# Prof. Dr. Volker Sieber

**Source**: https://cbr.cs.tum.de/en/team/volker-sieber
**Parent**: https://www.cs.tum.de/en/

Research conducted at Professor Sieber’s Chair is aimed at developing technical processes for the sustainable production of bulk and fine chemicals from biogenic raw materials and renewable energy. The technological focus is on industrial (chemical) biotechnology. By applying methods from biochemistry, microbiology and molecular biology, new biocatalysts (enzymes, cells or micro-organisms) are developed and then combined with chemical catalysts in cascade reactions.

Professor Sieber studied chemistry at the University of Bayreuth and the University of Delaware. After obtaining his doctorate he went to the California Institute of Technology as a research fellow. Following a brief sojourn at McKinsey & Co., Professor Sieber held a number of positions in the chemicals industry between 2001 and 2008 (Degussa, Süd-Chemie). He has been a full professor at TUM since late 2008. Since 2009, he has built up the Fraunhofer Institute’s branch BioCat, which he currently directs.

## Current Positions

Since 2009
:   Head of Department, Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology, Bio, Electro and Chemocatalysis BioCat, Straubing branch

Since 2008
:   Full Professor, Technical University of Munich, Chair of Chemistry of Biogenic Resources, Germany

## Previous Positions

2007–2008
:   Südchemie AG, München, Project Manager Biorefinery Processes, Global Manager New Technologies and R&D

2001–2007
:   Degussa AG, Freising and Marl, various positions in R&D and development in the area of bio- and chemo-conversion of biomass based chemicals

2000
:   McKinsey & Company, Stuttgart, Consultant

## Education

1995–1998
:   University of Bayreuth, PhD in Biochemistry

1990–1995
:   Studies of Chemistry, University of Bayreuth and University of Delaware

## Fellowships & Awards

Since 2017
:   Honory Professor University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

1999–2000
:   Research Fellow at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, USA

1998
:   Award of Protein Society

## Professional Activities

Since 2015
:   Founding member of the Council on Bioeconomy for the government of the Free State of Bavaria

    Vice Dean TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, TUM

Since 2014
:   Deputy Director Research, Straubing Center of Science

2011–2014
:   Founding Director of the TUM Centrum for White Biotechnology

## Field of Work

Development and evaluation of chemical and biotechnological processes for material conversion of renewable raw materials for

- platform chemicals
- biofuels
- Fine and specialty chemicals
- Bioactive substances (pharmaceuticals, nutrition)

## Methodological emphases

- Molecular Biology
- Enzyme Technology
- Protein Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Analytics
- Fermentation

## Recent Publications

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