FORTHEM Conference and Boot Camp

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Department of Chemistry

19.-21.01.2026

The conference will bring together synthetic chemists, biochemists and biotechnologists to explore how closed-loop material cycles can be developed and transferred from academia to industry. To achieve this goal, we aim for connecting researchers of all career stages from universities and companies. A central theme will be the development of reaction pathways, catalysts and processes that transform renewable feedstocks into value-added products with minimal waste using sustainable energy. This includes electrocatalytic and photocatalytic transformations, CO₂ capture and conversion, and the design of recyclable molecular architectures and polymers. For the FORTHEM consortium, these topics are not only important research areas but also focus points for teaching and student education.

A second focus will address biochemical and biotechnological strategies that complement molecular catalysis. Topics include engineered metabolic pathways for valorising biomass and enzymatic processes for selective depolymerisation and upcycling of plastics. Hybrid catalysts at the interface of biological and abiotic approaches will also be included. Advanced reactor concepts, process intensification and digital approaches for improving energy efficiency, selectivity and real-time monitoring complement the scope of topics.

The meeting will highlight cross-cutting challenges: integrating sustainability metrics into research design, evaluating life-cycle impacts, and creating systems that enable circular resource flows at industrial scale. Discussions will link fundamental discoveries—such as new catalyst motifs, enzyme function, soft-matter matrices or photocatalytic assemblies—to applied technologies relevant for energy storage, green synthesis, waste management and environmental remediation. Particular emphasis will lie on how interfaces between chemistry, biology and materials science open pathways to transformative solutions.

By connecting experts from academia and industry, the conference aims to stimulate collaborations within FORTHEM, and to establish a coherent vision for circular chemical technologies. The outcomes will lead to academic research strategies, support industrial translation, and contribute to societal efforts toward climate neutrality and resource resilience.

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