The research of our laboratory focuses on the development of biomaterials and biomolecules for medical and industrially interesting applications, as well as services in biotechnology and bioanalytics. Many microorganisms are capable of synthesizing new materials, but also proteins and metabolites that cannot be synthesized chemically with the desired purity or conformation. Often they use specific enzymes for this purpose, which are in the centre of our activities. Our research concerns the fermentation of microoganisms, where we are looking for conditions that stimulate particular production processes in order to optimize product yields. We also express specific enzymes in bacteria for purification and application in catalysis of chemical reactions. In addition, we modify microorganisms such that enzyme characteristics are improved. For the development of biomaterials in the sense of materials made from biomass we also use commercially available products, which we combine and/or modify in innovative ways in order to obtain desired materials properties.
Contact:
PD Dr. Dr. h.c. Linda Thöny-Meyer, Head of Laboratory Linda.Thoeny@empa.ch Tel.: +41 (0)58 765 77 92
Maite Strasser, Assistant Maite.Strasser@empa.ch Tel: +41 (0)58 765 74 46 Fax +41 (0)58 765 77 88
Empa Materials Science and Technology Lerchenfeldstrasse 5 CH-9014 St. Gallen
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