Research

Funder: Interreg VI A MV/BB/PL
Funding: number:NT0400128 
Funding amount: 1.859.839,53
Duration: 01.08.2025 to 31.07.2028

he Flaxinuum project is a response to the major challenges facing the development of the agricultural and food industry in the Euroregion Pomerania and beyond. In both Poland and Germany, a growing number of consumers are seeking alternatives to traditional animal-based products and are choosing plant-based foods with health-promoting properties. The project partners see great potential in flaxseed press cake, a by-product of the vegetable oil industry, which can become a key element in the production of a new generation of functional foods.

The main objective of the Flaxinuum project is the development of innovative, environmentally friendly food products that not only meet the growing demand for alternative protein sources but also contribute to improving consumer health by providing probiotics and beneficial plant compounds. The project aims to create products based on flaxseed press cake that exhibit the characteristics of nutraceuticals and functional foods, delivering health-promoting effects. These products will undergo biotransformation processes, including fermentation with microorganisms, which will give them unique health properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects.

Through the implementation of the Flaxinuum project, unique food products will emerge in Europe that have the potential to revolutionize both the Polish and German markets. The target group for these products includes people following a plant-based diet, consumers looking for functional food alternatives, as well as older individuals who increasingly value healthy and sustainable nutrition. These products may also be of interest to consumers suffering from health issues such as lactose intolerance, milk protein allergies, or chronic inflammatory diseases, helping to reduce associated risks. The project is characterized by a high level of innovation, going beyond the current standards of the food industry. Using flaxseed press cake as a base aligns with the upcycling trend, which not only minimizes waste but also creates new business opportunities in the region. In addition, the project’s innovative approach includes the use of probiotics such as Akkermansia municiphila, Saccharomyces boulardii, and the SCOBY consortium (Kombucha), which have so far been rarely applied in the production of plant-based foods. In this way, the Flaxinuum project will bring to market products with unique health benefits that can contribute to improving consumers’ quality of life.

The implementation of the Flaxinuum project would not be possible without close cross-border cooperation. The project involves the University of Greifswald, the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, and industry partners MICROMUN – Institute for Microbiological Research and BioResQ. Only through the synergy of interdisciplinary knowledge exchange—covering fields such as pharmacy, medical microbiology, food microbiology, fermentation biotechnology, and food quality assessment—can such ambitious goals be achieved. This collaboration not only enables the use of complementary skills but also fosters innovation through diverse perspectives. The geographical proximity of the partners in the Euroregion Pomerania and the long-standing relationship between the University of Greifswald and the Pomeranian Medical University provide an additional advantage, making it possible to effectively overcome barriers and fully harness the intellectual potential of the region.

Through the project’s implementation, the Euroregion Pomerania has the opportunity to become one of Europe’s leading innovation centers in the field of fermented plant-based foods with health-promoting effects. This project not only addresses local and regional health needs but also contributes to the dissemination of innovation at the European level. The cross-border nature of the collaboration ensures that the benefits achieved by the project will have far-reaching effects, supporting sustainable scientific, economic, and health development in the funding region as well as across Europe. The Flaxinuum project is an excellent example of how joint efforts can introduce innovative solutions that respond to current health, ecological, and social challenges while promoting sustainable development and cross-border cooperation.

Funder: DFG
Funding number: GU 1283/5-1
Funding amount: €62,000
Duration: 01.01.2025 to 31.12.2027

The general project aim is to understand the microbiome of the domestic Vietnamese ginseng Panax vietnamensis and search for effective endophytic strains that can be used as “probiotics” to support the organic farming of Panax in Vietnam. In addition, the search for new antimicrobial compounds against human pathogens will be included, as several natural compounds unique to the genus Panax have shown promising inhibitory activities against bacterial and fungal phytopathogens.

Specific Objectives:

• Study the microbiome of the domestic ginseng Panax vietnamensis in relation to plant age, cultivars, and culturing conditions using a metagenomic technique.
• Isolate ginseng endophytes and screen for effective strains that influence the production of valuable pharmaceutical compounds in ginseng host plants.
• Examine the effects of selected endophytes on the production of ginsenosides in ginseng host plants in vitro and in vivo and control the foliar rot disease caused by Fusarium spp.
• Screen for antibacterial activities (ESKAPE pathogens), antifungal activities, and antibiofilm activities.

