Clusters of Excellence
The University of Bonn is one of the leading research universities in Germany and also enjoys an excellent reputation worldwide. This can be seen by the funding provided to date under the Excellence Initiative by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) and German Council of Science and Humanities (Wissenschaftsrat). In 2006, the University of Bonn was awarded two Clusters of Excellence and two Graduate Schools. Since January 2019, the University of Bonn has six Clusters of Excellence, more than any other university in Germany.
T follicular helper cells (Tfh) are essential for strong antibody-mediated reactions of our immune system during infections and vaccinations. However, if they get out of control, this can cause diseases such as autoimmunity, allergies or cancer. Researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation2 at the University of Bonn investigated the underlying mechanisms of Tfh cell development in a mouse model and thus decoded their internal networking. They hope that this will lead to new strategies for the development of highly effective vaccines and new therapies to combat various diseases. The results have now been published in the renowned journal "Science Immunology".
The state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wüst, visited the Humanoid Robots Lab at the University of Bonn on Thursday afternoon. Talks centered on current research projects in the field of robotics and the challenges associated with the use of robots in human environments. The state premier was able to enter virtual reality with a robot and watch a three-armed robot harvesting peppers.
Researchers at the University Hospitals of Dresden and Bonn of the DFG Transregio 237 and from the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation2 at the University of Bonn have made progress clarifying why patients with myotonic dystrophy 2 have a higher tendency to develop autoimmune diseases. Their goal is to understand the development of the disease, and their research has provided new, potential therapeutic targets. The results of the study have now been published in the renowned journal "Nature Communications".
The University of Bonn has some excellent news to report, with two new cluster initiatives given the green light to apply for funding as part of the Excellence Initiative of the German government and federal states. The German Research Foundation and the German Council of Science and Humanities made the announcement earlier today. The two new cluster initiatives are thus among the 41 chosen from the 143 draft proposals in all from across the country that were evaluated. In 2019, the University of Bonn secured an already impressive six clusters, more than any other university in Germany. All of these clusters are applying to maintain their status, putting the University in with a chance of hosting eight Clusters of Excellence.
The six Clusters of Excellence
Hausdorff Center for Mathematics
The research of the Hausdorff Center for Mathematics (HCM) ranges from pure and applied mathematics to mathematically orientated research in economics as well as interdisciplinary work.
ImmunoSensation2
The ultimate goal of ImmunoSensation2 is to decipher the principles that govern the global functionality of the immune system in healthy and diseased states.
Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies
With the key concept of "Strong Asymmetrical Dependency" the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (BCDSS) opens up a new perspective on slavery and dependency research.
PhenoRob
PhenoRob, the only Cluster of Excellence in Germany in agricultural sciences, brings together researchers from different disciplines to investigate how technology can enable sustainable crop production.
ECONtribute: Markets and Public Policy
Research at ECONtribute focuses on markets at the interface between economics, politics and society aiming to advance a new paradigm for the analysis of market failure.
Matter and light for quantum computing
The aim of the Matter and Light for Quantum Computing (ML4Q) Cluster is to develop new computing and networking architectures using the principles of quantum mechanics.