NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Several German pharmaceutical, biotech, and industrial firms announced last week that they have launched a consortium to advance industrial applications of microbial genomics research.
The consortium, called the Industrieverbund Mikrobielle Genomforschung (the industry/science association to promote microbial genome research), is partially supported by Germany’s Federal
Ministry of Education and Research, which has contributed half of the group’s €42 million budget over the next five years.
The consortium intends to improve the efficiency of the use of microorganisms in industrial processes and to develop new products from microorganisms with new properties.
Participating companies include BASF, Bayer Crop Science, Biopract, BRAIN, Degussa, Direvo, Henkel, Milupa, Schering, Südzucker, and Wacker.
Karl-Heinz Maurer, director of enzyme technology in Henkel’s corporate research group, will serve as chairman of the Industrieverbund Mikrobielle Genomforschung.