Katja Bühler

Katja Bühler is a Professor at the Technical University of Dresden and Co-Head of the Department of Microbial Biotechnology at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Leipzig, Germany. She leads the Working Group on Catalytic Biofilms and holds a joint professorship focused on the 'Technology of Productive Biofilms'. Her research spans microbial biotechnology, cyanobacterial systems, and sustainable bioprocess engineering. She is actively involved in national scientific councils, including the Saxon Academy of Sciences and the German National Hydrogen Council (2021–2023), and chaired the UFZ Scientific and Technical Council from 2019 to 2025.

Her research interests center on developing alternative biotechnological reactor concepts using in vitro and in vivo approaches, particularly involving cyanobacteria and catalytic biofilms. She investigates biofilm physiology, photobioreactor design, and metabolic engineering for sustainable chemical and hydrogen production. Her work integrates systems biology, biocatalysis, and environmental biotechnology to advance green industrial processes.

The recent publications highlight a strong focus on cyanobacterial biofilms, capillary photobioreactors, and net-zero biotechnologies. Key themes include hydrogen production, biofilm scaling, metabolic engineering of Synechocystis, and sustainable feedstock utilization. These works reflect a trajectory toward environmentally sustainable bioprocesses and carbon-neutral technologies.

Katja Bühler has no listed scientific awards in the provided text, but her editorial roles and leadership positions indicate significant recognition in her field.

She mentors students through PhD programs such as FATE and CLEANER and collaborates extensively with researchers like Bruno Bühler, Andreas Schmid, and Falk Harnisch. Her projects often involve interdisciplinary teams and joint publications across institutions.

She leads the Working Group Catalytic Biofilms at UFZ, which focuses on developing high-performance biofilm-based biocatalytic systems for industrial applications. The group explores reactor design, microbial physiology, and metabolic engineering to optimize productivity and sustainability.