Plastics and polymers consist of large molecules, known as macromolecules, which are usually produced by chemical synthesis. However, macromolecules also play a crucial role in nature, where they are produced by enzymes.

Biotechnological methods therefore allow technically relevant macromolecules to be synthesised by means of enzymatic polymerisations, resulting in sustainable synthesis pathways for polymers and opening up possible applications in biotechnology and synthetic biology. These include, for example, the stabilisation of cells with macromolecules or the creation of synthetic cells.

When we take medication, less than 1% of the active ingredient reaches the actual site of the disease, which is why it affects the entire body – we are all familiar with the enormous side effects of chemotherapy, for example. That is why it is very important to deliver drugs directly to the site of action, where they then only have a local effect. To this end, I am developing tiny micro-robots loaded with drugs that can be guided through blood vessels to a tumour, inflammation or vascular constriction, for example. The micro-robots are precisely controlled by magnetic fields. But what exactly are magnetic micro- and nanorobots? What do they look like? How are they manufactured? How are they controlled? And what can they be used for?

ZOOM appointment – no face-to-face meeting

In this lecture, I will present the main areas of research of the new professorship for ‘Biometrics, Human Analysis and Behaviour Understanding’. The focus is on how human-centred approaches can be designed in machine learning to make digital services more secure, inclusive, transparent and user-friendly – while ensuring privacy and acceptance among citizens.