Research Priority Areas (RPAs) of the TU Dresden

These research priority areas represent the for the currently strongest research fields of our University, which are characterized by publication impact and third-party funds. Especially five Clusters of Excellence and a graduate school as well as various collaborative research centers contribute to the research excellence of the TU Dresden.

The research of the TU Dresden is focused on five strategic research priority areas:

Health Sciences, Biomedicine and Bioengineering

Health Sciences, Biomedicine and Bioengineering comprises four interconnected fields at the interface of basic and translational research:

  • Interdisciplinary fundamental research of physical concepts and priciples that underlie the organisation of living matter (Cluster of Excellence: Physics of Life);
  • Stem Cells and Tissue Formation, which directly leads to Regenerative Therapies (Cluster of Excellence: CRTD);
  • research uncovering the causes of, and developing therapeutic approaches for, major diseases of modern societies, i.e. Cancer (OncoRay), Diabetes (DZD), and Neurodegeneration (DZNE) as well as other disorders of the brain, notably those tackled by the Psychological and Behavioral Sciences; and
  • Molecular Bioengineering, which provides an interface between biology and engineering (B CUBE, BIOTEC, Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials).

In addition to these four established fields, an emerging research area is Systems Biology, where experimental and theoretical science meet. A particular strength of this RPA is the transdisciplinary networking of basic and translational researchers within TUD and its local non-university partners such as the MPI of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics. These research foci constitute a fertile ground for the advancement of young researchers, as exemplified by the Dresden International Graduate School for Biomedicine and Bioengineering (DIGS-BB), awarded in the 1st program phase of the Excellence Initiative.

Examples of the reseach excellence for the priority area:

  • Cluster of Excellence: Physics of Life

  • Cluster of Excellence & DFG Research Center: 

    Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden - CRTD

  • Dresden International Graduate School for Biomedicine and Bioengineering (DIGS-BB)

  • Paul-Langerhans-Institute of the TU Dresden

  • German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE).

  • Max-Bergmann-Center of Biomaterials

  • Centers for Innovation Competence:  B-CUBE & OncoRay

  • Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC) of the TU Dresden

  • DFG Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) “Volition and Cognitive Control”. (SFB 940)
  • SFB/TRR 67 "Functional Biomaterials for Controlling Healing Processes in Bone and Skin - From Material Science to Clinical Application" with integrated graduate school
  • SFB/TRR 79 "Materials for tissue regeneration within systemically altered bone"
  • SFB/TRR 83 "Molecular Architecture and Cellular Functions of Lipid/Protein Assemblies"
  • SFB/TRR 127 "Biology of xenogeneic cell and organ transplantation - from bench to bedside"
  • SFB/TRR 205 "The Adrenal: Central Relay in Health and Disease"- gemeinsam mit LMU München
  • SFB/TRR 237 "Nucleic Acid Immunity" - gemeinsam mit Standorten Bonn
    und München
  • Graduate Schools: European Graduate School in Addiction Research (Volkswagenstiftung), International Max Planck Research School for Molecular Cell, Developmental and Systems Biology (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft)
  • FOR 2682 "Seasonal adaptation of Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila suzukii"
  • FOR 2599 "Tissue Type 2 Responses: Mechanisms of Induction and Regulation"

  • FOR 1617:  Learning and Habitisation as Predictors of the Development and Maintenance of Alcoholism - LeAD

  • FOR 2033: The Hematopoietic Niches

  • FOR 1961: Mature T-cell Lymphomas - mechanisms of perturbed clonal T-cell homeostasis.

  • SPP 1384 "Mechanism of Genome Haploidization"

  • SPP 2084 "µBONE Kolonisierung und Interaktionen von Tumorzellen innerhalb des Knochenmilieus"

  • Humboldt-Professur: Prof. Jochen Guck
  • ERC Advanced Investigator Grant: Prof. Elly Tanaka
  • ERC Advanced Investigator Grant: Prof. Michael Brand
  • ERC Advanced Investigator Grant: Prof. Stephan Grill
  • ERC Advanced Investigator Grant: Prof. Frank Buchholz
  • ERC Starting Grant: Dr. Jörg Mansfeld
  • ERC Starting Grant: Dr. Volker Busskamp
  • Freigeist Fellow (VW-Stiftung): Dr. Volker Busskamp
  • Freigeist Fellow (VW-Stiftung): Dr. Ivan Minev
Information Technology and Microelectronics

Information Technology and Microelectronics is an area of utmost importance as the largest microelectronics hub in Europe is centered in Dresden, with over 1,500 companies growing at an average rate of well over 1,000 jobs/year, and currently approximately 50,000 employees. As a result of strategic appointments over the past decade, TUD´s scientific competence now covers the full spectrum from basic and applied research on information processing and communication, to developing and testing innovative materials (Nanotechnology, Bionics). There are strong ties with several regional Fraunhofer Institutes as well as multiple joint ventures with industry’s global leaders, e.g. reflected by acquiring and steering the German Leading-Edge Cluster “CoolSilicon”. The Cluster of Excellence "Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden" (cfaed) and the successful Cluster of Excellence "Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop" (CeTI) are towering examples of our cutting-edge research.

