Press releases and news 2009

For her Ph.D. thesis at IGB's partner Institute IGVT at the University of Stuttgart, Dr. Johanna Schanz developed a model of the liver, which offers potential as an alternative to animal experiments in drug testing.

Marc Panas was awarded this prize for his diploma thesis at the IGVT (in cooperation with the Fraunhofer IGB).

High-rate digestion with microfiltration is state-of-the-art in large sewage plants. It effectively removes accumulated sludge and produces biogas to generate energy. A study now reveals that even small plants can benefit from this process.

Johanna Schanz and Heike Walles were awarded for developing methods for the reseeding of blood vessel structures in a biological carrier structure.

A new simulation program optimizes the structure and configuration of the metallic contact fingers in concentrator solar cells, thereby improving the efficiency factor, and a highly-sensitive method of producing cDNA fragments from biological sample material has been developed.

Not a plant to be seen, the desert ground is too dry. But the air contains water, and research scientists have found a way of obtaining drinking water from air humidity. The system is based completely on renewable energy and is therefore autonomous.

Professor Walter Trösch and his research group were awarded the first Ferchau Innovation Prize 2009 for the development of a cost-effective photobioreactor platform for cultivation of microalgae.

There is an increasing demand for skin. Manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, cosmetics and medical engineering products need it in order to test the compatibility of their products with human skin. At the 2009 BIO International Convention in Atlanta from May 18 to 21, Fraunhofer researchers will be demonstrating how artificial skin can be manufactured in a fully automatic process.