The NanoLYRIC project: nanoparticles as drug carriers - 13/08/2026

Radiation-activated local chemotherapy

Conventional chemotherapy is associated with severe side effects because cytotoxic drugs act on the whole body. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the University Medical Centre Göttingen, in collaboration with Aalen University of Applied Sciences, are developing a novel approach in which a chemotherapeutic agent encapsulated in nanoparticles is released locally and selectively only upon targeted irradiation of the tumour.

The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg and the Mannheim Cancer Center (MCC) are receiving joint funding as a Center of Excellence in Oncology for the first time. German Cancer Aid is providing 4.8 million euros over four years for the new consortium.

The University of Freiburg took part in this year’s Käpsele Innovation Festival with contributions from the fields of research and entrepreneurship promotion. The event focused on future-oriented topics such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity and resilience, as well as on fostering dialogue and networking amongst stakeholders from the worlds of academia, business and politics.

The international research project MitoContact is dedicated to investigating how organelles within a cell communicate and interact with other cellular components. Kai Johnsson, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, has received funding from the ERC for this project. The findings are expected to provide new insights into fundamental cellular processes and contribute to a better understanding of various diseases.

Most everyday moments are quickly forgotten, while others stay with us for a lifetime. How the brain determines which memories are retained and which are lost remains an open question. A neuroscience team at the University of Tübingen, has found that spontaneous fluctuations in the brain’s internal state influence how ready the memory system is to store new information.

On July 24, 2026, the Medical Center – University of Freiburg, the University of Freiburg, and the medical technology company Siemens Healthineers opened their joint Technology Innovation Lab, for short. In the lab at the Department of Radiation Oncology, experts in medicine, medical physics, radiation biology, and data science are working together with engineers to develop and test new technologies for radiation therapy to treat cancer.

It has long been suspected that endothelial cells play a key role in determining how the body’s immune system responds to tumors. Researchers at the DKFZ and the Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University have now identified, in mouse studies, a specialized population of blood vessel lining endothelial cells that enable an effective immune defense against cancer metastases in the liver.

The Friends of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) support the DKFZ and aim to help strengthen its position in the international arena. With the DKFZ Innovation Award, presented at this year’s annual reception, the association honors Helmut Salih, a researcher whose innovative work bridges the gap between immunological research and patient care.

The University of Freiburg is strengthening its European collaboration in the field of Artificial Intelligence by having been accepted into the Virtual Centre of Excellence of the European AI initiative ELIAS. The Freiburg researchers contribute their expertise to the European network in areas including machine learning, computer vision, robot learning, automated reasoning, intelligent systems and neurotechnologies, as well as responsible AI.

Robots that can learn and adapt require not only data, AI tools, and algorithms but also direct communication with their users. Jens Kober would like to improve this interaction and as the new head of a research team at Fraunhofer IPA, he is focusing in particular on construction robotics.

The European Research Council (ERC) supports visionary projects in basic research through its “Advanced Grants.” This year, the Council awarded a grant to cancer researcher and physician Dieter Saur from the DKTK Munich* site, and Aurelio Teleman, a metabolism expert at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ).

Prof. Dr Fred Hamprecht from the Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing of Heidelberg University is receiving valuable funding from the ERC, which will support a project in the field of computational quantum chemistry. An ERC Advanced Grant also goes to Prof. Dr Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, Director of the Central Institute of Mental Health and professor at the Medical Faculty Mannheim of Ruperto Carola.

In order to further strengthen Heidelberg University as an internationally recognized location of infection research, Prof. Dr Mathias Lichterfeld has been selected for an Alexander von Humboldt Professorship endowed with 7.8 million euros. Leading international academics are granted this most valuable of German research awards to enable them to conduct long-term, cutting-edge research at German universities.

Gelatin is a versatile natural material. To tailor its properties specifically to the various applications in medicine, diagnostics, and cosmetics, the Fraunhofer IGB has developed a toolbox for chemical functionalization. With the help of automated processes, the modifications can now be scaled under defined conditions, and reproducible batches of modified gelatin can be produced on a scale ranging from grams to kg for customer sampling.

The German Research Foundation (DFG) funds continuation of Research Training Group (RTG) 2727 “Checkpoints of Innate Immunity in Cancer and Tissue Damage”, with around €5,8 million.

