Latest news from biotechnology, environment and sustainability
What vibrating molecules might reveal about cell biology
At BESSY II, molecular vibrations in tiny biological samples can now be detected and analysed:
Infrared vibrational spectroscopy at BESSY II can be used to create high-resolution maps of molecules inside live cells and cell organelles in native aqueous environment, according to a new study by a team from HZB…
Perovskite solar cells from Germany are competing with China’s PV technology
Kevin J. Prince and Siddhartha Garud receive HZB 2025 Technology Transfer Award:
Photovoltaics is the leading technology in the transition to clean energy. However, traditional silicon-based solar technology has reached its efficiency limit. Therefore, a HZB-team has developed a perovskite-based…
PFAS filter from a ball mill
BAM team develops environmentally friendly material that could help remove these ‘forever chemicals’:
PFAS are fluorinated compounds found in many everyday products, such as outdoor clothing and cookware like Teflon pans. This is because PFAS are durable, heat-resistant and dirt-repellent. Their stability is precisely…
Energy from CO₂
A spark is ignited for the future of fuels:
Carbon dioxide is often only ever viewed as a greenhouse gas. However, it can also be an important raw material. The startup Spark e-Fuels hopes to use it to produce synthetic fuels, known as e-fuels. But there is a…
PicoQuant Invests in FluoBrick Solutions to Simplify Access to Single Molecule Research
Partnering to make advanced fluorescence techniques intuitive, affordable, and accessible:
PicoQuant GmbH has invested in FluoBrick Solutions GmbH, a Berlin-based start-up dedicated to lowering the barriers to single-molecule techniques such as Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) and Förster…
Steinbeis funds Erasmus+ project to support Europe's micro businesses adopt environmentally friendly practices
Start on Sustainability (SOS) offers tools and training to reduce the environmental footprint:
The Steinbeis School of Sustainable Innovation and Transformation supports the programme “Start On Sustainability (SOS)” an Erasmus+ project which is executed by the project consortium that consists of Global Impact…
Study shows urgent need for reference materials for nanoparticles
BAM and Metrology Research Centre have developed two new nano reference materials:
Whether in electronic components, innovative medicines, or modern environmental analysis, nanomaterials are found in many technologies of the future. Precise reference standards are needed to ensure that they can be…
Targeted elimination of hospital germs
Ferdinand-Braun-Institut developed new far-UVC LEDs against multidrug-resistant organisms:
Newly developed far-UVC LEDs from the Ferdinand-Braun-Institut that are based on the micro-LED concept deliver record-breaking performance. They pave the way for compact, fiber-coupled medical light sources that can…
New department at HZB: ‘AI and Biomolecular Structures’
Andrea Thorn, head of the department, brings many years of experience in AI-based tools for structural biology:
Since 1 July 2025, Dr. Andrea Thorn has been setting up the new AI and Biomolecular Structures department at HZB. A biophysicist with many years of experience in AI-based tools for structural biology, she is looking…
The cosmetics designer
Penélope Jirón develops personal care products from natural ingredients:
She never imagined her professional life to turn out the way it has. “I had sworn never to become self-employed. I saw how exhausting it was for my parents,” says Penélope Jirón. The original plan was to have a steady…
BAM investigates nanomaterials in lithium-ion batteries
Possible risks during production, use and disposal should be assessed more reliably:
The Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) is working with partners from Italy and France to investigate the safety of nanomaterials in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The aim is to develop reliable…
BAM develops certified PFAS reference material made from used outdoor clothing
Important step on the road to a circular economy:
The Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) has developed a reference material for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in outdoor textiles. It serves to ensure the reliability of analytical…
The start-up manager
Maxine Silvestrov manages operations at Quantune Technologies:
Measuring biomarkers without having to insert a needle into a vein and without drawing even a millilitre of blood to send to a lab. Easy, clean, and painless—and useable at any given time. This is a scientific vision…
Nanoparticle shield makes luminescent molecules more durable for high-tech applications
Silica particles shield luminescent molecules from oxygen:
They are tiny but glow intensively: special light-emitting molecules used in environmental analysis, medical diagnostics, and energy research. However, their luminescence intensity can be significantly reduced by…
Green Methanol: C1 secures another €20 million to commercialize the circular raw material of the future
Construction of a demonstration plant is scheduled to begin in 2025:
Cleantech company C1 Green Chemicals AG has successfully secured €20 million in fresh capital to bring its groundbreaking green methanol catalysis technology to market. Green methanol can be used to defossilize three…