Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB
Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB

Richter, Michael Dr.

Head of Innovation Field Bioinspired Chemistry

Dr. Michael Richter is a chemist and has been employed at Fraunhofer IGB, Straubing branch, since June 2015. Here, he initially worked on developments in the field of applied biocatalysis and the development of biobased materials. In 2019, he took over the leadership of the Bioinspired Chemistry Innovation Field, a highly interdisciplinary research group dedicated to innovative approaches in the field of sustainable chemistry in a holistic way, using nature as a source of ideas to develop new biobased chemicals, polymers and materials.

The concept behind this is to utilize selected natural molecules with exclusive functionalities from nature’s repertoireand to integrate them into chemical products. New functional properties of the chemical products should then be obtained through the chosen building blocks via sustainable synthesis. His main interest is to combine different scientific disciplines, to discover new terrain at the interfaces of biology, chemistry and materials sciences and to implement innovations into practice.

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    • Biobased polymers and additives
    • Organic chemistry
    • Biohybrid materials
    • Plastics technology
    • Bioorganic chemistry

  • Professional career
    Since 2019 Head of Innovation Field Bioinspired Chemistry, Fraunhofer IGB, Straubing
    2015 – 2019 Scientist, Fraunhofer IGB, BioCat, Straubing branch of the institute
    2009 – 2015 Group leader Biomolecules, Laboratory for Bioactive Materials, Empa, St. Gallen, Switzerland
    2005 – 2009 Postdoc Biocatalysis / Natural Product Synthesis, Institute for
    Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Freiburg

     

    Education
    2000 – 2005 Dissertation, Institute for Biosciences, University of Leipzig
    1994 – 1999 Studies of chemistry, University of Freiburg
    1992 – 1994 Studies of chemistry, University of Mainz

     

  • Project title Project title long Funding source Period
    ShaPID Shaping the Future of Green Chemistry by Process Intensification and Digitalization Fraunhofer-Leitprojekt January 2021 – December 2023
    HanAkku

    Tailor-made hemp-based storage material for modern energy, water and agriculture-based economy

    		 BMBF October 2020 – September 2021
    LTBP Laboratory for Technical Biopolymers Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft, Landesentwicklung und Energie January 2019 – December 2023
    eBioCO2n

    Electricity-driven CO2 conversion through synthetic enzyme cascades

     

    		 Fraunhofer and Max Planck cooperation program January 2019 – December 2022
    KERAbond Specialty chemicals from customized functional keratin proteins BMEL / FNR April 2019 – December 2022
    BioDiMet Methyl transferases for the functional diversification of bioactives ERA CoBioTech; ERA Net Cofund on Biotechnologies; BMBF; EU April 2018 –
    March 2021
    Hydrophobic proteins for surface functionalization Development of a natural fluorocarbon-free hydrophobing agent for textiles based on proteins. AiF / IGF January 2016 – April 2018