Bioprocess Engineering Promotion

As a child, I often went fishing with my grandpa and hunting with my dad. I spent a lot of time in nature and developed a great fascination for biological processes. Biology and chemistry were therefore my favorite subjects in school. My physics teacher encouraged me to pursue a science and engineering degree in my final year of high school. I then decided to study bioprocess engineering at TUHH because I was particularly interested in the interface between biology, chemistry, and engineering.

A good example is everyday products like beer, yogurt, bread, or medicines – all these things are created through biotechnological processes. My favorite example is baking bread: many people have done it before. It starts with natural raw materials like flour, water, and salt. Microorganisms, usually yeasts, convert the starch in the flour into CO₂. This makes the dough rise and the bread fluffy. Additionally, flavor compounds are produced that influence the taste. This process is called fermentation and is the biological part of the process.

For fermentation to work well, certain conditions like temperature, pH, and nutrient concentration must be right – this is comparable to controlling process parameters in a bioreactor. After fermentation comes baking – the technical part. Here too, the right temperature profile, appropriate baking time, and other parameters are needed to achieve a good result. Industrial biotechnology works similarly: a biological process is followed by technical steps for product preparation – e.g., filtration or drying. The end result is a usable product manufactured with the help of microorganisms and technology.

Biological and chemical subjects like biocatalysis, bioprocess engineering, organic chemistry, or technical microbiology were exciting and relatively easy for me. These subjects were often accompanied by practical labs, which made learning more tangible. In contrast, the fundamental engineering subjects like fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, control engineering, or electrical engineering were challenging. These were often taught very theoretically – without direct practical relevance. At the time, I often wondered why I had to learn all this. It wasn’t until my master’s degree, when we had to develop solutions together in problem-based projects, that I realized how important this knowledge is.

A doctorate is fundamentally different from studying – at least in engineering. In my doctorate, I developed a novel enzymatic process and encountered many challenges that were not foreseeable in the original project plan. I could directly apply the knowledge from my studies – but I also had to learn a lot on my own. The learning process is much more practical: you learn because you have to solve a specific problem – not to pass an exam. There are no more semesters and exams, but project milestones. In my case, there were three major breakthroughs that gave me real a sense of accomplishment. When you work on a problem for months and finally solve it, it’s extremely satisfying. At the same time, you have to be able to deal with setbacks. I estimate that around 80% of my experiments didn’t work as expected – yet I was able to learn something from each of them.

Yes, during my doctorate, I had several industry collaborations. With the Swedish company SpinChem, I developed a novel reactor for enzymatic reactions. Unfortunately, a stay in Sweden was not possible due to Corona. I also developed a new method for analyzing proteins in crude extracts with NanoTemper Technologies from Munich. This collaboration was also very successful. I carried out my doctoral project in cooperation with colleagues from TU Dresden – including regular mutual visits. I presented the results from these collaborations at international conferences in the form of talks and posters. I not only received scientific input but also made valuable contacts.

The career opportunities are diverse. Graduates can work in the food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, chemical, or textile industries – anywhere where biotechnological processes are optimized or new products are developed. A doctorate particularly prepares you for research-oriented roles. If you want to stay at a university, it’s usually even necessary. I am currently looking for a position in industry. During my doctorate, I worked primarily on a small scale (microliter to milliliter range). Now I want to use my knowledge to develop and improve large-scale industrial processes (>100 m³).

In school and university, I was used to experiments working and yielding clear results. It was different in the lab routine: many experiments didn’t go as planned – and when they did work, the result was often not clear. Instead of providing answers, they raised new questions. That was frustrating at first, but it taught me how research really works.

Solid technical knowledge from your studies is the foundation – after all, a doctorate is about creating new knowledge. However, the so-called soft skills are almost more important: communication and teamwork skills, structured working, solution-oriented thinking, and the ability to quickly grasp complex contexts. I intensively developed these skills during my doctorate. I supervised many theses, internships, and student assistants – clear communication was essential for tasks to be understood and results to be delivered reproducibly. There were also many problems that I could only solve through technical exchange with colleagues or professors. Without good teamwork and a structured approach, this would not have been possible.

Think carefully about whether you truly enjoy lab work and scientific work – because that is central, especially if you want to pursue a doctorate. For a successful thesis or doctorate, you need a relevant topic that personally interests you, a supportive team, and a dedicated supervisor. I was motivated to develop a sustainable alternative to an environmentally harmful chemical process. This connection between science and social responsibility also gave me direction during difficult phases. When experiments fail or progress is slow, helpful colleagues are invaluable – and a good supervisor can prevent you from getting stuck.

Yes, I would go the same way again. During my studies and especially during my doctorate, I developed significantly both technically and personally. I gained a lot of valuable experience and made good contacts.

I learned about myself that I enjoy working towards ambitious goals and solving complex problems in the process. This gives my daily life structure and allows me to handle minor setbacks more calmly.

Scientific work is expensive – it depends heavily on government funding or third-party funds. These funders influence which topics can be researched and which cannot. I wish that research were more independent of political and economic interests. Furthermore, the current system emphasizes the number and quality of publications (“Publish or perish”). This creates competitive pressure. Some researchers deliberately withhold results or ideas to gain advantages. I am convinced that society would benefit more if there were more open collaboration in science.

I could live well on my salary and save some money. In Hamburg, scientific staff are paid according to the public tariff (E13). Unfortunately, due to historical reasons, natural scientists often only get 50% positions, while engineers more frequently receive 100% positions. In my department, everyone therefore received 75% positions to reduce inequality. I believe that anyone working full-time on a project should be paid accordingly – regardless of the field. A higher salary would also make a doctorate more attractive, especially compared to the better-paid industry. This could attract more talent to science.

Most of the time, I started the day by meeting with students and research assistants to discuss their tasks for the day. Afterwards, I either conducted experiments in the lab myself or worked in the office. In the office, I analyzed experimental data, prepared presentations, wrote scientific publications, or attended meetings. If there were difficulties with experiments, I supported the students and assistants with troubleshooting – i.e., with error analysis and problem-solving in the lab.

Sustainability plays a central role in bioprocess engineering. At TUHH, many projects are currently developing sustainable alternatives to conventional processes – in chemistry, energy production, food production, and many other areas. As an engineer or scientist, you have an enormous leverage to make a meaningful difference. This is not just about developing new sustainable ideas – but above all about scaling them up technically. The implementation of good ideas into practice ultimately determines their actual impact. This is precisely what is at the forefront at a technical university: less basic research, more application.

My experience at TUHH was: the proportion of white, heterosexual men in technical degree programs is still quite high. At the same time, a lot has happened in recent years – especially in bioprocess engineering, the proportion of women is noticeably higher than in traditional mechanical or electrical engineering programs. In the master’s program, the environment becomes significantly more international. During my doctorate, I particularly appreciated working in a diverse, intercultural team. In general, I found the university to be very open – both towards different cultural backgrounds and towards different life choices.

Math and physics are an integral part of technical studies. Mathematics in particular is often considered the subject in which many students are “weeded out.” I myself was rather average in school – a 2 or 3 in math and physics – and still successfully completed my studies, even if I had to repeat an exam once. It’s important to go into exams with a clear study plan and consistent preparation. In my doctorate, mathematics became even more relevant for me: I used my experimental data to model reaction pathways and derive predictions for other conditions. The difference from my studies: I knew exactly why I needed the math – that made many things easier. My most important realization was: we’re all just human. You don’t have to be a math genius – but you should be willing to stick with it and persevere.