With this highly innovative project in biomaterials research, the partners are applying in the current phase of the Excellence Strategy and have already been successful: “CoM2Life” was one of 41 out of 143 draft proposals submitted throughout Germany to receive a positive evaluation. The decision on which Clusters of Excellence will then be funded from 2026 will be made on May 22, 2025.

“CoM2Life” aims to develop a fundamentally new generation of soft biomaterials that are able to enter into permanent and reciprocal communication with biological systems such as cells and tissues by integrating the principles of living systems. The researchers follow an approach that combines the chemistry-centered design of biomaterials with the design of regulatory circuits in synthetic biology. This enables the development of intelligent biomaterials that are capable of selectively detecting signals from their environment, processing them internally and then controlling actuators and effectors as required.

Text: JGU/bjb

It was in his lecture on being awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1991 that Frenchman Pierre-Gilles de Gennes coined the term "soft matter" to describe this particular group of materials. "Since then, research into soft matter has steadily become more relevant and increased," points out Sebastian Seiffert, Professor for Physical Chemistry of Polymers at the JGU Department of Chemistry. Seiffert is coordinating the new Master's program "Soft Matter and Materials" in Mainz, which started in the 2023/2024 winter semester in collaboration with TU Darmstadt and the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research.

This M.Sc. program is one of the flagship projects of the Rhine-Main Universities (RMU) alliance. The program coordinator at TU Darmstadt is Professor Regine von Klitzing from the Institute for Condensed Matter Physics (IPKM). In fact, von Klitzing and Seiffert have already been working together since 2019 in the Research Unit FOR 2811 on Adaptive Polymer Gels with Model-Network Structure, which is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). But they knew each other even before that – from scientific exchange when they were both employed at Freie Universität Berlin and Technische Universität Berlin, respectively. Seiffert was then appointed to a position at JGU in 2016 while Klitzing took up a professorship in Darmstadt in 2017. In Berlin, she had already gained experience as coordinator of the Polymer Science degree course there. "We learned a great deal from this experience," says von Klitzing.

With its clear focus on soft matter, however, the international M.Sc. program of the RMU alliance is one of the first of its kind in the world. In an interview with our JGU Magazine, von Klitzing and Seiffert talk about the enormous future potential associated with this field of research.

What is soft matter?

Most of us are not familiar with the term "soft matter" and what it describes. "Well, the term actually encompasses a very wide group of different materials," explains von Klitzing. From the purely physical point of view, soft matter is indeed "soft" and can be easily deformed because its individual components are only loosely bound to each other. Many polymers are members of this family as are amphiphilic materials – such as soaps, detergents, and surfactants – and colloids and suspensions. We are using soft matter materials every day. "Even life itself is based on soft matter,” adds Seiffert. "The reason life has proved to be so successful is not because it is perfect but because it is, in a manner of speaking, very much defect-tolerant," he observes. "There is a wealth of physiological mechanisms designed to repair defects but for this there need to be structures that are reversible in the first place. And soft matter has precisely these abilities to multiply and repair."

Soft matter is currently explored and employed as a very promising material mainly in biomedicine and in cleantech applications designed to transform processes to make them climate-neutral. "Soft matter is a major component in the development of materials that can be used in personalized medicine," says Seiffert. "Without them, the stabilization of mRNA for use in vaccines against coronavirus would not have been possible to achieve so rapidly." The properties of this class of materials can also be exploited for the targeted release of pharmacologically active agents. For instance, soft matter is able to differentiate between the temperature of healthy tissue and inflamed tissue or between the distinctive pH levels in healthy tissue and tumor tissue. In the field of cleantech, soft matter can be used to create membranes for fuel cells or hydrogels for innovative, decentralized desalination plants.

Bringing theory and experiment together

The Master's program on Soft Matter and Materials starts either in the winter semester in Mainz or in the summer semester in Darmstadt. This is then followed by a specialization semester and research semester. In the fourth semester, the participants prepare their Master's thesis. "The collaboration between our two universities and with the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research allows for an exceptionally interdisciplinary approach to the subject," emphasizes Professor Regine von Klitzing. Now based in Darmstadt, she has known Mainz University from the time she was working towards her doctorate in the mid-1990s and she has stayed in touch with Mainz-based colleagues. In addition to chemistry and physics, the course also covers materials sciences and mathematics. Both universities contribute their areas of special expertise to the study of polymer science. In the case of JGU, this involves the interfaces with the life sciences. At TU Darmstadt, this takes the form of process engineering, for example, in the field of technical chemistry. Essentially, theory and experiment are designed to enrich each other.

