CRCs & Research Groups

The seamless integration of large amounts of data into complex computer models is one of the great challenges of the mathematical sciences. The field of data assimilation has been advanced by applications in meteorology, hydrology, and resource retrieval. New applications in biology, medicine, and cognitive and neuroscience require novel assimilation techniques. Collaborative Research Center 1294 aims to systematically develop methods for data assimilation and demonstrate their efficiency using established and new application areas as examples.

This Collaborative Research Center (SFB) focuses on system-wide memory consolidation. That is, it investigates not only how memory-related structures in the brain store long-term information, but also how the brain transforms this information into facts, knowledge and skills, which in turn correspond to specific memories. This topic is one of the central questions of brain research and can be ideally addressed within the framework of an SFB.

More than 40 scientists at the Magdeburg site and beyond are investigating in a total of 22 individual projects what potential the human brain has and what neurobiological processes prevent it from exploiting it. The aim is to be able to improve memory performance in general in the future or to understand and thus overcome the effect of disruptive factors and „hidden" disease processes, as well as to mobilize the reserve mechanisms available to the brain.

In the Collaborative Research Center/Transregional Collaborative Research Center 287 "BULK-REACTION", which has been granted almost 10 million euros by the German Research Foundation DFG, around 40 scientists from the universities of Magdeburg and Bochum from the engineering sciences, computer science and physics will develop complex computer simulation models and then validate them using experimental measurement methods in order to significantly reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and the CO2 emissions of large industrial plants.

Birth, and with it the physical separation from the mother, is associated with dramatic changes for newborns and their immune systems. These influences functionally change each organ in a specific way. At the same time, cells of definitive hematopoiesis flowing into the tissue replace fetal cells. However, mechanisms controlling immune cells during perinatal development are poorly understood. TRR SFB 359 aims to unravel mechanisms of perinatal differentiation of immune cells and the surrounding tissue.

Here you can find an overview of all completed Collaborative Research and Transregional Projects.

The mammalian brain is extremely good at adapting behavior to a constantly changing environment. Neuronal changes resulting from adverse experiences in early childhood, traumatic stress or neurodegenerative processes can lead to neuropsychiatric disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression or dementia. The project "Syntophagy" therefore investigates which factors influence stress adaptation as well as emotional and cognitive information processing.

The University of Magdeburg is receiving funding of 3.7 million euros for research into sustainable and resource-saving chemical production processes for fine chemicals. The aim of the research group is to combine experiments in miniature chemical plants with computer-aided simulations to find new processes for waste-free production of "green chemistry". These new processes could prevent bottlenecks in the supply of medicines in Germany in the future. (Up to now, more detailed information is only available in German; a translation of the following page can be done automatically)

The chemical industry is currently facing the challenge of transitioning from the traditional production of petroleum-based chemicals to the sustainable synthesis of bio-based products in the sense of a circular bioeconomy. Due to their outstanding efficiency, selectivity and very mild reaction conditions, enzymes are playing an increasingly important role. Eight research groups from Germany, Austria and Croatia have joined forces in DFG Research Unit 5730 to investigate the use of application-specific solvents to increase the sustainability and efficiency of enzymatic processes.

Here you can find an overview of all completed projects of research group of the University of Magdeburg.