Mario Birkholz

About Me

As a physicist by training, my professional life began with biophysical studies of an archaic form of photosynthesis as practiced by halophilic bacteria using the proton-pumping membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin. The doctoral thesis and subsequent positions were devoted to the technical harvesting of electrical energy from solar radiation and photovoltaic thin film materials. Since the beginning of the millennium, I have been dealing with the interface between biological and semiconducting materials. In the Joint Laboratory Bioelectronics of IHP and TU Berlin, I am investigating the possibilities of microelectronics for biomedicine and biotechnology.

Practise

2012 …

Joint Lab Bioelectronics, IHP Frankfurt/Oder & TU Berlin
Microelectronics for applications in biotechnology

2004 …

IHP – Leibniz-Institut für innovative Mikroelektronik,  Frankfurt/Oder
Biomaterial-semiconductor hybrids like biosensors for glucose

2000 – 2003

Fraunhofer Institut für Schicht- und Oberflächentechnik, Braunschweig 
Development of metal-metaloxide nanocomposite coatings

1995 – 2000

Hahn-Meitner-Institut, Berlin, Photovoltaik 
Optimisation of thin film semiconductors for photovoltaics

1991 – 1995

Ingenieurbüro für Solartechnik, Berlin
Planning and construction of photovoltaic and solar-thermal systems

1987 – 1991

Hahn-Meitner-Institut, Solare Energetik
Doctoral thesis on the sulphur deficiency in iron pyrite FeS2

1985 – 1986

Physics Department, FU Berlin, AG Prof. Maarten Heyn
Diploma thesis on the 2D crystallisation of membrane protein Bacteriorhodopsin

Qualifications

2006

Habilitation in Experimental Physics at BTU Cottbus, “Atomic Puzzle – Growth-Structure-Property Relations in Thin Solid Films for Advanced Technology Applications”

1990

Dr. rer. nat. from Fachbereich Physik of FU Berlin, Thesis title: “Zur Struktur des Schwefeldefizits in Eisenpyrit”

1986

Physics diploma at FU Berlin: “Untersuchungen zur Bildung des zweidimensionalen Gitters in der Purpurmembran von Halobacterium halobium”

Scientific Cooperations

Prof. Daniel Chateigner, Texture in Materials & Combined Analysis, Caen

Prof. Christoph Genzel, Residual Stress Analysis, Helmholtz Berlin

Prof. Fred Lisdat, Biosystem Technology, UAS Wildau

Prof. Peter Neubauer, Bioprocess Technology, TU Berlin

Prof. Michael Schöning, Labor für Chemo- und Biosensorik, UAS Aachen

Dr. Stewart Smith, School of Engineering, University Edinburgh

Prof. Dr. Roland Thewes, Sensor and Actuator Systems, Technical University Berlin

Contact

Prof. Dr. Mario Birkholz

Joint Lab Bioelectronics

c/o IHP, Im Technologiepark 25
15236 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany and

c/o Institut für Biotechnologie, TU Berlin, ACK24, Ackerstr. 76, 13355 Berlin, Germany