In addition to the interdisciplinary approach of the Soft Matter and Materials degree program, internationalization is also a major feature of the course completely taught in English. "We had to adapt some lectures and seminars to be held in English, but it all went very well," recalls Seiffert. In fact, all students in the first year of the M.Sc. course came from non-German-speaking countries –from non-EU states, the Indian subcontinent, and even the Far East.

Those who decide to enroll in this international Master's degree program in Mainz and Darmstadt will not only be gaining qualifications in the right subject at the right time but will also be doing this in the right place. Regine von Klitzing and Sebastian Seiffert are both convinced of this. "Here in the Rhine-Main region, we are surrounded by top-class businesses working in the field of soft matter. We are striving to enter into cooperation agreements with these businesses," states Seiffert. And von Klitzing also underlines the possibilities to facilitate contacts between the M.Sc. degree program and the industrial sector. "With this, we offer our students and graduates the very best opportunities for launching their individual careers."

The number of registrations is a clear indicator of the great interest in the topics on offer: A total of 291 advanced doctoral researchers and postdocs from the three Rhine-Main Universities (and elsewhere) registered for the wide range of events that offered early career researchers the opportunity to share their experiences, to network and to further deepen their knowledge. A particular highlight was the panel discussion on science communication with Professor Sandra Ciesek in the first week of the Postdoc Career Weeks, where Professor Ciesek shared the experiences she made and challenges she faced as a science communicator. She also offered the participants helpful insights as to what they must take into account if they want to become a science communicator.

The offers of the Postdoc Career Weeks attracted a lot of praise. One participant stated: “For me, personally, the RMU Postdoc Career Weeks were very inspiring. I particularly liked the broad range of topics.“ The organizers from Goethe University Frankfurt confirmed the positive assessment, as all of the events – most of which were held online – were very well attended and were characterized by active contribution of the participants.

The RMU Postdoc Career Weeks have shown that it is highly important to offer information and networking opportunities to doctoral students and postdocs – and the alliance of the Rhine-Main Universities provides an excellent platform for this. 

The tour will start at “Eiserner Steg” in the city center and will lead us past the picturesque banks of the river Main and the stunning sight of the European Central Bank. After a detour through the Frankfurt Osthafen, the ship will make a turn in front of the historic Gerbermühle and we’ll sail back towards Frankfurt along the Museumsufer to the Westhafen/Schleuse Griesheim. As we relax with a coffee and cake, we’ll get to enjoy a fantastic view of the skyline. The trip will be commentated in German and English and its duration will be approx. 100 min. Participation is free.

The meeting point for the event, which will take place on Saturday, 27 July 2024, is at 3:40 pm at the bridge „Eiserner Steg“ on the Frankfurt side (the side of Römer and Dom), directly by the river bank.

To participate, kindly register via email to EichinGonzalez@grade.uni-frankfurt.de by 19 July. Please include your name and university affiliation. The number of participants is limited to 24 persons. For questions or suggestions concerning the Social Event, feel free to contact the e-mail address above.

What is open science? How can we promote and practice openness and a culture of sharing in research and scholarship? Which methods can we use to demonstrate more openness in academic and scientific practice? The Open Science Festival (OSF) offers the opportunity to seek answers to these and other questions, to network and to learn from each other. The first German OSF was held in 2022 in Hannover, the second edition took place in Cologne. This year, the Rine-Main Universities (RMU) succeeded in bringing the OSF to Mainz and will host the event on the campus of Johannes Gutenberg University. Under the motto “Meet, Share, Inspire, Care”, the festival offers participants the chance to network and discuss current topics. It is aimed at students, scientists and employees at universities and research institutes, and is for newcomers, interested parties and experts alike. The Open Science Festival in the Netherlands serves as a role model for the event.

“We are delighted that the Open Science Festival 2024 is hosted by the RMU alliance and held on the Gutenberg Campus. Open science in all its facets is a vastly important topic with great significance for the future, which concerns all of us and plays a significant role for early career researchers, students and science support”, emphasizes Prof. Dr. Stefan Müller-Stach, Vice President for Research and Early Career Academics at Johannes Gutenberg University. “At the Open Science Festival in Mainz, we can expect interesting content and discussions, and we are greatly looking forward to the upcoming exchange!”

The festival’s focus is on joint interaction and networking, as well as on further expanding the diverse facets of open science-related topics – ranging from their implementation in the academic context to bringing the topics closer to the public. With a broad range of formats, the Open Science Festival is sure to offer a varied and interesting program. While the OSF will be held in English, some workshops will also be offered in German in order to make the event accessible to a broader range of participants.

