A3 – New Organisms & Product Quality
Innovative Species & Healthier Food
In order to further increase the system's performance, subproject A-3 is testing additional crops, fish, and insect species that work particularly well in closed cycles. These include, for example, new vegetable crops, protein-rich specialty plants, and alternative insect species that can efficiently utilize plant residues. The aim is to produce food that is not only sustainable but also particularly valuable in terms of nutritional physiology.
At the same time, biological processes are being developed to completely break down residues with the help of fungi and microorganisms—an important step toward a zero-waste approach. In addition, the team is researching new ways to fortify food, such as enriching plants and insects with valuable ingredients.
Another focus is on animal welfare standards for fish and insects. Innovative sensor and video technology makes it possible to monitor behavior and health, minimize stress, and promote natural behavior. The result is a system that redefines ecological and ethical standards.
Dr. Wael Yakti is a Biotechnologist with an MSc in entomology and a PhD in the area of plant-fungus interactions.
In CUBES Circle his work will focus on questions related to the InsectCUBE and on how it is linked to the other production units.
Contact: wael.yakti(at)hu-berlin.de
Prof. Dr. Dr. Christian Ulrichs holds a doctorate in entomology and has worked as an entomologist for the Technical University of Munich, the US Department of Agriculture and the World Vegetable Center, among others. His work as a system analyst focused primarily on the development and evaluation of management systems for insect pests and systems for the production of beneficial insects. Further work dealt with the chemical ecology of selected insects on their natural host plants.
Contact: christian.ulrichs(at)hu-berlin.de
Prof. Dr. Stefan Kühne
Contact: stefan.kuehne(at)julius-kuehn.de
Dr. Matthias Schöller is CEO of Biologische Beratung Prozell und Schöller GmbH.
Contact: bip(at)biologische-beratung.de
Simon Schulz (M. Sc.) is an entomological biotechnologist with a degree in land use and water management.
With his many years of experience in breeding black soldier flies, his focus at the CUBES research facility is on operating the InsectCUBE and integrating insect production into the overall production system.
