues about the topics microalgae and biotechnology.  The group can look back at long-standing cooperations with international research institutions. Together with the collaboration partners of SolarBioproducts Ruhr a broad network emerged. The interdisciplinary expertise of the network partners establishes the basis for joint projects.

The innovative projects were and still are supported, respectively, by various funding agencies, like for example the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research or the Volkswagen Foundation.