Extracting complex, valuable chemicals from CO₂
CO₂-efficient biological production of valuable chemicals from methanol
The research group “Analysis and Redesign of Biological Networks” (ARB) under the direction of CDS member Dr.-Ing. Steffen Klamt at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems Magdeburg is a partner of the EU collaborative project CarboNcare .
The goal of CarboNcare is to develop new microbial fermentation processes that convert renewable methanol into valuable chemicals for medical, cosmetic, and food products. Within the framework of the EU Horizon Europe program, scientists are working to create a sustainable and circular future for the production of everyday chemicals.
Methanol – a C1 compound that can be chemically produced from electricity and CO₂ – serves as a key link between CO₂ capture and biological conversion . In this project, researchers are combining groundbreaking biotechnology approaches: efficient methanol assimilation for rapid carbon conversion and growth-coupled bioproduction for high yield and stability.
The Magdeburg-based ARB Group contributes its expertise in bioinformatics and metabolic modeling to design customized microbial "cell factories." Based on this, the high-yield production of important platform chemicals such as lactate, succinate, and 2,3-butanediol from methanol is being pursued, along with strategies for continuous fermentation. The overarching goal is to create a future-proof, CO₂-based economy that combines the strengths of chemistry with those of biology.