Ulrich Schwaneberg

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schwaneberg is Chair for Biotechnology at RWTH Aachen University and director of its Institute of Biotechnology; he is simultaneously co-appointed at the DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials. He leads the Schwaneberg research group, globally ranked 3rd in directed-evolution output, and serves on the Scientific Board of the Bioeconomy Science Center and as speaker of the Henkel Innovation Campus for Advanced and Sustainable Technologies (HICAST).

Education & career:

• Diploma & PhD in Chemistry, University of Stuttgart (Prof. R. D. Schmid)
• Post-doctoral fellow, Caltech, 1999-2001 (Prof. F. H. Arnold, Nobel laureate 2018)
• Professor, Jacobs University Bremen, 2002-2008
• Full Professor & Institute Director, RWTH Aachen, since 2009
• Co-director, DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, since 2010

Research interests: The group pioneers protein-engineering platforms (KnowVolution, SeSaM, CompassR) that merge directed evolution with computational design to uncover fundamental design principles of proteins. Major application areas are (i) interactive materials—engineering peptides that form dense, ambient-temperature monolayers on polymers, metals, ceramics, plant leaves or teeth to create antimicrobial, anti-fouling or pesticide-release coatings; (ii) biocatalysis—evolving P450s, laccases, phytases, cellulases and artificial metalloenzymes for selective oxy-functionalization, biomass degradation and green polymerization; and (iii) circular bioeconomy—microgel-based delivery systems that replace microplastics in seed coatings, textiles and foliar fertilizers, thereby reducing pesticide loads and environmental persistence.

Recent publication trends (2016-2025): More than 220 peer-reviewed papers demonstrate continuous innovation: early work established nanopore-protein-polymer conjugates and redox-switchable enzyme nanogels; mid-period developed KnowVolution campaigns for ionic-liquid-tolerant lipases, high-molecular-weight hyaluronic-acid synthases and aryl-sulfotransferases; latest phase integrates machine-learning-guided recombination, microgel-enzyme reactors (MicroGelzymes), anchor-peptide functionalization of 3-D-printable materials and whole-cell artificial metalloenzymes for olefin metathesis and C–H activation.

Scientific awards & patents: BMBF “Next Generation Biotechnological Processes” award 2016 (€1.7 M), BioRegions Innovation Award 2018 for greenRelease technology, visiting professorships at CAS (2013) and Osaka University (2015); co-inventor on >15 licensed enzyme patents and founder of SeSaM-Biotech GmbH offering directed-evolution services.

Grants & collaborative infrastructure: Coordinator of the €multi-million Bio4MatPro competence centre (2022-2026) that transforms materials science through biological peptides, microgels and hybrid catalysts; leads projects EcoGuard, GreenProtect, BioCoat, PleuraPlug, Heart2.0 and KlarTEXt funded by BMBF, EU and industry partners.

Team & facilities: >40 members (post-docs, PhD students, science-support staff) housed in modern laboratories at RWTH and DWI equipped with robotic screening, droplet microfluidics, anaerobic spectroscopy, SPR, NMR, MS, AFM and pilot-plant bioreactors for rapid translation from gene to product.