Collagen

Collagen is the most important structural protein in animal organisms. It forms fibres and fibre networks and provides shape and stability for organs and tissues. It can be extracted from hides, tendons, ligaments and other tissues and serves as biopolymer for the manufacture of a large number of products. Depending on the method it can be processed into films, threads, non-woven fabrics, tubes or 3D moulds. Collagen-based products are applied in numerous fields such as the food production industry (sausage casings, pet food), the cosmetics industry (collagen hydrolysates), the pharmaceutical industry (drug delivery) or medical engineering (wound dressings, implants, suture material, tissue engineering).

Materials

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Head of Department

Dr. Enno Klüver

" Being a chemist I have long been fascinated by the protein chemistry. The numerous combinations of only twenty amino acids lead to an enormous variety of structures, properties and functions. Collagen is the most important and most frequent structural protein in animal organisms. But it is much more than that. After a number of decades of collagen research we are just starting to understand the interaction of collagen with cells and other biomolecules beyond a simple supporting function for the collagen to be able to assume diverse tasks in the organism. To decode the secrets of collagen and make use of them – that is what we are working on."

Dr. Enno Klüver

Head of Department Biopolymers and Biological Interactions

MORE THAN 130 YEARS OF COLLAGEN RESEARCH SPEAK VOLUMES

For more than 130 years we have been dealing with the raw material collagen. Founded as Deutsche Gerberschule (German Tanner's School) the institute had been committed to the research of all aspects of leather from the beginning. But leather is nothing else but collagen – the natural fibre network of hide from which foreign substances were removed and which was preserved by tanning. Thus, the high material competence in the field of leather which developed over the years was always connected with a deep knowledge of the underlying biopolymer collagen: with its chemistry, its structure and its material properties. The high scientific level acquired this way in the field of collagen characterises our institute to this day. Meanwhile collagen is not only used for leather but also for a large number of other scopes of application. In particular the manufacture of collagen-based medical products has become more and more important over the last years. About 15 projects around the extraction, preparation and processing of collagen are performed each year at our institute, but there is still a lot to do.

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Extraction and Processing of Collagen

We extract collagen from animal tissues and make liquid, paste-like or powder-like preparations out of it for product development. Depending on the type of further processing various product shapes can be…

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Product Development

Collagen is a diverse biocompatible raw material for different scopes of application. In particular, due to its cell compatibility and low immunogenicity collagen is suitable for medical and pharmaceutical…

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Collagen Analysis

The biochemical laboratory of the collagen department provides a comprehensive material characterisation "around collagen". Tests are established according to ASTM-Standard F 2212 "Characterization of Type…

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Cleanroom pilot plant

For the manufacture of medical products based on collagen FILK has a cleanroom of ISO class 8 / GMP D. Here the complete production chain from preparation of the raw material up to the finished collagen…

Our Services

In the field of collagen we offer the following products and services:

  • Soluble collagen as standard

  • Cyanogen bromide peptides as standard

  • Supply and preparation of collagenous raw material

  • Collagen analysis

  • Technology optimisation

  • Professional exchange at "Freiberg Collagen Symposium"

Do you have questions about our services? Contact us!

Do you have questions about our services? Contact us!

Dr. Enno Klüver

Head of Department Biopolymers and Biological Interactions

Projects that might be interesting for you To Project Library

Entwicklung eines Schmelzklebstoffs auf Kollagenbasis

BMWK INNO-KOM 49MF240036 | Laufzeit: 02.2025 – 07.2027

Marit Baltzer, FILK Freiberg; Birgit Kießler, PTS - Institut für Fasern & Papier gGmbH

End of project: 07/31/2027

Categories:

  • Biogenic Raw Materials
  • Biomaterials
  • Collagen
  • Methods/Processes

Entwicklung eines integrierten Verfahrens zur Dezellularisierung und Vernetzung kollagener Materialien unter Verwendung von überkritischem Kohlenstoffdioxid

BMWK IGF 01IF23519N | Laufzeit: 01.2025 – 06.2027

Dr. Claudia Dietze, FILK Freiberg; Dipl. Ing. Marit Baltzer, FILK Freiberg; Dr. Enno Klüver, FILK Freiberg

End of project: 06/30/2027

Categories:

  • Collagen
  • Methods/Processes

Kollagen als Binder für TP/PUR-Verbunde

SAB-Förderrichtlinie Energie und Klima 100739101 | Laufzeit: 11.2024 – 10.2026

Marit Baltzer, FILK Freiberg; Dr. Enno Klüver, FILK Freiberg

End of project: 10/31/2026

Categories:

  • Biogenic Raw Materials
  • Biomaterials
  • Functional Layer Systems
  • Collagen
  • Methods/Processes

Entwicklung von Cellulose-Kollagen-Hybriden zur Anwendung als Implantatmaterial

BMWK INNO-KOM 49MF230023 | Laufzeit: 11.2023 – 04.2026

Enno Klüver, FILK Freiberg

End of project: 04/30/2026

Categories:

  • Biomaterials
  • Collagen

Genetisch programmierbare Kollagenmaterialien für biologisch abbaubare Hochleistungstextilfasern

BMBF - Innovationsraum BioTexFuture 031B1515C | Laufzeit: 06.2024 – 12.2025

Dr. Claudia Dietze, FILK Freiberg

End of project: 12/31/2025

Categories:

  • Biomaterials
  • Collagen

Sensor-Case für die In-situ Messung im Gerbereiprozess

BMWK INNO-KOM 49MF220181 | Laufzeit: 07.2023 – 12.2025

Dr. Ulrike Straßburger, FILK Freiberg

End of project: 12/31/2025

Categories:

  • Collagen
  • Leather
  • Methods/Processes

AktOImplant – Entwicklung von bioaktiven Oberflächen für Implantate in der Mund-, Kiefer- und Gesichtschirurgie

BMWK IGF 22991 BR | Laufzeit: 07.2023 – 12.2025

Tina Hille, FILK Freiberg; Isabell Hamann, Fraunhofer-IWU Dresden; Lysann Kroschwald, MKG Uniklinikum Dresden

End of project: 12/31/2025

Categories:

  • Biomaterials
  • Collagen

Mechanismus der Kollagen-Denaturierung auf molekularer Ebene

BMWK INNO-KOM 49VF220029 | Laufzeit: 04.2023 – 09.2025

Susanne Fritz, FILK Freiberg

End of project: 09/30/2025

Categories:

  • Collagen
  • Methods/Processes

Kollagen als Binder für wasserbasierte Na-Ionen-Batterien und Superkondensatoren (KoBiNa)

BMWK IGF 22685 BR | Laufzeit: 01.2023 – 12.2024

Enno Klüver, FILK Freiberg; Daria Mikhailova, IFW Dresden

End of project: 08/31/2025

Categories:

  • Biogenic Raw Materials
  • Collagen

Entwicklung mehrschichtiger Membranen mit raumhaltenden und mucoadhäsiven Eigenschaften zur Knochenaugmentation (OsteoMe)

BMWK IGF 22810 BR | Laufzeit: 02.2023 – 07.2025

Lukas Benecke, Dilbar Aibibu, ITM TU Dresden | Claudia Dietze, Enno Klüver, FILK Freiberg

End of project: 07/31/2025

Categories:

  • Biomaterials
  • Collagen

Analyse tierischer Inhaltstoffe in veganen Lederalternativen

BMWK INNO-KOM 49MF220028 | Laufzeit: 09.2022 – 02.2025

Sandra Stenzel, Ines Stachel, Enno Klüver, FILK Freiberg

End of project: 02/28/2025

Categories:

  • Collagen
  • Leather
  • Test/Analytical methods

All completed projects can be found here To Project Library

Other Research Departments Back to Overview

Surfaces

The surface of a material has important aesthetic tasks, it is the first thing noticed by the viewer, and…

Materials

  • Plastics + Elastomers + Foils
  • Coated Textiles + Plastic Roll Goods
  • Leather + Leatherfibre Boards

Functional Layer Systems

The functional requirements for modern materials continually increase. Often a basic material alone no…

Materials

  • Coated Textiles + Plastic Roll Goods
  • Functional Coatings + Composites
  • Plastics + Elastomers + Foils

Leather and Leather Processing

Besides wool, stone and wood leather is one of the oldest natural materials in human history. It has…

Materials

  • Leather + Leatherfibre Boards
  • Collagen + Biogenic Materials

Biology

Biology is the natural science that studies life and living organisms and their interaction with the…

Materials

  • Biomaterials
  • Leather + Leatherfibre Boards
  • Collagen + Biogenic Materials

Research Projects + Publications

About 70 publicly funded research and development projects are carried out at our institute every year. In…

Research Networks

Active engagement in national and international research networks is of central importance for each…

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Contact

FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH
Meißner Ring 1-5
09599 Freiberg

GERMANY

Fon: +49-(0)3731-366-0
Fax: +49-(0)3731-366-130
E-Mail: mailbox@filkfreiberg.de