Examples of the reseach excellence for the priority area:

Materials Science and Engineering

Materials Science and Engineering is playing a decisive role in providing solutions to global mega-challenges such as energy, resources and mobility. By establishing the Cluster of Excellence „Complexity and Topology in Quantum Matter (ct.qmat), physicists, chemists and material scientists from Dresden and Würzburg are going to unite their efforts to understand, control and apply fundamentally new states of quantum matter. Fundamental scientific research activities at TUD also focus on understanding the principles of structure-property relations and interactions of materials in various environments, on nanotechnology concepts, new functional and smart materials and corresponding technologies, advanced surface engineering, high performance multifunctional lightweight materials, materials for energy, and new design concepts with adapted sensors and actuators. TUD competences are complemented by intense collaboration with local Leibniz-, Fraunhofer- and Max Planck Institutes and a network of strategic cooperations with prestigious industry partners.

Examples of the reseach excellence for the priority area:

  • Cluster of Excellence: Complexity and Topology in Quantum Matter (ct.qmat)

  • “Deutscher Zukunftspreis 2016” (German Future Award) for the development of carbon concrete

  • Dresden Innovation Center Energy Efficiency
  • C3 – Carbon Concrete Composite
  •  Dresden Center for Computational Materials Science (DCMS)
  •  SFB/TRR 67 "Functional Biomaterials for Controlling Healing Processes

    in Bone and Skin - From Material Science to Clinical Application" + GRK

  • SFB/TRR 79 „Materials for tissue regeneration within systemically altered bone "
  • SFB-TR 96 "Thermo-Energetic Design of Machine Tools - A Systemic Approach to Solve the Conflict between Power Efficiency, Accuracy and Productivity Demonstrated at the Example of Machining Production "
  • GRK 1621 "Itinerant Magnetism and Superconductivity in Intermetallic Compounds "
  • GRK 2250/1 "Mineral-bonded composites for enhanced structural impact safety"
  • GRK 2430 "Interactive Fiber Rubber Composites"
  • FOR 2433 Switchable Metal-Organic Framworks (MOF-Switches)
  • SPP 1708 "Material Synthesis near Room Temperature"
  • SPP 2005 "Opus Fluidum Futurum – Rheologie reaktiver, multiskaliger, mehrphasiger Baustoffsysteme"
  • SPP 1886 "Polymorphic uncertainty modelling for the numerical design of structures"
  • SPP 1362 "Porous Metal-Organic Frameworks"
  • SPP1681 "Field Controlled Particle Matrix Interaction: Synthesis, Multi-Scale Modelling and Application of Magnetic Hybrid-Materials "
  • ERC Starting Grant: Prof. Xinliang Feng
  • ERC Proof of Concept Grant: Prof. Xinliang Feng
  • ERC Advanced Grant: Prof. Alexander Eychmüller
Energy, Mobility and Environment

Energy, Mobility and Environment is an emerging RPA, which is already clearly visible across the full spectrum of TUD Faculties and Institutes. A recent survey showed that 25% of the approximately 500 TUD professors are involved in this area and that 16% regard it as a focus of their research. Existing competences cover topics such as adaptation to climate change, bio-geo-chemistry, biomass, combustion engines, electrochemistry, energy economy, energy efficiency, energy law, energy systems analysis, electricity generation, environmental monitoring and geo-information techniques, forestry, hydrology, limnophysics, mobility, regenerative energy systems, risk management and water resources management. Hence, TUD is in an excellent position to tackle not only core research topics, but also inter- and transdisciplinary research themes, which increasingly are moving into the focus of large environment- and energy-related projects. In June 2011, the 30 Mio Euro research building for the new Center for Energy Technology was opened.

Examples of the reseach excellence for the priority area:

Culture and Societal Change

Culture and Societal Change focuses on the transformation of culture and society with regard to social and political systems, urban and regional developments, as well as cultural institutions, museums and libraries: In this old capital of culture, where the cultural sector also accounts for a well-above average importance in the regional economy and job market, a range of interdisciplinary research programs and intense networks has been established, in particular with

  • the Deutsches Hygiene Museum Dresden, a unique museum of science, culture, and society,
  • the prestigious Saxon State and University Library with its internationally renowned collections of manuscripts, documents, maps, and photographs,
  • the Dresden State Art Collections, one of the oldest and most important museum networks in Europe (consisting of 13 thematically different museums) that enjoys a worldwide reputation,
  • the Bundeswehr Museum of Military History, that wants to develop a multiperspective and critical perspective on the history of violence and
  • the Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development.

Examples of the reseach excellence for the priority area:

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Claudia Wittmann
Last modified: Mar 11, 2019
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