Ideas Competition for Biotechnology and Medical Technology
BIOSS Members achieve success with their projects
The project “Synthetic switch mechanisms controlling the function and location of proteins within cells” proposed by BIOSS professor Wilfried Weber, professor of synthetic biology, and BIOSS member Prof. Rolf Backofen, bioinformatics, has been awarded funding in the second round of the “Ideas Competition for Biotechnology and Medical Technology” held by the Baden-Württemberg State Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts (MWK). BIOSS member Dr Stefan Schiller also earned success with his project “Scalable biological production of signal peptides for applications in regenerative medicine”.
In the first round of the competition, a jury of experts selected 42 proposals from 120 submissions, which were then subjected to feasibility studies. The second round saw experts evaluate ten of these projects as particularly promising, meaning that the initiators can now access additional funding to move their projects forward. The aim of the competition is to improve how research potential within biotechnology, synthetic biology and medical technology is exploited in Baden-Württemberg. Each of the projects awarded funding are characterised by having innovative ideas.
The project launched by Wilfried Weber and Rolf Backofen deals with the design and construction of molecular switch mechanisms in animal and human cells. The switches are intended to enable the functions of individual cellular components, such as enzymes, to be activated and deactivated on command via an external signal. In order to develop these switches, Rolf Backofen uses computer-based models to devise perfect design strategies which are then applied to animal and human cells in Wilfried Weber’s group. The potential uses of these switch mechanisms range from applications within pure research to optimised manufacturing processes for therapeutic proteins, or ‘biopharmaceuticals’. The MWK has awarded the project 300,000 euros of funding.
Wilfried Weber, Rolf Backofen
Stefan Schiller, who is also a member of the School of Soft Matter Research of the Freiburg Institute of Advanced Studies (FRIAS), likewise received 300,000 euros from the MWK for his project on signal peptides. Rapid progress in biological chemistry has highlighted the essential role played by signal peptides in cellular communication. Signal peptides are short sequences of amino acids within some proteins which act as specific recognition domains for these proteins – similar to the way a lock recognises the bit of a key. They are capable of activating cellular switches to control complex biological sequences of events, such as those found in tissue growth or regenerative processes. Such functions must therefore also be incorporated when developing new materials for replacement tissue. Large amounts of signal peptides are needed for this – but to date no methods exist for producing them efficiently in a manner that conserves resources. The aim of the project is therefore to improve the biological production of peptides and small proteins.
Stefan Schiller