Joint press release of the Heidelberg Faculty of Medicine at Heidelberg University and the German Center for Infection Research: With the FDA approval of Hepcludex (bulevirtide), a therapy for chronic hepatitis D developed at the Heidelberg Faculty of Medicine at Heidelberg University, Heidelberg University Hospital, and the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) has now reached the world’s most important pharmaceutical market.

AI is transforming science and does not stop at neuroscience. In this interview, we speak to Gabriele Lohmann about her research at the intersection of the brain and algorithms. She talks about the use of artificial intelligence as a research tool, the decoding of brain activity, and why large language models do not understand what they are doing.

Prof. Dr Simon Elsässer will be awarded one of this year’s Alexander von Humboldt Professorships in Berlin on 12 May 2026. With funding of five million euros, Elsässer will strengthen Freiburg’s research focus ‘Signals of Life’ over the next five years. In this interview, he discusses complex decision-making processes in cells, the significance of signals and what makes the research environment in Freiburg so special.

Konstanz molecular biologist Elke Deuerling has been admitted to the German National Academy of Sciences, the "Leopoldina". By selecting Elke Deuerling as a member, the Academy recognizes her outstanding contributions to the field of life sciences, particularly to proteostasis research.

From May 15–16, 2026, the 3rd International Symposium “Frontiers in Skin Immunity” will bring leading experts in dermatology and immunology to Heidelberg. Organized by the SFB Transregio 156 “The Skin as Sensor and Initiator of Local and Systemic Immunity” and the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University the meeting highlights advances in understanding skin immune responses and marks the conclusion of the consortium’s third funding period.

A new technique based on labelled sugar molecules is providing previously unknown insights into the inner ear. A study by the University of Konstanz and Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin shows that the cupula in the inner ear of zebrafish completely regenerates within approximately two months. These findings open up a new avenue for research into sudden hearing loss and acute disorders of the sense of balance.

Brain metastases are among the most serious complications of breast cancer. Researchers at Heidelberg University, DKFZ, and UKHD have concluded an investigation of the immune cells in the brain tissue surrounding these breast cancer brain metastases. Their findings: spatial distribution patterns of immune cells are associated with prolonged patient survival. These findings could help to guide use of immunotherapies for breast cancer patients.

The cities of Heidelberg and Mainz want to work closely together in the future: Their aim is to further develop the Neckar-Rhine-Main region as an international innovation and biotech region. To this end, Heidelberg Mayor Würzner and Mainz Mayor Haase signed a MoU at Heidelberg City Hall on Friday, April 24, 2026. Those responsible for the central innovation and development structures of both cities also took part in the signing.

Not only actual chronological age, but also individual aging at the molecular level is a key factor in the development of cancer. This was discovered by scientists at the DKFZ and the Saarland Cancer Registry. If the so-called “epigenetic clocks” indicate accelerated biological aging, the likelihood of a cancer diagnosis increases. This finding could help identify at-risk groups and make early detection screenings more targeted

Genome duplication probably gave biodiversity a decisive evolutionary boost. A Chinese-German research team led by Axel Meyer from the University of Konstanz has now investigated the early phases of the process known as re-diploidization. The results show that the fusion of chromosome sets is asynchronous.

Can Aztekin and his team have discovered how oxygen-sensing explains why amphibians regenerate limbs and mammals do not.

How does sugar affect relaxation exercises? A new study carried out by researchers from the University of Konstanz provides revealing insights into the connection between blood glucose and the autonomic nervous system: The intake of sugar counteracts relaxation.

In ovarian cancer, immunotherapies using checkpoint inhibitors have so far been effective in only a small number of patients. Researchers at the HI-TRON Mainz* have now discovered that lipid metabolism processes in the tumor microenvironment play a decisive role in how well such therapies work. The findings open up new avenues for using immunotherapies in a more targeted manner, increasing their effectiveness, and overcoming resistance.

The German Center for Mental Health (DZPG) conducts nationwide research on individualized treatments for depression, anxiety disorders, and addiction. Its approach combines established therapeutic methods with innovative strategies to enhance overall treatment efficacy. The primary beneficiaries are patients for whom conventional therapies have so far proven insufficiently effective.

