Goethe-Universität — Press releases

Goethe University PR & Communication Department

Oct 6 2025

14:00

Theoretical physicists at Goethe University Frankfurt describe the origin of powerful jets using complex simulations

How Black Holes Produce Powerful Relativistic Jets

A hundred years before the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration released the first image of a black hole in 2019 – located at the heart of the galaxy M87 – astronomer Heber Curtis had already discovered a strange jet protruding from the galaxy’s center. Today, we know this to be the jet of the black hole M87*. Such jets are also emitted by other black holes. Theoretical astrophysicists at Goethe University have now developed a numerical code to describe with high mathematical precision how black holes transform their rotational energy into such ultra-fast jets.

FRANKFURT. For nearly two centuries, it was unclear that the bright spot in the constellation Virgo, which Charles Messier had described in 1781 as “87: Nebula without stars,” was in fact a very large galaxy. As a result, there was initially no explanation for the strange jet discovered in 1918 emerging from the center of this “nebula.”

At the heart of the giant galaxy M87 lies the black hole M87*, which contains a staggering six and a half billion solar masses and spins rapidly on its axis. Using the energy from this rotation, M87* powers a particle jet expelled at nearly the speed of light, stretching across an immense 5,000 light-years. Such jets are also generated by other rotating black holes. They contribute to disperse energy and matter throughout the universe and can influence the evolution of entire galaxies.

A team of astrophysicists at Goethe University Frankfurt, led by Prof. Luciano Rezzolla, has developed a numerical code, named the Frankfurt particle-in-cell code for black hole spacetimes (FPIC), which describes with high precision the processes that convert rotational energy into a particle jet. The result: In addition to the Blandford–Znajek mechanism – which has so far been considered responsible for the extraction of rotational energy from the black hole via strong magnetic fields – the scientists have revealed that another process is involved in the energy extraction, namely, magnetic reconnection. In this process, magnetic field lines break and reassemble, leading to magnetic energy being converted into heat, radiation, and eruptions of plasma.

The FPIC code simulated the evolution of a vast number of charged particles and extreme electromagnetic fields under the influence of the black hole’s strong gravity. Dr. Claudio Meringolo, the main developer of the code, explains: “Simulating such processes is crucial for understanding the complex dynamics of relativistic plasmas in curved spacetimes near compact objects, which are governed by the interplay of extreme gravitational and magnetic fields.”

The investigations required highly demanding supercomputer simulations that consumed millions of CPU hours on Frankfurt’s “Goethe” supercomputer and Stuttgart’s “Hawk.” This large computing power was essential to solve Maxwell’s equations and the equations of motion for electrons and positrons according to Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity.

In the equatorial plane of the black hole, the researchers’ calculations revealed intense reconnection activity, leading to the formation of a chain of plasmoids – a condensation of plasma in energetic “bubbles” – moving at nearly the speed of light. According to the scientists, this process is accompanied by the generation of particles with negative energy that is used to power extreme astrophysical phenomena like jets and plasma eruptions.

“Our results open up the fascinating possibility that the Blandford–Znajek mechanism is not the only astrophysical process capable of extracting rotational energy from a black hole,” says Dr. Filippo Camilloni, who also worked on the FPIC project, “but that magnetic reconnection also contributes.”

“With our work, we can demonstrate how energy is efficiently extracted from rotating black holes and channeled into jets,” says Rezzolla. “This allows us to help explain the extreme luminosities of active galactic nuclei as well as the acceleration of particles to nearly the speed of light.” He adds that it is incredibly exciting and fascinating to better understand what happens near a black hole using sophisticated numerical codes. “At the same time, it is even more rewarding to be able to explain the results of these complex simulations with a rigorous mathematical treatment — as we have done in our work.”

Publication: Claudio Meringolo, Filippo Camilloni, Luciano Rezzolla: Electromagnetic Energy Extraction from Kerr Black Holes: Ab-Initio Calculations. The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2025) https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ae06a6

Picture download:
https://www.uni-frankfurt.de/178567801

Caption: A chain of plasmoids is created on the equatorial plane along the current sheet, where the particle density (left part) is higher. Here, magnetic reconnection takes place, accelerating particles to very high energies (right). Particles also reach relativistic speeds along the spin axis and eventually form the jet powered by the Blandford–Znajek mechanism. Gray: Magnetic field lines. Image: Meringolo, Camilloni, Rezzolla (2025)

Contact:
Professor Luciano Rezzolla
Institute for Theoretical Physics
Goethe University Frankfurt
Phone: +49 (69) 798-47871
rezzolla@itp.uni-frankfurt.de
https://astro.uni-frankfurt.de/rezzolla/

