THE TEAM

Research is a team effort.

Sweethoven Biotech brings together complementary expertise across microbial biotechnology, applied research and medical perspectives. During the current VIP+ validation phase, an interdisciplinary mentor board contributes additional perspectives on validation, transfer and future application pathways.

PROJECT TEAM

The people driving the research.

Dr. Marcel Hövels

Project lead

Institute for Microbiology and Biotechnology
University of Bonn

Marcel has been working on sugar-modifying enzymes for more than a decade. What began as fundamental research into unusual biocatalysts has gradually developed into the applied research questions behind Sweethoven Biotech. Today, he focuses on turning promising enzyme reactions into scalable processes and on exploring where the resulting carbohydrate candidates could make a meaningful difference.

MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

CHROMATOGRAPHY

Dr. André Neff

Project co-lead

Institute for Microbiology and Biotechnology
University of Bonn

André’s work sits at the interface of enzyme discovery and application-oriented biotechnology. His research contributed to the discovery of a unique levansucrase, an enzyme at the heart of the project’s. Within Sweethoven Biotech, he helps connect molecular-level discoveries with the practical questions of process development, validation and future application.

ENZYME DISCOVERY

ANAEROBIC CULTIVATION

Dr. med. Gefion Liebau

MEDICAL RESEARCH EXPERT

Gefion brings the medical perspective into Sweethoven Biotech. She currently supports the project on a voluntary basis, helping to develop research proposals aimed at investigating the physiological and medical implications of our carbohydrate candidates in human studies. Her work helps connect the project’s biotechnology research with the questions that ultimately need to be addressed in people.

MEDICINE

AND A LOT MORE

VIP+ MENTOR BOARD

Guidance across disciplines.

The current VIP+ validation project is accompanied by an interdisciplinary mentor board contributing complementary expertise across innovation, regulation, networking, technical validation and industry.