13.05.2024

DFG: Priority Programme “Productive Biofilm Systems”

Deadline: 1 October 2024; coordination meeting on 21 June 2024

In March 2024, the Senate of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) established the Priority Programme “Productive Biofilm Systems” (SPP 2494). The programme is designed to run for six years. The present call invites proposals for the first three-year funding period.

Most microorganisms that we know grow in the form of biofilms, and everybody is familiar with this ubiquitously distributed life form. Although most known microbial biocatalysts on Earth grow in the form of biofilms presenting a high cell density, industrial bioprocesses use suspended cells in stirred tank reactors. As a result, the natural advantages such as high cell density and robustness against process fluctuations are lost. There is a lack of knowledge, experience and novel reactor technology that hampers the successful implementation of these systems as new biocatalytic tools in a bio-based economy. Consequently, there is an urgent need in fundamental research to understand biofilms in a productive technical context, to harness their full potential by metabolic and genetic engineering and to apply them in reactor environments that allow competitive space-time yields in future applications.

Focus of Projects within the Priority Programme
Overall, we envisage the submission of joint projects in which at least two groups with complementary expertise work together and simultaneously offer at least one specialised technology or area of knowledge to the other partners.

In the best case, the partners design a project that covers two of the following five focus areas:

• Steering biofilm architecture towards high productivity
• Understanding biocatalyst adaptation resulting from spatiotemporal location
• Construction of scalable biofilm reactors
• Developing biofilm analytical tools to quantitatively follow biocatalyst activity and interaction with substrate over time and position
• Building instructive models for biofilm processes and reactors

Research projects aiming to study direct interaction between electrodes and biological systems or to develop biofilms as materials without biocatalytic focus cannot be considered as this could potentially be covered by another Priority Programme. 

On 21 June 2024, there will be an online coordination meeting (Rundgespräch) to enhance the coherence of the Priority Programme. This meeting will also allow to discuss (bilaterally) potential collaborations or joint proposals. If you are interested, please contact the coordinator of the Priority Programme in advance.

Proposals must be written in English and submitted to the DFG by 1 October 2024. 

The DFG strongly welcomes proposals from researchers of all genders and sexual identities, from different ethnic, cultural, religious, ideological or social backgrounds, from different career stages, types of universities and research institutions, and with disabilities or chronic illness. With regard to the subject-specific focus of this call, the DFG encourages female researchers in particular to submit proposals.

Further Information
https://www.dfg.de/de/aktuelles/neuigkeiten-themen/info-wissenschaft/2024/ifr-24-40 

For scientific enquiries, please contact the Priority Programme coordinator:
Professor Dr. Johannes Gescher
Technische Universität Hamburg, Institut für Technische Mikrobiologie
Kasernenstraße 12
21073 Hamburg
phone +49 40 42878-3634
johannes.gescherspam prevention@tuhh.de 

Questions on the DFG proposal process can be directed to:
Programme contact: Dr. Sebastian Peukert
phone +49 228 885-2834
sebastian.peukertspam prevention@dfg.de 

Administrative contact: Anja Kleefuß
phone +49 228 885-2293
anja.kleefussspam prevention@dfg.de