Protein activity can be precisely regulated via subtle changes in temperature using heat-sensitive switches. Underlying this capability is a novel modular design strategy developed by researchers at the Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology of Heidelberg University. The strategy allows the integration of sensory domains in various proteins regardless of function or spatial structure.

AI plays a huge role in the semiconductor industry, both by facilitating more efficient development processes and as a target application in development work. This is why the Fraunhofer Heilbronn Research and Innovation Centers HNFIZ are adding the Chip AI research and innovation center for AI chip design to their service range. The center is funded via the Dieter Schwarz Foundation.

In a study, a team of researchers show that groups of magnetic microrobots can generate fluidic forces strong enough to rotate objects in different directions without touching them. These microrobot swarms can turn gear systems, rotate objects much larger than the robots themselves, assemble structures on their own, and even pull in or push away many small objects. The work was now published in Science Advances.

Technology impulse for the Lake Constance region: The new Single Cell Centre at the University of Konstanz offers technology and expertise to study cells individually and at high resolution – for applications in medical diagnostics, medication development and basic research at universities.

A research group led by the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim has confirmed for the first time within the German National Cohort an association between cigarette consumption and depression. The findings show that depression occurs more frequently over the lifetime of current and former smokers than among those who have never smoked.

When gene mutations are found in the tumor of cancer patients, it is often unclear whether they promote tumor growth or whether a targeted therapy could be effective. A research team led by the Medical Center - University of Freiburg has now compiled a catalog in which over 11,000 gene variants of a central gene family were examined and evaluated for their role in tumor growth.

Inside cells, RNAs and proteins form biomolecular condensates. These droplets are essential for organizing cellular life, yet why some RNAs cluster more readily than others has remained unclear. Disruptions in condensate formation are linked to developmental defects, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers at KIT have now identified a new class of RNA called smOOPs and gained a better understanding of how biomolecular condensates form

At the new Institute for Adaptive Mechanical Systems (IAMS) at the University of Stuttgart, the focus is on a new generation of walking robots and “soft robotics”. The researchers are developing adaptable robots inspired by natural movement patterns and made from innovative soft materials. The applications range from healthcare and industrial production to energy supply.

A new software enables brain simulations which both imitate the processes in the brain in detail and can solve challenging cognitive tasks. The program was developed by a research team at the Cluster of Excellence ‘Machine Learning: New Perspectives for Science’ at the University of Tübingen. The software thus forms the basis for a new generation of brain simulations which allow deeper insights into the functioning and performance of the brain.

Researchers at Heidelberg Uni Hospital have decoded a previously unknown mechanism by which HIV-1 selects its integration targets in the human genome. A research team identified RNA:DNA hybrids as molecular signposts for the virus. These findings reveal a vulnerability in the life cycle of HIV and provide therapeutic approaches for specifically controlling HIV reservoirs in the body. This has been one of the obstacles to curative HIV therapies.

Alumnus Bastian Linder discusses the origin of this start-up and how a tRNA mechanism is helping scientists understand the importance and use of various RNA modifications as they pertain to disease.

When embryos grow, cells and tissue are constantly bumping into each other. This creates mechanical tensions that could endanger their development. A team from University of Hohenheim and the Japanese RIKEN Center have discovered that fly embryos have strategies to deal with this pressure. The different species have developed two different solutions. This ability to control mechanical tension could be a key to why so many body plans have evolved.

Knowing how shrews loose brain volume over winter is the first step to understanding how they reverse this loss and regrow healthy brains in summer.

Every brain tumor is made up of cells in successive stages of activation. Researchers have now analyzed the individual structure of these activation pyramids in malignant brain tumors. In doing so, they discovered a signaling protein that slows down the transition from a dormant to an activated state by epigenetically reprogramming the cells. The hope is that this will permanently freeze cancer cells in a dormant state and thus halt tumor growth.

Tumors of the pancreas seldom cause symptoms in their early stages. This means that in many cases, they are not diagnosed until late, when the chances of successful treatment are poor. A new non-invasive diagnostic method designed by Fraunhofer researchers is set to make it possible to detect this aggressive form of cancer early on with high accuracy, significantly improving the prognosis for treatment.

Less radiation exposure during diagnosis and treatment for breast and lung cancer: New Fraunhofer method combines X-ray imaging and radar. In the MultiMed project, which explores multimodal medical imaging in 3D, researchers are developing a method that combines X-ray imaging and radar. It´s not only expected to improve the accuracy and efficacy of diagnosing, monitoring and treating breast and lung cancer but also lighten the burden on patients.

