Interview with Roland Wohlgemuth, European Section of Applied Biocatalysis – ESAB, Buchs, Switzerland recorded at BEILSTEIN ENZYMOLOGY SYMPOSIUM – Enzymes in Transformation and Signalling Rüdesheim, Germany, 19 – 21 September 2017 Roland Wohlgemuth discusses with Carsten Kettner the need for the interconnection of applied and non-applied catalysis, the first taking place in industrial processes, and the latter is performed in basic research, mainly in academia. Roland emphasizes that there is a need of communication between both parties since many issues arising during industrial processes need to be resolved by addressing fundamental kinetic and mechanistic discoveries. In addition, along with the optimization of known enzymes, both screening of unknown activities and the directed evolution of enzymes can result in the adaption of enzyme activities to reaction conditions used in industrial processes. Good example for a practical problem is the need for enzymes being effective at low temperatures.