Climate change is real. It is the result of non-circular, unsustainable human activity and economic activity. Anthropogenic emissions of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) are due to the excessive combustion of fossil fuels and intensive land use activities. The significant increase in these greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is leading to a steady rise in temperature with far-reaching consequences for the global ecosystem.

In our lifetime, glaciers are melting, the sea is warming and acidifying. We see how coral reefs, which are not just tourist attractions with their high biodiversity, are dying. Coral reefs actively bind CO₂ and are therefore an important sink for this greenhouse gas. The micro- and macroorganisms of coral reefs are also a source of new pharmaceuticals that can help us in the fight against novel pathogens.

Extreme weather events such as prolonged droughts or floods are reducing the areas that are habitable for humans and reducing the arable land that secures our food supply. The massive changes to the global ecosystem, coupled with a constantly growing world population, are also accelerating the evolution of old and new pathogens for which there are no treatments. Climate change therefore threatens our livelihoods and the biodiversity of our planet in many ways.

These cumulative and highly interconnected problems can only be solved by developing new sustainable and systemically designed circular technology platforms. Biotechnology plays a key role here, as it enables the climate-neutral or greenhouse gas-negative conversion of biomass into a diverse portfolio of sustainable products.

The basis for the development of these technology platforms is the systemic understanding of biological systems - from the molecule to the living cell and beyond. The interdisciplinary, knowledge-based conception and further development of biological systems thus enables the development of new, sustainable processes that ultimately contribute to a profound transformation of industry and society. This enables the development of a consciously sustainable global society without economic and ecological compromises.

The Chair of Synthetic Biotechnology develops technological solutions for a sustainable future and promotes the transformation of industry and society.