Goethe-Universität — Press releases

Goethe University PR & Communication Department

Mar 11 2026

11:03

Study commissioned by the Academy for Islam in Research and Society (AIWG) at Goethe University reveals major differences between Germany’s federal states

New Study on Muslim Prison Chaplaincy

The Academy for Islam in Research and Society (AIWG) at Goethe University published a new study on Islamic prison chaplaincy in Germany today (March 11, 2026). The author is religious studies scholar Dr. Sarah Jadwiga Jahn. The study traces the developments and debates surrounding the topic, outlines the current state of implementation in the individual federal states, and formulates recommendations for addressing challenges that remain unresolved.

FRANKFURT. The study on prison chaplaincy commissioned by the AIWG builds on the findings of the German Islam Conference (DIK), which in 2017 formulated key recommendations for chaplaincy services in correctional institutions. One of these recommendations was the establishment of a national working group within the Conference of the Federal Ministers of Justice. Since then, pastoral care for Muslims has been significantly expanded at the state level. However, as the AIWG report entitled “Islamic Prison Chaplaincy in Germany: Structural Foundations and Models within the Federal States' Correctional Systems" (available in German) shows, that the provision of such services varies considerably. The spectrum ranges from the deployment of volunteers to formal agreements between individual correctional institutions and Islamic communities or associations. While, for example, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saarland currently do not provide Islamic prison chaplaincy, other federal states have developed transitional models or operate on the basis of pilot projects. Some states offer Islamic chaplaincy as a regular service. The German correctional system explicitly seeks to contribute to the resocialization of inmates. In this context, Islamic chaplaincy can form part of holistic rehabilitation measures for Muslim prisoners who make use of religious services, thereby potentially fostering positive societal effects.

Notwithstanding the positive developments, several unresolved challenges still stand in the way of a nationwide expansion of pastoral care services for Muslim women and men – including a clear distinction between Islamic prison chaplaincy and extremism prevention or deradicalization efforts. In addition, a legally recognized right to refuse testimony would need to be established, putting Islamic chaplains on an equal legal footing with their Christian counterparts and protecting them in the exercise of their duties. The study offers impulses and examples of how minimum standards in education and training could be secured and harmonized nationwide, as well as how the specific responsibilities of chaplaincy within correctional institutions could be more clearly defined. Another open question is how long-term funding through the budgets of the federal states can be ensured.

Prof. Dr. Bekim Agai, AIWG Director, on the study's results:

“Established training structures for Islamic chaplaincy exist at the Centers for Islamic Theological Studies in Tübingen and Osnabrück. At the same time, there is still a lack of clearly defined professional profile in practice and there are hardly any reliable employment prospects. Such prospects, however, should exist to enable graduates to enter this demanding profession. Their standard-based academic qualifications would ensure a high-quality pastoral care."

The German original of AIWG's study on “Islamic Prison Chaplaincy in Germany: Structural Foundations and Models within the Federal States' Correctional Systems" can be downloaded from AIWG's homepage: AIWG-Expertisen - AIWG - Akademie für Islam in Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft

About the Author

Dr. Sarah Jadwiga Jahn, a scholar of religious studies and organizational studies, researches the perception and management of religious and cultural diversity in public institutions (police, correctional services, and municipal administration). Since 2018, she has been a full-time lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences for Police and Public Administration North Rhine-Westphalia (HSPV NRW). She earned her doctorate at Leipzig University in religious studies and sociology, with a dissertation on positive religious freedom in correctional settings. Since 2012, she has published on the management of religious diversity in prisons.

Book Cover for download Link setzen

Further Information
Stefanie Golla-Dehmamy
Science Communication and Public Outreach Officer
Academy for Islam in Research and Society
Goethe University Frankfurt
Tel.: +49 (0)69 798-22459
E-Mail golla@aiwg.de
Homepage https://aiwg.de/

Editor: Dr. Anke Sauter, Science Communication, PR & Communications Office, Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 1, 60323 Frankfurt, Tel. +49 (0)69 798-13066, sauter@pvw.uni-frankfurt.de

Mar 6 2026

11:00

German Federal Ministry of Research funds PREVENT project in Frankfurt, Bonn and Munich with €3 million

Contraception without hormones: Goethe University researches alternatives to “the pill”

The “pill" was once hailed as medical revolution, later it became the most widely used form of contraceptive. In recent years, however, hormonal contraceptives have increasingly come under critical scrutiny due to potential side effects and long-term health concerns. A research team at Goethe University and its collaboration partners at University Hospital Bonn and Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, has now launched the PREVENT research project. The initiative aims to develop innovative, non-hormonal contraceptives for both women and men. PREVENT is being funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research until 2029 with €3 million.

