LOEWE Center for Insect Biotechnology & Bioresources
Thanks to their fantastic properties and abilities, insects colonize almost all habitats on earth. In the future, we humans can also benefit from the many survival strategies they have developed for this purpose. Under the direction of Prof. Andreas Vilcinskas, a globally unique center for the development of bioresources for use in medicine, plant protection and the food industry is being established in Giessen.
Research
Natural Product Department
Benefit from our extensive collection of microbes, microbial-derived products, biological and chemical data as well as from the collaboration with our experts, who are eager to participate in your challenging project.
Food & Feed
Improvement Agents
We pursue sustainable solutions for the food and feed industry and develop strategies to make food safer, healthier and tastier.
Pests and vector
insect control
Our mission is to develop new and environmentally friendly crop protection strategies to prevent crop damage caused by insects.
Biodiversity
research
We tap into groups of organisms with high biodiversity such as insects, bacteria and fungi as bioresources by isolating and characterising natural products with innovative technologies and established platforms.
News
Fraunhofer lighthouse project “FutureProteins“
Proteins are vital for life. At the same time, there is a protein shortage in the global food supply. Due to extreme weather conditions as a result of climate change as well as soil and water pollution caused by the use of pesticides and fertilizers, this shortage can increase in the future. One approach to tackle this challenge is to open up novel protein sources as a sustainable alternative for animal source foods suitable for the masses. In the lighthouse project “FutureProteins”, six Fraunhofer institutes develop new cultivation systems, which can produce nutritious proteins from selected plants, insects, fungi and algae.
Prof. Zorn takes over the deputy head of the branch for bioresources of the Fraunhofer IME
Since January 1, 2021, the Bioresources branch of the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME has a new deputy head: Prof. Dr. Holger Zorn. The professor for food chemistry and food biotechnology will in future support the department head Prof. Dr. Andreas Vilcinskas at the Giessen location.
Fraunhofer IME opens research building for bioresources in Giessen
Together with representatives from politics and business, the new building was built on Officially handed over to the Bioresources branch of the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME
on October 21.
Media
13
Apr
An JLU Gießen den Geheimnissen der Tiergifte auf der Spur
Animal venomics have arisen more than 100 times independently of one another in all major animal groups and habitats. JLU entomologist Dr. Björn M. von Reumont is now involved in a Europe-wide project.
30
Mar
Million-euro funding for virus research in Giessen: the goal is a new drug
Kornelia Hardes and her team from the Fraunhofer Institute IME at the Gießen site are receiving funding of 3.2 million euros for research on influenza viruses. In the course of this, work in a level 3 high-security laboratory with avian flu viruses will also be made possible.
29
Mar
GreenLight partners with Fraunhofer IME
Partnership to study use of RNA to protect crops, protect bees and support biodiversity in new collaboration between famed German applied research institute and GreenLight..
Our projects
With the development and use of biotechnological methods, we make insects, their molecules, cells, organs or associated microorganisms usable for applications. This results in products or services for medicine, industrial biotechnology and the food and feed industry.
Bmbf junior research group
Attract Group
Sprayable RNAi
INFeed
Future Proteins
English 
German