ProBioS
The priority program “Productive Biofilm Systems” (SPP 2494), funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), has been running since 2025 and brings together 12 leading research groups from across Germany in its first three-year funding period. The program aims to harness the unique properties of biofilms — high cell density, stability, and adaptability — for biotechnological applications.
Sustainable, bio-based economy
Biofilms represent the dominant lifestyle of microorganisms in nature. Unlike suspended cells, they exhibit remarkable robustness and efficiency. In industrial biotechnology, however, these advantages have so far been scarcely exploited. The SPP 2494 investigates how biofilms can be specifically controlled, optimized, and integrated into technical processes — paving the way for a sustainable, bio-based economy.
Targeted Utilization of Biofilms
To fully unlock the potential of productive biofilms, a deep understanding of their structure, dynamics, and adaptive mechanisms is essential. The priority program therefore investigates the factors that determine biofilm growth, stability, and performance — and how these can be deliberately influenced to harness biofilms as powerful tools in biotechnological processes.
Specifically Influence Structure And Composition To Increase Productivity And Stability
Exploring Mechanisms Of Genetic Drift, Regulation And Adaptation In Space And Time
Implementing Innovative, Scalable Reactor Concepts Using Modern Manufacturing Techniques
Developing New Tools To Observe And Quantify Biofilms In Real Time
Designing Predictable Models Of Complex Biofilm Processes And Using Them For Process Optimization
Innovative Insights
In the first funding period (2025–2028), 12 research projects will be supported. These bring together expertise from microbiology, biochemistry, process engineering, materials science, and modeling. Together, they lay the foundation for establishing biofilms as productive tools in biotechnology.
Collaboration
The SPP 2494 is led by an interdisciplinary team that handles scientific and organizational coordination. The spokesperson is Prof. Dr. Johannes Gescher, who, together with the Steering Board, is responsible for the content direction and strategic development. He is supported by the managing coordinators Dr. Nadine Stahlberg and Dr. Laura Philipp, who promote project exchange, organize joint activities, and serve as the central point of contact for partners and the public.
Outreach-Programm
Attend current events or join the hands-on program.
