ZHAW Institute for Chemistry and Biotechnology

At the Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology (ICBT), we operate at the interface of chemistry, biology and technology, providing answers to the challenges of our time, such as climate change, scarcity of raw materials and good healthcare.

We see ourselves as an innovation driver in the pharmaceutical, biotech, chemical and environmental industries. Many years of experience and professional expertise are combined in our institute in a depth and completeness that are unique nationally. We are active across the entire spectrum, from molecules to organisms to sustainable production processes on a technical scale. We work on the following focal points in various specialist departments.

Sustainable Solutions
We design and optimize biotechnological, biocatalytical and chemical production processes, plants and procedures holistically, i.e. taking into account material cycles, ecological and economic factors. We apply these to products from the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, incorporating automation and digitalization.

Pharma Innovation
We develop novel therapeutics based on small molecules, peptides, recombinant proteins or cells. We cover the workflow from drug discovery and pharmacology to galenics and from cloning to formulation. We are developing new ways to create tissue models for drug testing, disease diagnostics, and next-generation therapies.

Detection and Diagnostics
We apply and further develop instrumental-analytical and bioanalytical methods and technologies. We use these in the environmental and food sector or online for process monitoring in the life sciences. With new methods in laboratory diagnostics, we contribute to safe and efficient healthcare.

Smart Materials
We create nanostructured and functional materials with specific properties. We apply these in various areas of the life sciences, from filtration to tissue culture.

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