Konstanz researchers identify an enzyme that plays a role in the migration of cells in our body - not only during normal tissue formation and wound healing, but also when tumor cells metastasize. This makes the enzyme an interesting candidate for potential future therapeutic approaches.

ngredients of our daily diet – including caffeine – can influence the resistance of bacteria to antibiotics. This has been shown in a new study by a team of researchers at the Universities of Tübingen and Würzburg. They discovered bacteria such as E. coli orchestrate complex regulatory cascades to react to chemical stimuli from their direct environment which can influence the effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs.

An international research team has deciphered a mechanism of evolutionary arms race in human cells. The findings provide insights into how mobile elements in DNA hijack cellular functions – and how cells can defend themselves against this in order to prevent conditions such as tumour formation or chronic inflammation.

The ability of protein kinases to transfer a phosphate group to target proteins plays an important role in many cellular processes. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research have now developed a novel molecular tool that can monitor these kinase activities both spatially and temporally. This makes it possible to investigate the link between kinase activities and cellular phenotypes in heterogenous cell populations and in vivo.

Cancer can take decades for cancer-promoting changes in the genome to eventually lead to the formation of a malignant tumor. Researchers at the German Cancer Research Center have now developed a method that allows for the first time to reconstruct the temporal development—the evolution—of cancerous cells from a single tissue sample.

An international team of researchers led by Konstanz biologists has identified a molecular mechanism that regulates the activity of N-myristoyltransferases. This enzyme plays a role in biological signalling pathways, where dysregulation can lead to serious illness.

Investing in a healthier future: The HORNBACH Group is supporting the new National Cancer Prevention Center in Heidelberg with a donation of five million euros. In the future, a new laboratory will conduct research into more effective early detection and screening methods.

Felix Glang, of the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, has been awarded the Otto Hahn Medal in recognition of his achievements in developing new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods. Glang's methods enable clearer and faster brain scans.

A building with 7400 m² of research space for robotics and artificial intelligence is being built on the Max Planck Campus in Büsnau. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS) and the University of Stuttgart will be working there with partners from science and industry as well as start-ups from 2027.

The human brain continuously processes sensory impulses that compete for our attention. Our ability to select enables us to process specific information and ignore irrelevant stimuli. In this way, we can recognize a familiar face in a large crowd of people. But how is this made possible?

University of Tübingen research team shortens the search for attackers that can wipe out multiresistant pathogens – with the aim of treating infections without antibiotics

The Max Planck Society and the Dieter Schwarz Foundation (DSS) have embarked on a groundbreaking initiative. On March 13, 2025, they signed an agreement through which the foundation will support an innovative approach by the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg to translate basic research findings into practical applications. As part of this endeavour, two new departments of the institute will be established in Heilbronn.

Using a new combination of three sensors and artificial intelligence, researchers at Heidelberg Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and Heidelberg University Hospital are recognising patterns in babies' movements that show whether their nervous system is developing healthily.

Zebrafish can completely replace damaged heart muscle cells: The affected organ becomes fully functional again. Researchers at Ulm University have discovered that a specific cell-to-cell communication signal helps them to cope better with replication stress. This stress inhibits tissue regeneration in humans and mammals as they age. In Zebrafish a signalling protein ensures that the cells of the damaged organ continue to divide and thus multiply.

A protein with contradictory properties: Despite its large negative surface charge, it has a strong tendency to take up electrons, which are also negatively charged. The researchers discovered positively charged calcium ions inside the protein very near the electrons, counteracting their charge. They see this as a natural way of handling opposing electrical charges and allowing the protein to optimally fulfill its biological function.

A guardian molecule ensures that liver cells do not lose their identity. The discovery is of great importance for cancer medicine because a change of identity of cells has come into focus as a fundamental principle of carcinogenesis for several years. The research team was able to show that the newly discovered guardian is so powerful that it can slow down highly potent cancer drivers and cause malignant liver tumors to regress in mice.