FRANKFURT. In the 1970s, the contraceptive pill was the most frequently used method of contraception in Western countries; in Germany, for example, one in three women used “the pill." It is safe and reliable, covered by (most) health insurances, and – particularly in the 1960s and 1970s – was also regarded as an instrument of female self-determination.

Over time, however, a number of side effects associated with hormonal contraceptive methods became apparent, from nausea, weight gain, and breast tenderness to more serious risks such as high blood pressure, liver dysfunction, and thrombosis. Some medications, such as certain antibiotics or St. John's wort products, can reduce the effectiveness of the pill.

The pill is increasingly rejected

Although side effects occur comparatively rarely, concerns about the risks have contributed to a declining acceptance of the pill. According to recent surveys by the German Federal Centre for Health Education, since 2023 fewer women and couples have been using the pill for contraception; among younger adults in particular, the condom has replaced the pill as the number one contraceptive method.

A research team led by Dr. Claudia Tredup and Prof. Stefan Knapp from the Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at Goethe University Frankfurt, Prof. Daniel Merk from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, and Prof. Hubert Schorle from UKB, who is also a member of the Transdisciplinary Research Area (TRA) “Life & Health" at the University of Bonn, and Prof. Jean-Pierre Allam, Head of Andrology at UKB, is now working to develop contraceptives with particularly few side effects that do not rely on hormonal mechanisms. To this end, they have launched the PREVENT project (“Precision Reproductive and Contraceptive Target Discovery Network") and secured three years of project funding from the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space.

Active substances for new contraceptive strategies

PREVENT project leader Dr. Claudia Tredup from the Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at Goethe University Frankfurt explains: “Hormonal contraceptive methods such as the contraceptive pill interfere with the body's natural hormone cycle. In PREVENT, we are investigating for alternative non-hormonal approaches for both women and men in order to offer couples additional contraceptive options."

The PREVENT team's research approach focuses on so-called small molecules that specifically block proteins found exclusively in sperm or egg cells. For example, small molecules could specifically target sperm, preventing sperm from reaching the egg cell. Tredup explains: “Since contraceptives are administered to healthy individuals, they must not only be reliable and reversible, but also safe and highly tolerable."

Given these complex requirements, the search for suitable active substances is highly demanding. The PREVENT team will therefore develop a drug discovery platform to establish technologies and tools for validating non-hormonal contraceptive concepts. Highly selective and effective compounds – so-called “chemical probes" – will enable the targeted testing of new contraceptive strategies and provide a solid foundation for preclinical and later clinical development.

Biochemist Tredup adds: “We already know of a number of genes associated with infertility. Within the PREVENT team, we want to build the expertise needed to use the corresponding proteins as target structures for safe, non-hormonal contraceptive strategies." She is convinced that this is not just a classic pharmaceutical research project: “With PREVENT, we are also addressing key societal goals of reproductive self-determination and global health policy."

Picture download:
https://www.uni-frankfurt.de/183787535

Caption: Finding non-hormonal alternatives to the birth control pill is the research goal of the PREVENT project by Goethe University, University Hospital Bonn (UKB), and LMU Munich. Photo: Markus Bernards/AI for Goethe University Frankfurt

Contact:
Dr. Claudia Tredup
Project Manager PREVENT
Institute for Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany
Tel. +49 (0)69 29401
tredup@pharmchem.uni-frankfurt.de
https://www.sgc-frankfurt.de/Pages/research.html

Bluesky: @goetheuni.bsky.social @unibonn.bsky.social @lmu.de
LinkedIn: @Goethe-Universität Frankfurt @Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn @Universitätsklinikum Bonn @Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Feb 27 2026

12:45

Federal Ministry Funds Joint Initiative by Goethe University Frankfurt and Universidad de Costa Rica

A Partnership for Biodiversity Research in Costa Rica

German and Costa Rican scientists launch a new partnership to explore one of the world's richest biodiversity hotspots. Prof. Meike Piepenbring, mycologist at Goethe University Frankfurt, has secured funding from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) to establish the German-Costa Rican Network for Tropical Biodiversity Research (GeCoBio). Over the next three years, €450,000 will support the development of this collaboration.

FRANKFURT. Costa Rica lies within a biodiversity hotspot rich in fungi, plants, and animals that coexist in complex ecosystems. The GeCoBio project seeks to deepen scientific understanding of this diversity as a foundation for effective conservation. The €450,000 in federal funding secured by Professor Meike Piepenbring from the Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity will be used to build a long-term partnership structure between Goethe University and Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), including formal agreements and research exchanges aimed at bringing together scholars from both countries to develop and implement joint research initiatives.

