Welcome at Faculty Biological Sciences

The new CRC/TRR 440 smART focuses on mRNA molecules that influence both healthy and diseased cells. The CRC 1507 on protein supercomplexes in membranes and the CRC 1531 on the role of connective tissue in healing processes will be continued. #RMU

From virtual patients to simulated embryos and intelligent chicks: the applications of digital twins are expanding rapidly. These possibilities were at the center of the 7th International Giersch Conference 2026, which also served as the kickoff event for the new Cluster of Excellence SCALE. Its central theme: “Towards Digital Twins for Structural Cell Biology – Criteria, Chances, and Challenges.”

In an unprecedented field experiment, an international research team led by Goethe University Frankfurt, the University of California, Berkeley, and CNRS Montpellier investigated the evolutionary adaptation of thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) to a wide range of climates, from the Alps to the Negev Desert. At 30 locations worldwide, team members sowed the plants, monitored their development, and analyzed genetic changes. The result: many Arabidopsis populations rapidly adapted to local climates – some, however, went extinct. The findings demonstrate how genetic diversity ensures population survival.

Davor Solter and Azim Surani receive the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize 2026