Press releases and news 2024

Adhesives are almost always based on fossil raw materials such as petroleum. Researchers at Fraunhofer have recently developed a process that allows to utilize keratin for this purpose. This highly versatile protein compound can be found, for instance, in chicken feathers. Not only can it be used to manufacture a host of different adhesives for a variety of applications, but the processes and end products are also sustainable and follow the basic principles underlying a bio-inspired circular economy. The project, developed together with Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, addresses a billion-dollar market.

Reproducible in-vitro canine skin has been grown in a laboratory setting for the first time by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB. The research team developed a full-thickness dog skin equivalent based on native skin cells. This makes it possible to precisely test medical treatments in vitro on the sensitive skin of dogs. The skin equivalent can even be used to test the compatibility of care products such as shampoo or soap - eliminating the need for animal testing.