The loss of biodiversity poses an urgent global challenge to ecosystem stability and long-term societal well-being. At the same time, biodiversity in the region remains insufficiently documented, leaving major knowledge gaps regarding species status and effective conservation strategies. “We urgently need to intensify our efforts in this area," says Piepenbring. Although 25 percent of Costa Rica's land is protected, primary forests continue to decline due to agricultural expansion and settlements.

The newly funded project will explore a broad range of biodiversity and conservation topics through collaboration between Costa Rican and German biologists. Piepenbring is excited about the possibilities offered by Universidad de Costa Rica's excellent infrastructure, education, and expertise – which provides an outstanding foundation for joint research. An initial rainforest expedition is planned during the first funding phase. “Experiencing biodiversity on site is essential – not only scientifically, but also for building lasting research relationships," says Prof. Piepenbring, who first conducted research in Costa Rica as a doctoral student in 1992 and has returned to the country multiple times since. Her Costa Rican partner, Professor Melissa Mardones, is closely connected to Goethe University Frankfurt, where she completed her doctorate and has since returned to repeatedly for research stays. The proposal includes two pilot research projects on fungal diversity in Costa Rica and the establishment of a culture collection of living strains of fungi and other microorganisms. Such a collection ensures compliance with international regulations by retaining strain copies within the country of origin. The project will also assist researchers in navigating permit procedures for collection and export.

As part of its strategy to promote the internationalization of education, science, and research, Germany's federal government funds projects that foster research and innovation collaboration with Latin America and the Caribbean. The aim is to establish sustainable bilateral research structures over the long term. Eligible topics include resources, biodiversity, and climate. More than 100 proposals were submitted in response to the call; 12 were approved – among them the GeCoBio project submitted by Piepenbring. Biodiversity research at Goethe University Frankfurt has a strong and longstanding foundation in the faculties of Biosciences and Geosciences, as well as in close cooperation with the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research. It is institutionally anchored in the university's profile area “Biodiversity and Sustainability", regionally connected through BioFrankfurt e.V., and internationally through the Frankfurt Conservation Center.

Publication: Mardones M, Umañana Tenorio L, Granados Montero M del M, Mata Hidalgo M, Ruiz-Boyer A, Piepenbring M, Minter D, Coto-López C, Carranza Velásquez J (2024) The first annotated checklist of Costa Rican fungi. Funga Latina 2:V2A7.

Images for download: https://www.uni-frankfurt.de/183588386

Catptions:
Photo 1: View from below into the treetops of a lowland forest in Costa Rica. (Photo: Piepenbring)
Photo 2: A bracket fungus (Cubamyces menziesii) on dead wood in Costa Rica. (Photo: Piepenbring)
Photo 3: A caterpillar in the lowland rainforest of Costa Rica. (Photo: Piepenbring)

Further Information
Prof. Dr. Meike Piepenbring
Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity
Goethe University Frankfurt
Tel. +49 (0)69 798 42222
E-Mail piepenbring@bio.uni-frankfurt.de

https://biofrankfurt.de/
https://frankfurtconservation.org/de/

Editor: Dr. Anke Sauter, Science Communication, PR & Communications Office, Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 1, 60323 Frankfurt, Tel. +49 (0)69 798-13066, sauter@pvw.uni-frankfurt.de

Feb 26 2026

13:18

As democratic norms face growing strain, a new interdisciplinary series in Frankfurt - part of the DemoReg research network - brings together social research and music theater to explore the emotional and political dynamics of regression, and the possibilities of renewal.

When Opera Meets Democracy Research

How can democracy be strengthened amid mounting internal and external pressures? The new event series “Fractures – Democracy in Times of Regression" seeks to open fresh perspectives. A collaboration between Goethe University Frankfurt, the Institute for Social Research, the Sigmund Freud Institute, and Frankfurt Opera, the initiative forms part of the Frankfurt branch of the DemoReg research network.

FRANKFURT. The Hessian research alliance “Challenges to Democracy in Times of Its Regression – Times, Spaces, and Discourses" (DemoReg) investigates the causes and consequences of developments that threaten democracy. Funded by the Hessian Ministry of Science and Research, Arts and Culture, the alliance combines foundational research with empirical analysis and practice-oriented knowledge production, with particular attention to strategies for strengthening democracy.

“We expect that this interdisciplinary academic alliance, in dialogue with the opera, will generate new perspectives on the topic," says Vera King, Professor of Sociology and Psychoanalytic Social Psychology at Goethe University Frankfurt and Director of the Sigmund Freud Institute. A first collaboration during last year's conference “After Us, the Deluge" demonstrated the potential of this partnership. Music theater, she notes, carries particular emotional force through sound and staging. “Art illuminates the affective dimensions of communal life in ways that are indispensable for understanding social and political dynamics," King adds.