Sep 16 2025

18:33

Prize Winners’ Discovery of Genomic Imprinting Opened the Door to Epigenetics

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

Developmental biologists Davor Solter and Azim Surani will receive the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize 2026, the Scientific Council of the Paul Ehrlich Foundation announced today. The prizewinners discovered the phenomenon of genomic imprinting. In mammals, this means that the genetic materials of eggs and sperms are functionally different. In addition to their genetic information, some genes carry a molecular mark that prevents their genetic information to be active in the embryo. This why we need the full genetic input from both mother and father. This discovery shook the foundation of classical genetics and opened the door to the vast field of modern epigenetics.

FRANKFURT. The genes that carry our genetic information are packed together in the chromosomes of the cell nucleus. There are 22 autosomes as well as the sex chromosomes X and Y. Each germ cell contains a single set of 23 chromosomes. Each somatic cell contains a double set of chromosomes – one inherited from the mother's egg, the other from the father's sperm. This means that all body cells contain two copies of each gene. These copies, which can occur in different versions (alleles), are both used as blueprints for producing RNA molecules that are then translated into proteins. Both gene copies can influence a child's appearance (phenotype). If one copy is mutated or damaged, the other usually compensates and takes over its function. Solter and Surani partially upended these basic principles of classical genetics when they discovered that mammalian parents apparently pass on only one active copy of some genes to their offspring. “This discovery was a turning point in modern genetics," explains Prof. Thomas Boehm, Chair of the Scientific Council. “It showed that our phenotype is not determined by genotype alone, but also shaped by epigenetic marks. That fundamentally changed our understanding of health and disease."

In the early 1980s, Davor Solter in Philadelphia (USA) and Azim Surani in Cambridge (UK) set out – independently and simultaneously –to solve a fundamental genetic puzzle: Why is a virgin birth (parthenogenesis) not possible in mammals? After all, female ants, bees, lizards or snails, for example, can reproduce without a male contribution, allowing their offspring to develop from unfertilized eggs. Solter and Surani answered this question by independently applying a technique Solter had previously developed and refined, namely the transplantation of germ cell nuclei. After fertilization, the nuclei of egg and sperm remain temporarily separate – at this stage, they are called pronuclei. Solter and Surani then replaced one of the two pronuclei with that of a donor from another mouse strain, generating embryos with either two maternal or two paternal pronuclei. Unexpectedly, none of these embryos survived. In combinations of two paternal pronuclei, the embryonic tissues developed poorly, whereas the placental tissues were largely unaffected. Conversely, in combinations with two maternal pronuclei, the placental tissues failed to develop normally, leading to malnourishment of the embryo.

Only embryos in the control group, arising from one male and one female pronucleus, developed into healthy mice. The two researchers concluded that in mammals, maternal chromosomes contribute essential information that is missing in the paternal chromosomes – and vice versa. Both parental chromosome sets must be transmitted in their entirety for offspring to develop normally. Surani coined the term genomic imprinting to describe the phenomenon that some genes are transmitted in active form only by the mother and others only by the father. Soon afterwards, researchers discovered that the molecular markers involved in imprinting consist primarily of tiny methyl groups attached to one of DNA's four bases.

Seven years after the discovery of the two prizewinners, in 1991, the first imprinted genes were identified: IGF2R, a growth-inhibiting gene expressed only from the maternal allele, and IGF2, a growth-promoting gene expressed only from the paternal allele. This supported the idea that genomic imprinting evolved as a mechanism to regulate fetal growth in the womb, helping to maintain a healthy balance between the interests of the embryo to grow and that of the mother to prevent excessive contribution of her own bodily resources. Evolution may have introduced this strategy to make uterine development in mammals possible in the first place. In fact, most known imprinted genes – they make up around one percent of our genome – are involved in balancing growth signals and brain development. In Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, the growth processes of individual organs become imbalanced, or they develop asymmetrically during embryogenesis; Angelmann syndrome results in severe neurological impairments, while other imprinting disorders are thought to contribute to autism and epilepsy. Even in adults, imprinted genes remain part of signal cascades that influence health and disease. Disorders of genomic imprinting acquired in the course of life are associated with diseases such as colon cancer, glioblastomas and Wilms tumors (pediatric kidney cancer).

