FILK INVOLVED IN INTERDISCIPLINARY BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
The living conditions of microorganisms are the focus of a new interdisciplinary project "Microbiological Activity Measurement Using Chemical Sensors" (MACS), which is funded by the Saxon Ministry of Science and the Arts (SMWK) and the Sächsische Aufbaubank (SAB) and will run until the end of 2020.
The results should help to better understand cell-to-cell communication in biofilm formation and antibiotic identification. In addition, the results can be used for medicine (tissue cultivation and diagnostics), biotechnology, bioenergy processes, bioleaching and phytomining, and food technology. In biotechnology and the food industry, microorganisms are used intensively to produce a wide variety of substances in a cost-effective and energy-efficient manner. However, in order for the organisms to produce the desired substances in the highest concentrations, they require "pleasant" living conditions, because microorganisms also react to stress. These include, for example, favorable pH values, temperature, oxygen and nitrogen supply, and glucose content. Chemical sensors will be used to optimize the control of reaction conditions in real time. The aim is to improve the productivity of production processes.
Several Saxon research groups are working together in an interdisciplinary manner in the research project: The sensory measurements are carried out at the Institute for Electronic and Sensor Materials at TU Bergakademie Freiberg (project coordination, Institute Director Prof Yvonne Joseph). At Mittweida University of Applied Sciences (Department of Applied Computer and Biosciences, Prof. Thomas Villmann), the measured sensor signals are processed with pattern recognition software. Fungal cultures, cell cultures for tissue replacement and microbial cultures for biohydrometallurgy are studied at the Institute of Biosciences of the TU Bergakademie (Prof Michael Schlömann) and at FILK (Dr Michael Meyer).
The FILK, which works close to industry, is also to ensure the link to the Saxon biotechnology sector and thus the transfer to industrial practice. In addition, further research projects are planned with the Institute of Microelectronics in Barcelona and the Universidad de Santiago de Chile.