What is a by-product of the production of vegetable oils could serve as a starting material for the active ingredients of the future: lecithin. The DiP-PhosFect project is developing a biotechnological process to produce lipids for applications in the crop protection and pharmaceutical sectors.
At the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry in Halle, an innovative technology is being developed that combines artificial intelligence with biotechnology. AI helps to optimize enzymes that can specifically convert lecithin into biocompatible lipids. A special focus is on practical application: In cooperation, the lipids developed are being tested for use as an active ingredient in crop protection and as an excipient in medical applications such as mRNA transfection. Fraunhofer CBP supports the transfer of production to an industrial scale.
By combining artificial intelligence, biotechnology and vaccine development, DiP-PhosFect strengthens the regional pharmaceutical industry and creates new economic prospects for Saxony-Anhalt. The project shows how sustainable technologies and digital innovations can shape the biotechnology of tomorrow.