Laboratories
Laboratories and Equipment
The approximately 270 square meters of laboratory space are divided as follows:
- fermentation and downstream processing,
- microbial cultivation and cell culture lab as well as
- analytical lab.
In biotechnology laboratories, all fermentation systems / bioreactors are linked to a process control system. With the help of numerous inputs and outputs, measured values can be recorded, controllers configured and processes implemented via programs.
All bioreactors are extensively equipped. This includes
- supply and disposal pumps,
- measuring and control devices for pH value, temperature, gas and liquid volume flows, dissolved oxygen and partially dissolved carbon dioxide, capacity and turbidity,
- as well as gas analyzers for oxygen, carbon dioxide and, if necessary, ethanol.
For the photobioreactors, there are classic lighting systems and LED lighting.
| Fermenters | Disposable bioreactors | Parallel Small-Scale Reactor Systems |
| 2x steel, 10 L (1x suitable for cell culture) | up to 20 L, optionally illuminated | 4 x 0.7 L (microbial) |
| Glass, 20 L, optionally illuminated | 2 x 1.2 L (cell culture) 2 x 2 L (cell culture) |
Laboratory equipment
- Easyscale Disc Separator from GEA Westfalia Separator with clarifying and chamber drums
- 1.6-liter cooling centrifuge
- Micro- and ultrafiltration
- High-pressure homogenizer for cell lysis
- Freeze-drying system
- Vacuum rotary evaporator
- Safety cabinet, dry and incubators, temperature-controlled baths, and microscopes
- 5 incubation shakers, some with multiple levels
- Incubation shakers for algae cultures with adjustable CO₂ atmosphere and individual bottom lighting for the shaking flasks
- Autoclave
- HPLC, FPLC, and UPLC
- Fraction collector
- Microplate shakers and readers
- Instruments for measuring dry matter content, viscosity, and turbidity
- COD
- 4BioCell - automated enzymatic determination of various substances
- Photometer (UV, VIS)
- LUMiSizer
- Sequencer
- Gel Electrophoresis Equipment
- Gel documentation system
- Image Analysis System
- Cell Counter Countstar
- Bioplotter (shared)
- etc.
The biotechnology laboratories are classified as S1 according to GenTSV.
In addition, microbiological cultivation and testing can be performed in the microbiology lab, and analyses using gas and liquid chromatography, atomic absorption spectrophotometry, photometry (UV, VIS, IR), etc., can be conducted in the chemistry lab.
Dynamic Aeration and Illumination for Cells
Prof. Björn Frahm received a special bioreactor on permanent loan from Bayer. This bioreactor, developed in-house, was presented at the Bayer Technology Colloquium by BTS Managing Director Mr. Noack, Bayer Board Member Dr. Pott, Dr. Frahm, Bayer Research Director Dr. Plischke, and Head of Process Technology Dr. Mothes.