Dr. Rebecca Melcher is the founder and CEO of BexBioTec. The biotechnology startup, which is based in Bönen (Germany), offers rapid biotechnological testing methods to study the effect of plant treatments on monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous crops. Dr. Melcher developed the original testing method while writing her doctoral thesis at the University of Münster. The automated testing method makes it possible to investigate how molecules or enzymes act in plants. After an increasing number of colleagues showed interest in her testing method, the idea was born to offer the method as a service for industry. In 2017/2018, supported through BMBF’s EXIST Business Start-up Grant, Dr. Melcher founded BexBioTec. Today, BexBioTec is a research service provider that supports companies both in developing new substances and testing existing products (e.g. biostimulants) for their effectiveness in different plants under different conditions.

Using the findings, new biological preparations can be developed and selected to protect plants against stress and diseases. According to Dr. Melcher, biostimulants in particular could contribute to the agricultural transition if their effectiveness is confirmed by BexBioTec, for example.

BIO.NRW wishes Dr. Melcher every success in her endeavours.

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