What services and collaboration opportunities does IBWF offer?

Updated

IBWF (the Institute of Biotechnology and Drug Research) is a non-profit research institute founded in 1998 that offers fungal strain materials, biological activity screening, and joint research projects in natural product discovery. It is a fit for industry or academic partners looking for new lead structures for pharmaceutical or agricultural applications, or for expertise in microbial enzymes and biosynthetic pathways.

Core services

IBWF's service profile is built around its fungal strain collection and its screening experience. According to the institute, its main offerings include:

  • Fungal extracts and enzymes for initial biological testing. Extracts from each strain in the collection, plus a number of enzymes derived from them, are available for initial investigations of biological activity.
  • Identification, isolation, and purification of bioactive compounds. This work aims to find new lead structures for pharmaceutical and agricultural applications.
  • Screening system development. The institute has built a broad set of different screening systems based on long-term natural product research.
  • Target and mechanism research. This includes identifying and characterizing the molecular targets of active compounds, studying the biosynthesis of specific substances, and elucidating the regulation mechanisms of biosynthetic pathways.
  • Microbial enzyme expertise. Experience covers enzymes for biotransformation, bioremediation, and other industrial purposes.

The fungal strain collection

The collection is the institute's central asset and the basis for most collaboration offers. It is described as a large non-profit collection of high diversity, including:

  • Ascomycetes
  • Basidiomycetes
  • Zygomycetes
  • Imperfect fungi
  • Coprophiles and endophytes

Because extracts and enzymes from each strain are available for initial testing, partners can use the collection as a starting point for their own screening or as part of a joint project.

Collaboration opportunities

IBWF states that its strain collection and metabolites provide opportunities for collaboration projects with partners in industry and academia, specifically for pharmaceutical and agricultural applications. The institute's stated track record supporting this includes over 400 publications and 20 patents on fungal natural products and microbial research.

A concrete example of a commercially successful outcome is the strobilurin fungicides. Strobilurin A was described in 1977 from liquid cultures of Strobilurus tenacellus, a basidiomycete growing on pine cones; its molecular target was elucidated in 1981 and found to act by inhibiting fungal respiration; first synthetic derivatives followed in 1986. Strobilurins are now used worldwide as agricultural fungicides and marketed by BASF and others.

Who should consider contacting IBWF

IBWF is likely relevant if you:

  • Need access to diverse fungal strains, extracts, or enzymes for early-stage biological activity screening
  • Are searching for new lead structures in pharmaceutical or agricultural research
  • Want a partner with experience in natural product identification, test system development, or biosynthetic pathway analysis
  • Are exploring microbial enzymes for biotransformation, bioremediation, or industrial applications

The institute presents itself as a non-profit research organization, so collaboration terms would need to be discussed directly. The page evidence does not list pricing, service fees, or a specific contact process, so those details should be confirmed with IBWF directly.