The discovery of genomic imprinting and research on DNA methylation opened the door to an experimentally grounded epigenetics. Since then, thousands of researchers have passed through this door, opening up and cultivating a field that is proving to be highly fertile for biomedical research. Thanks to the pioneering work of Solter and Surani, epigenetics is now thriving as the science of molecular biological mechanisms that regulate gene expression independently of changes to their DNA sequence.

Davor Solter, a U.S. citizen born in 1941, is Director Emeritus of the Department of Developmental Biology at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology in Freiburg, Germany, which he led from 1991 to 2006. He now lives in Bar Harbor, Maine (USA) and is Visiting Professor at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand, and the University of Zagreb in Croatia.

Azim Surani, a British citizen born in 1945, is Director of Germline and Epigenetics Research at the Gurdon Institute at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of King's College, Cambridge. https://www.gurdon.cam.ac.uk/people/azim-surani/

Photos of the award winners can be downloaded at www.paul-ehrlich-stiftung.de.

Detailed background information entitled “Not without both parents" can be found https://www.uni-frankfurt.de/177990437/2026_solter_surani

The prize will be awarded on March 14, 2026, 5 p.m. in Frankfurt's Paulskirche by the Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Paul Ehrlich Foundation. We kindly ask you to take this into account when planning your schedule. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

For further information please contact
Press Office Paul Ehrlich Foundation
Joachim Pietzsch
Phone: +49 (0)69 36007188
j.pietzsch@wissenswort.com
www.paul-ehrlich-stiftung.de

The Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize is the most prestigious medical prize in Germany. It is endowed with 120,000 euros and is traditionally awarded on Paul Ehrlich's birthday, March 14, in Frankfurt's Paulskirche. It honors scientists who have made outstanding contributions in the field of research represented by Paul Ehrlich, particularly in immunology, cancer research, hematology, microbiology and chemotherapy. The prize, which has been awarded since 1952, is financed by the Federal Ministry of Health, the German Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies and earmarked donations from the following companies, foundations and institutions: Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung, Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH, C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co KG, Biotest AG, Hans und Wolfgang Schleussner-Stiftung, Fresenius SE & Co KGaA, F. Hoffmann-LaRoche Ltd, GSK GlaxoSmithKline GmbH & Co KG, Grünenthal Group, Janssen-Cilag GmbH, Merck KGaA, Bayer AG, Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH & Co KG, B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co AG. The prize winners are selected by the Scientific Council of the Paul Ehrlich Foundation. A list of the members of the Scientific Council is available on the Paul Ehrlich Foundation's website.

The Paul Ehrlich Foundation is a legally dependent foundation administered in trust by the Association of Friends and Sponsors of Goethe University. Professor Dr. Katja Becker, President of the German Research Foundation, who also appoints the elected members of the Scientific C Council and the Board of Trustees, is Honorary President of the Foundation, which was established by Hedwig Ehrlich in 1929. The Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Paul Ehrlich Foundation is Professor Dr. Thomas Boehm, Director Emeritus at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg, and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees is Professor Dr. Jochen Maas. In his function as Chairman of the Association of Friends and Sponsors of Goethe University, Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Bender is also a member of the Scientific Council Trustees of the Paul Ehrlich Foundation. In this function, the President of Goethe University is also a member of the Board of Trustees.

Publisher: Joachim Pietzsch / Dr. Markus Bernards, Science Communication Officer, PR & Communication Department, Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 1, 60323 Frankfurt, Tel. +49 (0)69 798-12498, bernards@em.uni-frankfurt.de

Sep 11 2025

14:40

Goethe University’s “InterCare” research project seeks participants

Between Studies and Caregiving

Balancing studies or vocational training with the responsibility of supporting or caring for a relative or friend requires remarkable organizational skills. A new study at Goethe University aims to better understand this reality – and is now seeking participants: both young people in education or training, as well as the individuals they provide support or care for.

FRANKFURT. How can education and caregiving be combined? What challenges does this dual role create? And what can be done to improve the situation of young people who take on such responsibilities? These are the questions driving the “InterCare” research project, led by sociologist Dr. Anna Wanka.

The study is looking for both young people aged 18–30 who are enrolled in university, training, or further education and at the same time provide support or care for an older person, as well as individuals who receive such support or care and are at least 20 years older than their caregiver.

If you would like to share your experiences and contribute to the study, please contact Dr. Anna Wanka at wanka@em.uni-frankfurt.de.

