Synthetic Cell Factories

About

We want to contribute to the understanding of bacterial metabolism and are interested in expanding the biosynthetic capabilities of microorganisms for applied purposes.

We focus on the engineering of Corynebacterium glutamicum and Escherichia coli for the sustainable production of value-added small molecules such as natural products, fine chemicals or pharmaceutical building blocks from biomass and other carbon-rich waste streams.

In addition, we are developing new molecular tools for genome editing and high-throughput screening of metabolite producing bacteria at the single cell level using biosensors and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS).

Research Topics

Microbial synthesis of aromatic (plant) natural products and other aromatic molecules of biotechnological interest

Substrates from Biomass for a Sustainable Industrial Biotechnology

Development of Transcription Factor-based Biosensors and their Utilization for High-throughput Screening of Microorganisms using FACS

Research activities take place at Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH whereas most teaching activities are conducted at the RWTH Aachen University (Chair of Biotechnology).

Contact

Prof. Dr. Jan Marienhagen

IBG-1

Building 15.21 / Room 5033

+49 2461/61-2843

E-Mail
Unknown Block buttonBlock

The „SynCells“, September 2025

Synthetic Cell Factories

Members

Prof. Dr. Jan MarienhagenHead of Synthetic Cell FactoriesBuilding 15.21 / Room 5033+49 2461/61-2843

Technicians

Karin KrumbachTechnicianBuilding 15.21 / Room R 5032+49 2461/61-84375
Dominik OskampEngineerBuilding 15.21 / Room 5034+49 2461/61-84376
Helen WeilerTechnicianBuilding 15.21 / Room 5034+49 2461/61-84376

PhD students

Daniela HöppnerPh.D. studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5034+49 2461/61-84376
Florian GätgensPh.D. studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5033+49 2461/61-2843
Niels HollmannPh.D studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5032+49 2461/61-2573
Melanie KrinkePh.D. studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5034+49 2461/61-84376
Dominic KöstersPh.D studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5032+49 2461/61-6773
Lea WolfPh.D. studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5034+49 2461/61-84376

students

Marie LaufensMaster studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5002+49 2461/61-84182

Unknown Block buttonBlock

Last Modified: 10.10.2025
#synthetic_cell_factories#uk-e-rl-portal#uk-e-pof-fb-erdeundumwelt-t7metabolism