Participation in Large-Scale European ProjectsTriple Success for Researchers at the MIN Faculty

31 March 2026, by Maria Latos

Photo: UHH/Esfandiari

Health, nutrition, and climate protection are at the heart of three European research projects in which researchers from the University of Hamburg are participating. In the PanEuCOPT, AQUALICIOUS, and OAeSIS projects, they are developing innovative, practical solutions.

PanEuCOPT: New Approaches in the Fight Against Antibiotic Resistance

The increasing spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens represents one of the greatest global challenges in healthcare. This is where the European network PanEuCOPT (Pan-European Cooperation in Photodynamic Inhibition) comes in, pursuing an innovative approach: so-called photodynamic inactivation. In this process, light-sensitive active ingredients are specifically combined with light and molecular oxygen to inactivate pathogens.
Although promising results from laboratory and animal studies are available, the method is still little known and hardly standardized. The COST Action PanEuCOPT brings together scientists with medical professionals and industry partners to develop standardized testing protocols, technical directives, common terminology, and educational programs over a four-year period. The goal is to advance the methods toward clinical application and recognition of photoantimicrobials, thereby establishing an alternative to traditional antibiotics.

This is a network project that continuously accepts new members from various disciplines and with diverse affiliations. At the University of Hamburg, the project is led by Prof. Dr. Bianka Siewert from the Department of Chemistry. It will run for four years, with the budget renegotiated annually. It is expected to be around 600,000 euros.

AQUALICIOUS: Sustainable Aquaculture for Europe

Aquaculture is the fastest-growing food sector worldwide. In Europe, however, it faces ecological challenges because it is dominated by predatory fish species such as salmon, leading to habitat destruction and a dependence on wild-caught fish as feed.
The EU project AQUALICIOUS aims for a fundamental shift toward sustainable, climate-resilient production systems. The focus is on so-called low-trophic and integrated multitrophic aquaculture systems. The goal is to introduce omnivorous fish, crustacean, mollusk, and algae species to promote diversification and reduce environmental impacts. The project will deliver innovative technologies and protocols, including advanced sensors for environmental monitoring and digital tools for production optimization. These solutions will be tested and validated under real-world conditions at three demonstration sites in Norway, Belgium, and Spain.

Dr. Arne M. Malzahn from the Department of Biology at the University of Hamburg is participating in the project. The total budget for the project is just under six million euros; the University of Hamburg will receive 152,000 euros.

OAeSIS: Climate Protection in the Ocean

With OAeSIS, an interdisciplinary consortium is focusing on a promising but as yet poorly understood method for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere: increasing the alkalinity of the oceans. In the long term, this technology could contribute both to mitigating climate change and to reducing ocean acidification. However, there remain significant uncertainties and gaps in knowledge regarding the methods’ effectiveness, their technological and economic feasibility, their environmental impacts, and their regulatory framework.
The project examines the ecological, biogeochemical, technical, economic, as well as legal and ethical frameworks associated with increasing ocean alkalinity. Among other things, it analyzes impacts on marine organisms and biodiversity, identifies scaling potential, and develops governance models for responsible transfer. OAeSIS aims to establish a scientifically sound foundation for political decision-making processes regarding the use of marine CO₂ removal technologies.

The total budget for the project is 5.92 million euros, with the University of Hamburg (UHH) receiving 540,000 euros. Prof. Dr. Jens Hartmann and Dr. Charly Moras from the Department of Earth System Sciences at the University of Hamburg are participating in the project.

(This content has been translated automatically.)