One of the highlights of the Open Science Festival will be the keynote which will address climate change in connection with open science practices. Furthermore, panel discussions will be held on both days of the festival, with experts discussing the topics “Transparency & Intelligence? Advancing Artificial Intelligence with Open Science” and “Data and knowledge: Public goods or commercial assets?”.

In addition to introductory workshops, more advanced workshops are also offered for assorted topics on both days of the festival, in which specific issues are explored in more detail. For example, participants can choose among courses on open-source software, the connection between open science and Mastodon, research into open cultural heritage through citizen science, research data management and aspects of science communication. These workshops enable participants to further deepen their understanding in specific fields and gain valuable insights for their own scientific practice. With the new speed dating format, participants can quickly establish new, valuable contacts, extend their existing network and easily integrate open science newcomers into the open science community. The German Open Science Festival serves as an important meeting point for scientists from different fields to come together and jointly work on an open and fair scientific culture.

Members from all three Rhine-Main Universities jointly developed the varied program for the OSF. Project manager Marieke Koliopoulos of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz emphasizes: “As a project manager for the third German Open Science Festival, it is a great pleasure to participate in the creation of a platform for scientists from various fields to come together to exchange ideas, share best practices and jointly promote the principles of openness and transparency in science.“

Sounds interesting? Then don’t hesitate to register at www.opensciencefestival.de for the Open Science Festival on the campus of Johannes Gutenberg University.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Marieke Koliopoulos at osf@uni-mainz.de. 

The RheinMain Startup Factory project successfully passed the first selection process in the “Startup Factories” flagship competition of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and will receive project funding for the concept phase from 1 July 2024 onwards. The RheinMain Startup Factory is founded by a network of strong partners: the Rhine-Main Universities (RMU) – the strategic alliance of Goethe University Frankfurt, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and Technical University of Darmstadt – as well as Frankfurt School of Finance & Management (FSFM), Polytechnic Foundation of Frankfurt am Main (PTG) and Futury.

The RheinMain Startup Factory initiates, promotes and supports technology- and science-based startups, spinoffs and innovation projects in the Rhine-Main Metropolitan Region and across two federal states. The project aims to develop the Rhine-Main region into a sustainable, unique startup and innovation hotspot in the heart of Europe for technology- and knowledge-based entrepreneurship in the areas of greentech, deep tech, biotech and fintech. To this end, the RheinMain Startup Factory combines the universities’ potential stemming from diverse excellent research and highly qualified talent with the economic strength of their powerful business partners and successful family businesses.

Prof. Dr. Michael Huth, Vice President for Quality Management, Infrastructure and Technology Transfer at Goethe University Frankfurt, emphasizes: “We as the Rhine-Main Universities are very proud that, jointly with Frankfurt School of Finance & Management and Polytechnic Foundation of Frankfurt am Main, we drafted a concept for the RheinMain Startup Factory that was able to prevail among strong competitors and to convince the members of the jury. Innovation and startups are indispensable key elements to successfully enable the necessary socio-ecological transformation towards a sustainable economy and society. We are convinced that the RheinMain Startup Factory can make a very valuable contribution to significantly increase innovations and startups with an impact in the Rhine-Main Metropolitan Region.”

“I would like to congratulate the team of the RheinMain Startup Factory and wish them every success for the upcoming concept phase and the drafting of the project proposal”, says Timon Gremmels, the Hessian Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and the Arts. “In view of the enormous challenges we are facing as a society, it becomes increasingly important to swiftly put scientific findings into practice so that they can contribute to solving pressing social, ecological or economic questions. There is huge potential for that at our universities in Hesse and in particular at the Rhine-Main Universities – and the successful performance in the competition is strong proof of that.”

“The funding for the RheinMain Startup Factory is a brilliant success for the alliance of the Rhine-Main Universities and illustrates their innovative potential! Successful innovations are the result of the work of outstanding scientists and staying power, also in promoting excellent basic research. Once again, this is proof that the RMU is an alliance that is strong in research, innovative and attractive. The RheinMain Startup Factory strengthens Rhineland-Palatinate as a biotechnology and life science location, offers and consolidates access to a pool of talent, innovations and capital in the entire Rhine-Main region. The location as a whole will profit from the international reach of the alliance”, says Clemens Hoch, Minister of Science of Rhineland-Palatinate.