Further Information
Dr. Anna Wanka
Institute for Social Pedagogy and Adult Education
Goethe University Frankfurt
Tel.: +49 (0)69 798 36393
E-Mail wanka@em.uni-frankfurt.de
https://aktuelles.uni-frankfurt.de/english/full-time-student-part-time-carer/

Sep 11 2025

10:06

Annual conference brings together more than 100 international researchers, consultants and practitioners in regional labour market policy at Goethe University Frankfurt

Looking to the Future Together: 20 Years of the European Network on Regional Labour Market Monitoring

What challenges do regional labour markets in Vietnam and in Hesse share? And what can each side learn from the other’s solutions? Questions like these will be at the heart of the discussions of this month’s conference of the European Network on Regional Labour Market Monitoring, which brings together more than 100 experts from Europe, Asia and Africa at Goethe University Frankfurt.

FRANKFURT. Steering the right course for regional labour markets requires reliable forecasts. Yet in times of multiple crises and unpredictable political decisions, traditional methods are reaching their limits: events such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic, and structural change in key industries have all reduced forecasting accuracy. Simply projecting past developments into the future is no longer sufficient given the unprecedented speed of change. An alternative lies in so-called foresight methods.

Rather than providing statistical data, foresight methods systematically gather expert knowledge to explore how future developments might unfold, often by sketching out different scenarios. Worldwide, scholars and policy advisors are increasingly turning to this approach. In many European countries and regions, however, foresight is still largely uncharted territory, especially in policy consulting. The conference of the European Network on Regional Labour Market Monitoring, held from September 17 to 19, will explore this topic in a series of lectures and discussions.

Founded 20 years ago by Goethe University’s Institute for Economics, Labour and Culture (IWAK), the European Network on Regional Labour Market Monitoring now counts more than 400 members from over 30 countries. Its mission: to improve the data and information base for labour market-related decision-making in regions across the globe. At its annual meetings, members exchange insights on the development of regional labour markets as well as on theories, concepts and methods of labour market monitoring.

“We expect this conference to provide valuable impulses for labour market policy in Hesse,” says Heike Hofmann, Hessian Minister for Labour, Integration, Youth and Social Affairs, who has taken on patronage of the event and will also actively participate in it. For 20 years, the Network has proven the benefits of thinking beyond borders. While challenges may often be similar across regions, solutions differ. “This can provide a strong stimulus for new ideas for one’s own region,” notes Christa Larsen, Head of IWAK and Coordinator of the Network, adding that within Germany, Hesse is already ahead of many other federal states in this respect. But there are also international models to learn from: regions in Spain, Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Austria are well advanced in fostering close cooperation between research and policy in order to promote evidence-based policymaking.

Other international organizations also benefit from the Network, and it is not by coincidence that Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in Frankfurt is a co-organizer. A large delegation from the labour ministries of the ten ASEAN states will likewise attend, and the Network also collaborates closely with the OECD’s Local Employment and Economic Development (LEED) program, another event co-organizer.

The European Network on Regional Labour Market Monitoring (EN RLMM) will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a gala evening on September 18, bringing together leaders from business, labour and politics in Hesse. The keynote will be delivered by Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel, Chair of the Management Board of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. Looking ahead to the conference, Goethe University Vice President Prof. Dr. Bernhard Brüne says: “Goethe University is ideally suited as a venue for international exchange and cooperation, and I am delighted that this important topic of foresight is being strategically advanced here.”

Media representatives are welcome to attend:
https://www.iwak-frankfurt.de/konferenz-zum-20-jaehrigen-bestehen-des-european-network-on-regional-labour-market-monitoring-en-rlmm/

For further information and interview requests, please contact Dr. Christa Larsen at +49 (0)69 798-22152 or via email at c.larsen@em.uni-frankfurt.de

Sep 9 2025

10:17

C3S pleased to announce new appointments in key interdisciplinary fields of the future.

Five New Professorships at Goethe University’s Center for Critical Computational Studies

FRANKFURT. By the end of this year, five new scholars will take up professorships at Goethe University's Center for Critical Computational Studies, strengthening its expertise in ecology, socioeconomics, digital studies, educational sciences, and legal philosophy. Welcoming the appointments, the Center's management says: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming these outstanding researchers. As one of Goethe University's comparatively young centers, C3S serves as an inter- and transdisciplinary platform bringing together a wide range of research fields. The arrival of our new colleagues gives us fresh momentum that will further deepen our profile in the field of Critical Computational Studies."