Funder: BMBF WIR! - Wandel durch Innovation in der Region
Funding number: 03WIR2227A
Funding amount: 571.894,61 €
Duration: 01.04.2024 bis 31.12.2025

The overall aim of the project is to develop functional patterns for phytopharmaceuticals based on sundew for the treatment of thrush, nappy rash, vaginal mycoses and, in the future, mixed infections of Candida, Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas in cystic fibrosis. In addition, innovative indoor cultivation and propagation methods for sundew are to be developed. Within the current Plant3 project "SaMV", the exploration of new indications has shown that infections with yeast fungi such as Candida are a new target for therapy with preparations made from sundew. This "antimycotic approach", which was not addressed in "SaMV", is to be expanded and deepened. This new joint project therefore plans to combine the expertise of the Institute of Pharmacy at the University of Greifswald in biological in vitro efficacy testing (PharmBio), drug release and dosage forms (PharmTechno) with the expertise of BioResQ gGmbH in the production of functional samples, quality control and drug approval. Paludimed GmbH will also be involved due to its expertise in the cultivation of sundew for the innovative indoor cultivation experiments (Phytotron®, hydroponic). In the first year, PharmBio will initially establish in vitro test procedures such as infection models and multispecies biofilms (Candida, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas). In parallel, functional samples are produced (PharmTechno: inhaled dosage form; BioResQ: liquid and semi-solid dosage form). The functional samples are then analysed in the established in vitro assays (PharmBio). Based on the results, a selection will be made as to which functional samples will be optimised by changing the galenics in the second year of the project and tested again. Stability studies of the dosage forms (BioResQ) will provide additional important information for optimisation. In addition, year-round indoor cultivation under LED light will be carried out over the entire project period using the infrastructure available at the University of Greifswald (phytotron, hydroponic system).

Funder: Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL), Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe (FNR)
Funding number: 2221MT012X
Funding amount: 211,360.80 €
Duration: February 2023 – January 2026

The SoMoMed project focuses on research into the sustainable production of sundew and cloudberry on peat moss in paludiculture. Sundew has been used for centuries as a medicinal plant for the treatment of respiratory diseases and cloudberries are a widely used superfood in Northern Europe due to their high vitamin C and E content.
The demand for sundew and cloudberry raw materials in Europe is mainly met from wild collections, but wild collections as a source of raw materials are not sustainable and endanger natural stocks in the long term. There are therefore many reasons in favour of regional cultivation of both plants. Sundew and cloudberry are typical of wet, nutrient-poor raised bogs and can therefore also be cultivated in combination with peat mosses on rewetted bogs. This climate-friendly cultivation (paludiculture) represents an alternative to conventional, drainage-based, agricultural peatland utilisation, which is associated with high greenhouse gas emissions. The genetic characterisation of selected European species with regard to medically effective ingredients and productivity is intended to create a basis for breeding selection. Varieties with a high active ingredient content and high productivity can thus be selected for further cultivation tests. By optimising the cultivation conditions, active ingredient content and biomass yields can be further improved. Economic and ecological analyses are essential for research into sustainable cultivation. Therefore the project

    1. analyse the market potential of crops,
    2. determine the costs of cultivation
    3. assess the ecological effects and
    4. sustainable business models along the value chain will be developed.

The analyses will be incorporated into the development of sustainable business models for the cultivation of sundew and cloudberries in paludiculture.

Funder: BMBF Innovationsraum: BaMS-RüBio - Blaue Bioökonomische Kreislaufwirtschaft für Rügen (Teilprojekt 5) - Umsetzungsphase
Funding number: 031B0915L5
Funding amount: 96,480.00 €
Duration: January 2022 – December 2024

The RüBio project aims to realise an integrated concept of the blue bioeconomic circular economy in Bergen on the island of Rügen. By combining a closed-loop aquaculture system for edible fish, the cultivation of medicinal and useful plants, the feeding of insects based on regionally produced biogenic residues and the cultivation of microalgae with nutrient-rich process water, four important biological systems are linked together in an innovative way.

