March 17, 2026 | Minister of Science Clemens Hoch visited the Institute for Biotechnology and Drug Discovery (IBWF) in Mainz. The focus of the visit was on scientific exchange with young international researchers who are currently working at the IBWF as part of the European FORTHEM Alliance and who presented their research projects. The discussions underscored the central importance of internationalization for the further development of Rhineland-Palatinate as a biotechnology hub. “Encounters like these demonstrate the great importance of international research exchange,” emphasized Hoch. Only through ongoing internationalization in the field of biotechnology can new resources and technologies be identified and qualified professionals recruited.

In addition to scientific exchange, the visit also focused on the further development of technological expertise at the IBWF. Minister of Science Hoch presented a state grant notification in the amount of 50,000 euros to the State Coordinator for Biotechnology, Prof. Dr. Eckhard Thines. With this funding, the state is supporting the establishment of a new technology for cell-free enzyme production using fungal lysates at the institute. Fungal lysates are produced during the breakdown of fungal cells. The method developed from this makes it possible to identify promising leads from the IBWF’s extensive strain collection more quickly and precisely than before. This allows opportunities for the development of market-relevant enzymes to be identified early on and further developed. At the same time, the technology is intended to facilitate new collaborations with partners from science and industry and further strengthen the institute’s networking.

“Every single location in the various member countries of the FORTHEM Alliance has unique strengths. Through targeted collaboration within Europe, we can develop synergies that are visible on the international stage,” says Prof. Dr. Eckhard Thines. According to Thines, international cooperation in biotechnology is essential for gaining access to expertise and resources, remaining competitive, and jointly addressing major societal challenges. The FORTHEM Alliance is a consortium of nine European partner universities in which Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz has been a member since its founding in 2019. The collaboration enables joint projects in research and teaching as well as the exchange of students and researchers. Originally founded with a focus on student mobility, the network has since evolved into a platform for numerous international research collaborations.