The Department of Bioprocess Engineering is one of the four process engineering departments at RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau. In the field of teaching, bioprocess engineering is largely responsible for the Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering degree programme. The facilities of the department are constantly being further developed to provide excellent conditions for teaching and research. Details on current and previous research activities can be found under the menu item Research. 

In the area of basic research, we are currently working, for example, on the biological activity of heteropolysaccharides (fucoidans) and the identification of antimicrobial compounds from cyanobacteria. The department conducts intensive research in the field of productive biofilms and was involved in the SFB 926 Component Surface Morphology on the Microscale in the years 2011-2023. As part of the Carl Zeiss Breakthrough Project Smart Batch Processes in the Energy System of the Future, we are working on intelligent solutions for energy- and raw material-efficient bioprocesses until 2029. In the Research Training Group "Recyclable Wastewater (WERA) - Recovery of Critical Raw Materials Using the Example of Phosphorus", we will be working on the use of magnetic separation to process phosphorus compounds from mid-2024. In addition, the department is significantly involved in the potential area of nanostructured catalysts and is a member of the Advanced Material Engineering profile area. 

The more applied research activities focus on the development of bioprocess engineering processes for the production of pharmacologically active compounds and the efficient utilisation of renewable raw materials (provision of basic and fine chemicals for the chemical industry). We are open to direct industrial collaborations, which have so far been successfully realised with companies such as Abbvie, Biolac, Clariant, Evonik, GEA, Grace, Sandoz and Trace Analytics. In addition, modern tools for digital education and training in the field of bioengineering are being developed. 

We also always have interesting topics for bachelor, master, diploma or student research projects. Just get in touch with us!

Information on BCI study program

The Institute of Bioprocess Engineering was established in 2004 as one of the four institutes for process engineering at the University of Kaiserslautern. Together with the research area of Bioprocess Engineering a new bachelor and master course in Process and Bioprocess Engineering was established in 2011. Since the winter semester 2011/2012 the lectures are offered with a focus on the course of Process and Bioprocess Engineering.

Between 2006 and 2008 most of our laboratories were reconstructed and offer excellent requirements for teaching and research.

The focus of our research is the efficient use of renewable resources for the fermentative production of bulk and fine chemicals. Research projects in the following areas are currently under investigation:

• Screening and production of enzymes (incl. molecularbiological methods)
• Biocatalysis (incl. innovative immobilisation technologies)
• Optimization of fermentative processes
• Downstream processing (functionalized membraness and magnetic beads)
• Chemical and biological sensor technologies

In basic research we have current projects dealing with biological activity of heteropolysaccharides or the identification of new microbial pathways during whole cell biotransformation of triterpenes. The Institute of Bioprocess engineering is a member of the Landesforschungsschwerpunkte (regional research centers) "nanostructures catalysis" and "advanced material engineering". More information about our research activities can be found under the topic "Research". We are also interested in direct cooperation with industrial partners (companies like Sued-Chemie, Sandoz, Grace, Biolac or Trace Analytics belongs to our partners). Just contact us for new projects!