Marcel Dann

Prof. Dr. Marcel Dann serves as a Professor at Technische Universität Darmstadt, leading the Bio-Inspired Energy Conversion research group. His work focuses on engineering photosynthetic microbes—particularly cyanobacteria—to redirect solar energy harvest toward biosynthesis of valuable compounds like hydrogen and bioavailable nitrogen, or to harness light-driven proton gradients beyond ATP production. The lab operates within TU Darmstadt's biology facilities at Schnittspahnstraße 10 in Darmstadt.

Research centers on bioinspired energy conversion through cyanobacterial engineering, with key interests in photosynthetic efficiency optimization, light-driven proton gradient utilization, and metabolic redirection for sustainable bioproducts. His team employs adaptive laboratory evolution, structural biology, and synthetic biology approaches to enhance stress tolerance (particularly to fluctuating/high light conditions) and engineer novel metabolic pathways in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Current applications target hydrogen production, nitrogen fixation, and carbonate biomineralization for sustainable resource cycles.

Analysis of recent publications (2017-2025) reveals consistent focus on cyanobacterial photosynthesis mechanisms, with increasing emphasis on applied biotechnology. Key trends include structural fine-tuning of photosynthetic supercomplexes, engineering of carbon concentrating mechanisms, and metabolic pathway redesign for lutein/hydrogen production. The work bridges fundamental photosynthesis research with sustainable solutions for energy and resource challenges.

Prof. Dann actively supervises PhD students Vjosa Berisha and Patrick Reinmöller within a multidisciplinary team comprising postdocs (including Anne-Christin Pohland), lab administration (Christa Jacob Dann), and technical support (Christiane Sommerer). His lab participates in international consortia like PhotoRedesign aimed at enhancing photosynthetic efficiency for agricultural applications.

The Bio-Inspired Energy Conversion laboratory maintains specialized facilities for cyanobacterial cultivation, spectroscopy (including P515 kinetic analysis), and metabolic engineering. Current projects integrate adaptive evolution studies with structural biology to develop cyanobacterial strains for sustainable carbonate production and enhanced light tolerance, positioning the lab at the forefront of photosynthetic biotechnology.