The existing supply bottlenecks for medicinal plants will worsen in the future due to the advancing climate change, the associated competition for cultivation areas and the destruction of the habitats of medicinal plants. Some medicinal plants are on the edge of extinction in their native regions (e.g. devil's claw) or are not yet cultivable. Alternatives urgently need to be created in order to meet demand. This is where the sub-project comes in by generating basic knowledge on the necessary growth conditions for these plants and determining the nutrient and water requirements for cultivation, which is essential for modelling bioeconomic processes. In addition, a link between fish farming and medicinal plant cultivation via hydroponic systems is to be researched. At the same time, the quality of the cultivated plants will be tested using methods from the European Pharmacopoeia. The cultivation conditions are to be optimised based on bioactivity. In-vitro cell culture systems with viruses occurring locally in the oropharyngeal region (e.g. coronaviruses, Coxsackie A viruses) are used to assess antiviral activity. In parallel, the proliferation- and wound-healing-promoting effect of the plants is being investigated in in-vitro experiments. In addition to land plants, algae also contain secondary metabolites with interesting bioactivities, which is why algae cultures are also being investigated with regard to their antiviral and wound-healing properties.

Funder: FNR
Funding number: 2220MT003
Funding amount: 202,000.00 €
Duration: November 2021 – October 2024

Method improvement for the detection of herbicides in cattails using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LCMS), method development for the detection of heavy metals in cattails using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS).

Project leader: Dr. Gerold Lukowski (Institute of Marine Biotechnology e.V.)
Funder: BMEL
Funding number: 28N203300
Funding amount: 449,528.56 €
Duration: October 2021 – September 2024

Multi-resistant pathogens cause infections that are difficult to treat. Considering an increased occurrence of new types of resistant pathogens, it is important to curb these diseases spread. The majority of multi-resistant pathogens can colonize or infect farm animals as they do it at humans.

Therefore, an alternative material development, which naturally prevents the spread of multi-resistant pathogens in livestock using ingredients that inhibit colonization and stimulate the immune system, is urgently needed.

As a part of the project, substances are to be developed that prevent the growth of resistant germs on cow udder teats (mastitis). Results from previous experiments showed that lipid-containing marine organisms include ingredients with antibacterial properties. An innovative process for microencapsulation of marine organisms developed by us could make these health-promoting ingredients usable with an efficiency that would never be achieved with untreated biomasses.

In order to achieve this goal, new types of biomatrices based on antibacterial microalgae should be developed that use the parallel effect of both, biological and physical mechanisms, for prophylaxis. Due to complex requirements in animal husbandry, existing antimicrobial algae have to be tested for animal pathogens, as well as further development of microencapsulation methods, special semi-solid formulations and novel test methods is necessary. At the project's end, the aim is to examine the suitability for practical use of new biomatrices on an in vitro skin model of cow udder teat. The proposed concept could prevent spreading of multi-resistant pathogens and thus significantly reduce the usage of antibiotics in dairy farming.

Funder: BMBF Plant3_InnoInvest "WIR! - Plant3 lnnovationsfördernde Infrastruktur"
Funding number: 03WIR!22IL1
Funding amount: 169,000.00 €

Funder: BMBF Plant3_InnoInvest "WIR! - Plant3 lnnovationsfördernde Infrastruktur"
Funding number: 03WIR!22IL1
Funding amount: 54,000.00 €

Funder: BMBF
Funding amount: 264,655.00 €
Duration: June 2021 – May 2024

The IFZO sub-project on the entry of substances into the Baltic Sea and the spread of antibiotic-resistant E. coli aims to expand the scientific basis of the sustainability transformation in the Baltic Sea region in an area that has not yet been comprehensively investigated. In addition to investigating the change in behavior in the context of the Baltic Sea literacy concept, necessary gaps in knowledge must be closed in order to enable appropriate behavior. In close collaboration with the University Medicine Greifswald and the Friedrich Loeffler Institute, antibiotic residues and the presence and effects of antibiotic-resistant germs (ESBL-producing E. coli) are monitored along the route from the clinic via the sewage treatment plant to the Baltic Sea in accordance with the One Health approach. A consolidation of knowledge in this research field also serves as an important component for the transformation of the Baltic Sea area into a sustainable region.