The RheinMain Startup Factory pools its key tasks in three clusters that are considered business areas. From a structural perspective, the clusters focus on universities and research institutions (the “Innovate” cluster), support structures for startups such as accelerators (the “Create” cluster) and investors such as venture capitals, corporates and public sponsors (the “Scale” cluster).

As part of the startup strategy of the German Federal Government, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action initiated the “Startup Factories” flagship competition to significantly increase the number and quality of science-based startups. The aim is to establish startup factories as flagships that are transregional and have increased international visibility. The concept phase is followed by the project phase for which the startup factories can submit a project phase application by the end of February 2025. The selection process involving a jury will take place in April 2025. Funding for the project phase is scheduled to start on 1 July 2025.

Funding for CRC/TRR 288 extended

The SFB/TRR 288 „Elastic Tuning and Response of Electronic Quantum Phases of Matter (ELASTO-Q-MAT)“ has received funding from the DFG since 2020. The researchers involved are attempting to understand and exploit new physical phenomena emerging from a particularly strong coupling between a material's elasticity and its electronic quantum phases.

In addition to Goethe University (GU) Frankfurt as the Applicant Institution, Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) Mainz and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are involved in the joint SFB/TRR 288 as Co-Applicant Institutions. Participating Institutions are the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz and the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids in Dresden. 

The DFG will provide funding of around 12.8 million euros for the SFB/TRR 288 until 2028.

Funding for new Collaborative Research Centres 

In addition to the extension of funding for the joint SFB/TRR 288, Goethe University Frankfurt and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz successfully submitted applications for the establishment and funding of new Collaborative Research Centres. 

With the newly established SFB 1660 “Hadrons and Nuclei as Discovery Tools”, which focuses on exploring physics beyond the standard model of particle physics, the interface between hadron physics and nuclear physics and investigating nuclear astrophysics, JGU as spokesperson aims to improve the understanding of elementary particles. Other institutions involved in the new SFB are the Helmholtz Institute Mainz (HIM), Goethe University Frankfurt, University of Münster, Mount Allison University in Kanada, University of Edinburgh as well as the universities of Ljubljana, Manitoba and Silesia. Over the next four years, the newly-established CRC will receive funding of around 10.7 million euros.

CRC/TRR 379 „Neuropsychobiology of Agression: A Transdiagnostic Approach in Mental Disorders“, which consists of 20 subprojects and for which RWTH Aachen acts as the spokesperson, involves Goethe University as Co-Applicant, together with the University of Heidelberg, as well as Johannes Gutenberg University, Forschungszentrum Jülich Julius Maximilians-Universität Würzburg. The CRC/TRR aims to understand the effects of genes, molecular mechanisms, hormones and neuronal synapses on aggressive behavior and to develop corresponding therapies. The CRC/TRR will receive funding of around 16 million euros until 2028.

GU and JGU  are also involved in the newly-established SFB/TRR 387 “Functionalizing the Ubiquitin System against Cancer” (UbiQancer led by Technical University of Munich. Further participants include Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Kiel University, Helmholtz Munich and the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried. The SFB/TRR focuses on the mechanisms and effects of the ubiquitin system in the case of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and the interaction between leukemia cells and bone marrow, with the aim of making the ubiquitin system usable in the development of therapies and developing new cancer drugs. The DFG will provide funding of around 18 million euros for the CRC/TRR until 2028.

With the Collaborative Research Centres, the DFG, as the largest research funding organization in Germany, wants to support innovative, challenging and long-term research projects within research groups. The CRC thus serve to enable the development of institutional priority area and structural development at the applicant universities and to strengthen top-level research.

The GRK considers architectures to be spaces for dynamic negotiation processes that are directly and inextricably interconnected with organizational forms such as institutions, networks and discourses. These fields of research provide a structure for the GRK’s research program. This will make it possible to productively combine a wide range of theoretical-conceptual, disciplinary and methodological approaches and to analyze the complex field of organized and organizing architectures at the interface between theory and practice. 

Twelve researchers of Goethe University Frankfurt, TU Darmstadt, University of Kassel and the Max Planck Institute for Legal History and Legal Theory Frankfurt from the fields of architectural history, social, cultural, legal and historical sciences as well as architecture and urban planning will work together in the new GRK. Its spokesperson is Professor Carsten Ruhl from the Institute of Art History at Goethe University, deputy spokesperson is Sybille Frank, Professor for Urban and Spatial Sociology in the Department of History and Social Sciences at TU Darmstadt. 

Funding for the „Organizing architectures” GRK will start on 1 October 2024, for a period of five years and with a funding amount of about 8.1 million euros.