The series opens on June 20 with a public panel at Frankfurt Opera titled “Anti-Democratic Mobilization and the Power of Emotions." Held in conjunction with the new production of Gioachino Rossini's Tancredi, the discussion brings together opera director Manuel Schmitt, social psychologist Vera King, and sociologist Stephan Lessenich, moderated by dramaturg Konrad Kuhn. The opera's narrative – depicting a community threatened by internal and external dangers, social exclusion, and radicalization as regressive response – resonates strongly with contemporary debates. Following the panel, audiences can continue the exchange in the “Opera in Dialogue" format.

“Music theater is a multifaceted art form whose strength often lies in connecting works of the past with the present," says Konrad Kuhn. “For Frankfurt Opera, it is a privilege when performances enter into dialogue with academic discourse – especially with renowned partners such as the Institute for Social Research and the Sigmund Freud Institute."

On December 10, a full-day interdisciplinary symposium, “Images of the Future – Democracy After Its Regression," will take place at the former Dondorf printing house, with participation from the opera. “At a time when the future appears blocked, expanding the horizon of imagination is essential to revitalizing democracy," says Stephan Lessenich, Professor of Social Theory and Social Research at Goethe University Frankfurt and Director of the Institute for Social Research. The symposium will feature contributions from political and social sciences, philosophy, psychoanalysis, social psychology, and the arts. The specific opera to be discussed will be announced in late April.

Further Information
Prof. Dr. Vera King
Professur für Soziologie und Psychoanalytische Sozialpsychologie
Goethe University Frankfurt
Tel. +49 (0)69 798 36531
E-Mail king@soz.uni-frankfurt.de

Editor: Dr. Anke Sauter, Science Communication, PR & Communications Office, Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 1, 60323 Frankfurt, Tel. +49 (0)69 798-13066, sauter@pvw.uni-frankfurt.de

Feb 25 2026

11:16

Extended Senate selects incumbent for a second term starting January 2027

Enrico Schleiff re-elected as President of Goethe University Frankfurt

Prof. Dr. Enrico Schleiff, professor of cell biology at Goethe University Frankfurt and its President since 2021, was elected by the Extended Senate on Wednesday for another term as President. The term of office is six years and will begin following his appointment by the University Council on January 1, 2027.

FRANKFURT. For the first time since the re-election of Prof. Rudolf Steinberg in 2006, Prof. Dr. Enrico Schleiff has been chosen to lead a second term of office as president of Goethe University Frankfurt. The professor of molecular cell biology of plants and former vice president of the university secured the required absolute majority of 18 votes in the second round of voting. Eligible voters included 34 members of the Extended Senate, which consists of regular Senate members and their deputies. The second candidate, physics education specialist Prof. Dr. Roger Erb, received 16 votes.

“I am deeply grateful for the trust placed in me by the Extended Senate and very pleased about the outcome of the election," Schleiff said, adding that, "In recent weeks, I have held numerous conversations, listened carefully to encouragement and criticism alike, and engaged in an open exchange with members of our university community during the public hearing alongside Roger Erb. Building on six years of experience as Vice President and my first term as President, I intend to continue implementing the concepts we have developed together, consolidate what we have begun, and integrate the insights I have gained from these conversations into the next phase of our work."

“My first term coincided with years of considerable challenge for the university, requiring us to respond swiftly to both institutional and broader societal developments," Schleiff continued. “This led to a period of intense transformation and rapid decision-making. Such a pace cannot be sustained indefinitely without placing strain on the institution and its members. At the same time, what we have achieved is not yet fully secured and in some areas is even at risk, given increasingly difficult financial and political conditions. The years ahead must therefore be guided by consolidation and reliability. On the basis of our University Development Plan, we will create stability and predictability for our colleagues and our students. I invite all Goethe University members to work with me, the Executive Board, the Senate, the University Council and our committees to shape teaching and research and to strengthen our dialogue with society. Our immediate priority will be the forthcoming review of our joint Excellence Strategy proposal within the Rhine-Main Universities alliance with TU Darmstadt and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz."

Silke Lautenschläger, who chairs the University Council, congratulated Schleiff on the election: “We had two outstanding individuals on the ballot, and I would like to thank Prof. Erb for his commitment. The University Council will continue to support the outgoing and incoming president with advice and assistance. Prof. Schleiff has set a very promising course for Goethe University, particularly through the successes in the Excellence Strategy, the joint proposal of the Rhine-Main Universities, and many other strategic decisions. The University Council is very much looking forward to continuing this collaboration."

Images for download: https://www.uni-frankfurt.de/183483413