A delegation from the Technical University of Dresden (TUD), Germany, visited ABRII aiming to expand the research collaboration on the areas of mutual interests with the main focus on environmental challenges e.g. sand and dust storms and control of desertification through EU Horizon 2020.

     According to the Public Relations Office of ABRII, Dr. Holger Unbehaun, from the Institute of Wood and Paper Technology of TUD, and Ms. Nina Niese, PhD student of Dresden working on her sabbatical at the University of Tehran, visited ABRII’s research departments and laboratories on 29th November 2017. Prof. Ghasem Hosseini Salekdeh, Deputy Director General for Research, Dr. Babak Nakhoda, Head of the Department of Plant Molecular Physiology, Dr. Mohammad Reza Ghaffari, Head of the Department of Systems Biology, Dr. Foad Moradi, faculty member and Dr. Gholamreza Salehi Jouzani, Professor of Microbial Biotechnology, introduced ongoing projects and ABRII’s programs to the delegation.

     The German delegation had visited Shahid-Bahonar University of Kerman, Shiraz University, University of Tehran, The Iranian Department of Environment and Ministry of Petroleum and discussed the potential areas of collaboration to address the environmental and agricultural challenges in Iran. Furthermore, while visiting Karun Sugarcane Agro-industry, the production of biohumus, particle boards, and MDF utilizing bagasse had been negotiated.  

     TU Dresden is a public research university, the largest institute of higher education in the city of Dresden, the largest university in Saxony and one of the 10 largest universities in Germany. The university is a member of TU9, a consortium of the nine leading German Institutes of Technology and is also one of the eleven German universities which succeeded in the Excellence Initiative in 2012.

     Dresden University works on developing Biodegradation and bioproducts utilizing Lignin and cellulosic wastes as superabsorbent. In addition, sand dune stabilization, environment preservation and petroleum contamination removal are of its transferable expertise and knowledge.