Mechanistic and Process-Oriented Modeling of Biodiversity and Ecosystems – Prof. Dr. Oskar Hagen
Goethe University Frankfurt and the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F) are pleased to welcome Oskar Hagen as Professor of Mechanistic and Process-Oriented Modeling of Biodiversity and Ecosystems at C3S. As an internationally connected biodiversity scientist and eco-evolutionary modeler, Hagen brings a dynamic vision that combines rigorous computation with a deep fascination for the complexity of life. At the core of his research lies a seemingly simple question: How does biodiversity emerge, persist, and decline across time and space? To address this, he founded the Computational Integrative Biodiversity (CIB) group, which develops innovative process-based frameworks to understand and predict biodiversity dynamics under historical and future environmental pressures. Hagen's work integrates eco-evolutionary simulations with climatological, geological, and historical data, combining theory with high-performance computing to study phenomena ranging from species diversification and extinction to ecosystem resilience and biogeographical patterns.

Modeling the Socioeconomic Drivers and Impacts of Climate Change with a Focus on Environmental Economics – Prof. Dr. Manuel Linsenmeier
Manuel Linsenmeier's research focuses on the socioeconomic impacts of climate change and climate adaptation in the context of sustainable development. Using statistical methods, economic models, and interdisciplinary datasets, he investigates how societies can remain resilient and sustainable in times of climate change. His research pays particular attention to global interdependencies and socioeconomic inequalities. Linsenmeier is especially committed to transferring scientific insights into climate adaptation policy and practice. He has contributed to national climate risk analyses in Germany and the UK and has advised the World Bank. His research collaborations include Columbia University, Princeton University, and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

Critical Data and Surveillance Studies – Prof. Dr. Azadeh Akbari
Azadeh Akbari has been appointed Professor of Critical Data and Surveillance Studies at C3S. Her research interests include the geopolitics of digital transformation, digital authoritarianism, data justice, as well as Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for development. She serves as Director of the Surveillance Studies Network and is the founder and director of the Surveillance in the Majority World Research Network. Akbari is co-editor of the journals Surveillance & Society and Information Technology for Development. Previously, she was a Fellow in the EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie Global Actions Program with a project on authoritarian smart cities. She is a frequent contributor to international media and advises policymakers and civil society on issues of surveillance and digital repression.

Educational Theories and Practices of Critical Computational Literacy (CCL) – Prof. Dr. Dan Verständig
Starting in October 2025, Dan Verständig will join C3S as Professor of Educational Theories and Practices of Critical Computational Literacy. His research explores learning and educational processes in the digital age, with a focus on social inequality, civic participation, as well as creative and critical approaches to digital technologies aimed at fostering coding literacy and data literacy. He also employs experimental formats such as interactive installations, data-based art projects, and playful approaches to make digital infrastructures visible and to reflect on their societal significance. Verständig's teaching combines educational, cultural, and media studies perspectives with computer science, emphasizing interdisciplinary and critical-creative engagement with digital technologies. Alongside his academic work, he has many years of professional experience as a web and backend developer.

Normative Constitution of the Computational – Prof. Dr. Sabine Müller-Mall
Legal philosopher Sabine Müller-Mall studies fundamental questions of law and constitution like: What does it mean to make a legal judgment? How do legal norms come into being? How can constitutions stabilize and transform orders, and how do they respond to fundamental change? At the intersection of public law, philosophy, and political theory, a key theme of her research is the widespread use of computational techniques in society; their use and adoption significantly reshapes the foundations of law and constitution, affecting assumptions, concepts, and practices. Müller-Mall investigates these impacts of the computational on law and constitution as fundamental legal questions. As such, she examines the conditions under which normativity arises and evolves under media-technological conditions, how legal decision-making is changing in relation to computational decision systems, and the political dimensions of computational technologies.

About the Center for Critical Computational Studies (C3S) at Goethe University Frankfurt
C3S combines two central focus areas in its research profile: first, computational methods are critically examined, further developed methodologically, and assessed ethically. Research teams address topics such as critical data science, ethics of data processing, science and technology studies, as well as philosophical and historical perspectives on computer technologies. A special focus lies on advanced simulation methods and the study of complex predictions in the natural and social sciences, including innovative approaches between classical network analysis and deep learning. Second, C3S employs computational models to better understand planetary transformations, especially in the context of global warming and the biodiversity crisis. This includes analyzing complex interactions between geophysics, ecosystems, and society, as well as investigating and developing critical solutions for so-called tipping points in the Earth system to model interactions between social and ecological change. Through this integrative approach, C3S aims to deliver both methodological innovation and socially relevant insights into the interplay of digitality, democracy, and planetary transformation. In April this year, climate researcher Prof. Dr. Nico Wunderling was appointed to C3S. His research focuses on the dynamics of interacting tipping points in the Earth system, particularly in the context of global warming.

Further information: https://www.c3s-frankfurt.de/