Public Hybrid Lecture

Mushrooms should actually be the losers of evolution. They cannot run away when environmental conditions are adverse, and they are unable to photosynthesize to produce nutrients. And yet these unassuming organisms are ubiquitous and incredibly adaptable when environmental conditions change rapidly. Furthermore, they produce highly efficient natural compounds.

In biotechnology, the capabilities of these organisms have been researched very successfully in recent years and translated into practical applications. The range of applications is diverse, from enzymes for laundry detergents to active ingredients for use in human medicine. There is strong evidence that we have only scratched the surface and that these unassuming organisms hold the potential for new forms of therapy.

Speaker: Prof. Dr. Eckhard Thines, Professor of Biotechnology and Microbiology at JGU Mainz and Scientific Director of the IBWF Mainz

Prof. Dr. Eckhard Thines has been a professor of biotechnology and microbiology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) since 2012. From 2020 to 2026, he served as dean of the Department of Biology. Since 2010, he has also been the scientific director of the Institute for Biotechnology and Active Substance Research (IBWF). His research focuses on microbiology, biotechnology, and the development of sustainable active ingredients and biological processes for plant protection and environmental applications. Since 2023, he has also served as the State Coordinator for Biotechnology in Rhineland-Palatinate and has made significant contributions to fostering collaboration among science, industry, and politics in the field of the life sciences.