Funder: BMBF WIR! - Wandel durch Innovation in der Region
Funding number: WIR2206 191119
Funding amount: 411,360.00 €
Duration: September 2020 – August 2023

In Central Europe, the round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) and the intermediate sundew (Drosera intermedia) were traditionally used to treat diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Despite its recognised effectiveness, sundew is no longer used in rational phytotherapy. The reason for this is that sundew is a protected species and can therefore no longer be collected in most European countries. The aim of the project is to prove that sundew cultivated in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is superior in quality to imported medicinal drugs. Firstly, the existing cultivation method for sundew is to be tested and further developed in order to achieve optimum yields of active ingredients and to fulfil economic criteria. In order to ensure that sundew from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is differentiated from inferior imported goods (e.g. Drosera madagascariensis), chemical-analytical quality standards are to be developed. These are intended to ensure that only Drosera rotundifolia (and possibly D. intermedia) is authorised for the manufacture of medicinal products and can be tested using the analytical standards developed. In addition to the analytical methods, one aim is to develop the scientific basis for pharmaceutical application. To this end, the effectiveness of sundew extracts from MV against various pathogens such as bacteria and yeasts is to be proven and possible phytotherapeutic applications derived. Furthermore, as part of the funding project applied for, scientific proof of the safety of sundew when used on humans is to be provided and the molecular mechanism of action, which is still completely unknown, is to be addressed. Based on the results of the work, further new potential applications are to be investigated and an initial functional model in the form of an oral dosage form is to be developed. The overall aim of the project is to carry out the necessary research and development work in order to establish a new type of herbal medicine based on sundew.

Funder: Landesförderinstitut Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Funding amount: 150,000.00 €
Duration: July 2021 – July 2023

The demand for high-quality medicinal plants in the pharmaceutical industry is high and constantly increasing. At the same time, however, global resources are decreasing and stocks are increasingly threatened by wild collection. It is also becoming more and more difficult to meet current quality standards due to the high variability and rising environmental pollution. Due to its agricultural infrastructure and history, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern offers almost ideal conditions for the cultivation of medicinal plants. The aim is therefore to develop new cultivation techniques in collaboration with local cooperation partners, to ensure quality through a standardised process and to open up new uses for traditional medicinal plants. To ensure quality, new monitoring methods are being developed and indicators in plant development and physiology are being analysed that allow conclusions to be drawn about the active ingredient content and therefore the optimum harvest time. The development under different climatic conditions is also being investigated.

Funder: HZI Fonds
Funding amount: 83,338.00 €
Duration: December 2020 – July 2022

Multi-drug-resistant pathogens (MDR) have been identified as an increasing threat to humans and animals worldwide. Besides the identification and development of new antibiotic compounds, the exploration of alternative strategies not requiring the use of antibiotics gains considerable importance. Among these potential alternatives, microbiota-based decolonization approaches have delivered promising preliminary results. However, decolonization of Gram-positive MDR bacteria is seemingly easier to achieve than decolonization of multi-drug-resistant Gram-negatives. Also promising are specific natural compounds possibly exhibiting significant antibacterial activity such as polyphenols and tannins. The combination of these plant-based compounds with probiotic bacterial species could help to decolonize the gut of animals with MDR pathogens and facilitate the reestablishment of colonization resistance. We aim to identify microbiota consortia that successfully compete with MDR bacteria in the gut lumen and plant compounds that elicit bactericidal activity against MDR pathogens and thus, in combination, enable decolonization of these pathogens. Using stool samples of wild and matching farm animals (e.g wild duck vs. brood duck; ruminants vs. dairy cattle; wild boar vs. fattening pig) we first aim to assess the level of colonization resistance (CR) against MDR pathogens by spiking stool samples with marked MDR bacteria such as ESBL-producing E. coli, carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae and MRSA and screen the proportion of MDR bacteria by selective plating of stool samples on antibiotic plates. In parallel, stool samples of the same animals will be spiked with both bioactive plant-based natural compounds (phenols and tannins) and assessed for their levels of CR using the same in vitro stool assays. Second, we aim to isolate specific competing probiotic strains from "MDR-clearing" samples, and third, evaluate these new therapeutics to decolonize the gut of MDR carrying farm animals including in-depth whole-genome sequence and initial mode-of-action analysis of selected bacterial strains.