Project REVeyeVE - 06/02/2025

Targeted, virus-free gene therapy for the eye using degradable nanopropellers

Eye diseases that result in blindness in young people are primarily caused by genetic mutations. An interdisciplinary team of researchers from the Universities of Tübingen and Heidelberg is developing an innovative gene therapy method using biodegradable, magnetic nanopropellers. These innovative nanopropellers can effectively deliver intact genes into the affected cells, offering a potential solution for treating genetic disorders of this kind.

Like all viruses, the Ebola virus is dependent on host cells in order to replicate. Researchers at Heidelberg University Hospital, in collaboration with colleagues from the Friedrich Loeffler Institute, have been able to show for the first time using state-of-the-art imaging techniques how the replication compartments of the Ebola virus change during replication in infected cells.

Winfried Kretschmann, the Minister President of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, visited the Max Planck Institutes for Biology Tübingen and Biological Cybernetics. During his tour, he commended the outstanding basic research in the natural sciences. He was particularly impressed by the innovative research projects spanning developmental and evolutionary biology, as well as neuroscience.

The Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-Prize 2025 goes to Prof. Dr Robert Zeiser for his outstanding research in haematology and immunology. Zeiser’s research at the University of Freiburg and the Medical Center – University of Freiburg have led, among other things, to new types of cancer therapy that has increased survival rates and the patients’ quality of life.

Making existing cancer therapy more efficient while significantly reducing the side effects on healthy tissue - this is the aim of a project at Aalen University. It is being funded with one million euros from the Carl Zeiss Foundation. The biophysicist and his team are developing innovative nanoparticles made of gold. The particles use radiotherapy and chemotherapy simultaneously and kill the cancer cells in a targeted manner.

Advancing quantum technology into real-world applications - 06/11/2024

QSens: BMBF future cluster brings quantum sensors of the future into medicine

The BMBF-funded future cluster ‘QSens – Quantum Sensors of the Future’ is developing ultra-sensitive sensors that could open up new options in medicine, enabling faster drug research, more accurate diagnostics and improved rehabilitation. The universities of Stuttgart and Ulm are actively working with 17 industry partners to put these cutting-edge innovations to immediate practical use.

NMI project WOUNDSENS - 23/10/2024

Wound monitoring using sensory nanofibres

Monitoring the condition of chronic, non-healing wounds requires wound dressings to be changed at short, regular intervals. In the EU-funded WOUNDSENS project, researchers at the NMI in Reutlingen are using electrospinning to produce novel types of wound dressings. These consist of biosensory fibres that send information about the condition of the wound to the outside, thereby improving inflammation detection.

Whether we are predisposed to particular diseases depends to a large extent on the countless variants in our genome. However in the case of genetic variants the influence on the presentation of certain pathological traits has been difficult to determine. Researchers have introduced an algorithm based on deep learning that can predict the effects of rare genetic variants.

Five transnational and cross-institutional doctoral networks at Heidelberg University are being funded as part of the “Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions”. They work together on current scientific topics with high innovation potential. Ruperto Carola coordinates an MSCA Doctoral Network on artificial intelligence in physics, two networks in medicine, life sciences and engineering.

Biotechnology team at University of Tübingen obtains valuable byproduct in protein production. This could be a potential to the contribution of feeding a growing world population without livestock farming.

A new molecular engineering technique can precisely influence the development of organoids. Microbeads made of specifically folded DNA are used to release growth factors or other signal molecules inside the tissue structures. This gives rise to considerably more complex organoids that imitate the respective tissues much better and have a more realistic cell mix than before.

Researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Voxalytic GmbH developed a new method that allows, for the first time, to elucidate the chiral structure of molecules – the exact spatial arrangement of the atoms – by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. This important step in the development of new drugs used to be a time-consuming process until now.

Pipetting robot for academic research - 28/08/2024

goodBot GmbH: a third arm for researchers

Repetitive tasks that researchers have to conduct in the lab tend to be tiring and often lead to errors. Precise pipetting is crucial for achieving reproducible results. Automation is underrepresented in research labs and existing pipetting robots are unsuitable for scientists. This is why Dr. Julius Wiener, Tobias Zundel and Oliver Brunner decided to found the company goodBot GmbH and develop a pipetting robot tailored to academic research.

Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have developed a completely new vaccination concept. The vaccine is inexpensive and protects mice against almost all cancer-causing HPV types. In addition to preventing new infections, the vaccine also triggers cellular immune responses against HPV-infected cells and may therefore also have a therapeutic effect against existing infections.