Research

Cell Cultivation – Hot Topic for the Future

Of value to many sectors - Schleswig-Holstein’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Dr Bernd Buchholz visited the Fraunhofer Research Institute for Marine Biotechnology and Cell Engineering in Lübeck

During his visit on 8 February 2019, the Minister, Dr Bernd Buchholz, learnt about a new process on cell cultivation invented at the Fraunhofer EMB in Lübeck. The production of cellular biomass in bioreactors could open up new areas of business in the fields of medicine, cosmetics, diagnostics and the food industry. In his meeting with the Institute Director, Prof. Dr Charli Kruse, he discussed how companies in Schleswig-Holstein could also benefit from this platform technology.

The production and availability of big quantities of cells is a key technology to biologise the industry. Cells are not only crucial building blocks for a host of biotech processes, they are also a renewable resource. Human cells are needed in clinical environments for innovative therapeutic applications. For example, a patient’s own immunocytes are cultivated in special, controlled laboratory conditions under stringent monitoring – for new immunotherapies to combat cancer.

Cells from a diversity of organisms are also required to produce vaccines for physicians and veterinarians. For instance, cells from fish can be used to produce vaccines for fish bred via aquaculture. In fact, a debate in the food industry is on about whether breeding of cellular biomass in bioreactors could be applied to conventional stockbreeding to enhance future meat production. A few start-ups in the Netherlands, Israel and the U.S. are already breeding muscular tissue from stem cells to produce in-vitro or clean meat for the market.

Researchers at Fraunhofer EMB have developed a universal platform technology to cultivate cells in a bioreactor. This method, which has been patented, is way ahead of current technologies, because of its highly simplified process and higher cell density in the bioreactor. As soon as cells can be cultivated cost-effectively, this technology will open the doors to brand new lines of business and markets.

Close interaction among researchers on the Lübeck Campus

The nearby location of the Fraunhofer Research Institute for Marine Biotechnology and Cell Engineering (EMB) in Lübeck allows it to cooperate closely on research with our Universität zu Lübeck, the Technical University of Lübeck and the University Medical Centre of Schleswig-Holstein on the Lübeck Campus.

Dr Bernd Buchholz, the Schleswig-Holstein Minister for Economic Affairs, Transport, Employment, Technology and Tourism toured the new Fraunhofer facilities to find out about new technologies of relevance to business sectors. In the field of cell cultures, he peeked through a microscope and looked over the shoulders of cell technologists at work. He discussed other business-relevant issues with Prof. Charli Kruse, the Director of the Institute. On the aspect of a sustainable economy, they talked mainly about production processes deploying circulatory systems.

Controlled cultivation of aquatic organisms in an aquaculture environment will continue to gain significance for food production. The EMB approach involves circulatory systems that enable sustained production of diverse organisms, such as fish and vegetables (aquaponics in fresh water), or for fish, algae and mussels (salt water). Development of this new technology is also relevant for Schleswig-Holstein.

The EMB Director, Prof. Kruse summarises: “A core goal of our strategic development is sustainable management and biologisation of the industry. Thanks to funding from the state of Schleswig-Holstein, many of our research projects are now at the stage of knowledge and technology transfer to the industry. Innovation, especially in biotech, is crucial for economic growth underpinned by resource conservation. We look forward to do our part and continue fostering new technologies and products.”

Fraunhofer Society

The Fraunhofer Society is Europe’s leading organisation for applied research. It comprises 72 institutes and research facilities across Germany. Over 26,600 employees work on an annual research budget of more than € 2.5 billion, of which € 2.1 are for contract research. The Fraunhofer Society generates about 70% of its budget through industry contracts and publicly-financed research projects. Its international collaborations with research centres of excellence and innovative companies also give it direct access to the most important arenas for science and business, now and in the future.

Dr Sandra Schumann, Fraunhofer EMB