2012|13 Annual Report Fraunhofer IGB

23 Bauser recognized the huge potential of plasma technology as a tool to modify and engineer interfaces. Thus Dr. Christian Oehr, with a background in plasma chemistry, joined the IGB in 1989, and in 1992 was made departmental head, when Dr. Bauser took over as acting director of the institute. 1994 In 1994, Prof. Herwig Brunner came from Boehringer Mann- heim to the Fraunhofer IGB as director. Intent on a solid scien- tiﬁc foundation for the application-oriented research at the IGB, Brunner instigated the creation of a chair for Interfacial Engi- neering at the University of Stuttgart, which after ﬁve years was elevated to institute status (IGVT). A highlight in 1996 was the opening of the Demonstration Center for Process In- tegrated Environmental Technology, in cooperation with the then Fraunhofer Institute for Food Technology and Packaging ILV. Parallel to these activities, Brunner added further molecu- lar biological competences to the IGB. In 1998, the “Protein screening systems” junior research team headed by Dr. Stef- fen Rupp, moved into new, dedicated premises and went on to enjoy a success story: today the Department of Molecular Biotechnology is one of the largest at the IGB. At the same time, Brunner built a bridge from biotechnology to interfacial engineering: with a second junior research group “Biomimetic interfaces” under the direction of Dr. Günter Tovar, he secured the biofunctionalization of nanoparticular surfaces and the nanobiotechnology at the IGB. Acting with foresight, Brunner also strengthened cell biology activities at the IGB, systemati- cally developed them into cell system research – with the goal of tissue engineering. In 1994, Prof. Heike Walles became head of department for “human-cell interfaces”, the basis for biologic medical products and regenerative medicine. 2007 In December 2007, Prof. Thomas Hirth took over as director of the IGB and created the business areas medicine, pharmacy, chemistry, environment, and energy. When the Fraunhofer- Gesellschaft discontinued the Technology Development Group (TEG) in 2009, the Department of Physical Process Engineering under the direction of the process engineer Siegfried Egner was integrated into the IGB. This once again yielded new synergies and interactions, strengthening the business areas environment and energy, and also chemistry. The following years saw the institute continue to grow at the Stuttgart site and beyond. In July 2009, a joint Federal Government/Länder committee approved the setting up of a “Chemical Biotechno- logical Process Center” in Leuna, Saxony-Anhalt. On August 1 of the same year, the project groups BioCat (Prof. Volker Sie- ber) and Oncology (Prof. Heike Walles) commenced their activ- ities in Straubing and Würzburg. Since then, building work has proceeded apace in Stuttgart, Straubing and Leuna. In 2012, the Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel inaugurated the CBP in Leuna, and the Straubing BioCat Project Group its new lab building. Prof. Hirth succeeded in achieving public awareness of the interfaces and their interactions that are at the heart of industrial biotechnology and the utilization of renewable resources. In 2011, Prof. Trösch handed over management of the Environmental Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineer- ing Department to Dr.-Ing. Ursula Schließmann, previously his deputy. At the University of Stuttgart, the Institute for Plasma Research was integrated into the former Institute for Interfa- cial Engineering IGVT at the turn of the year 2012/2013 to be- come the Institute of Interfacial Process Engineering and Plas- ma Technology IGVP. Thus plasma activities in Stuttgart are now bundled, strengthening the roots of the IGB, with which the IGVP is closely associated. Today around 400 employees work at the Fraunhofer IGB, its project groups in Leuna, Straubing and Würzburg and at the associated IGVP researching interfaces to materials, (bio)mol- ecules, microorganisms and algae, as well as to human cells. Thanks to the unique combination of interactions and the nu- merous interfaces and links between and among the individ- ual disciplines, our staff help provide answers to the urgent issues of the millennium – climate change, resource scarcity, cancer and infectious diseases. In this anniversary year, we want to celebrate this success with new discoveries at the “in- ner” interfaces.

2012|13 Annual Report Fraunhofer IGB

Pages