Goethe-Universität — Press releases

Goethe University PR & Communication Department

Nov 12 2025

09:56

German Research Foundation (DFG) Extends Priority Program ViCom with Goethe University Spokespersonship

Research on Visual Communication Continues

Gestures, facial expressions, pictograms – visually perceivable forms of communication are at the heart of the DFG Priority Program “Visual Communication: Theoretical, Empirical, and Applied Perspectives" (ViCom), jointly coordinated by Goethe University and the University of Göttingen. Following a successful initial phase, the research network will now receive funding for an additional three years.

FRANKFURT. The German Research Association (DFG) is supporting Priority Program 2392, titled “Visual Communication: Theoretical, Empirical, and Applied Perspectives" (ViCom), for another three years. The goal of the second funding phase is to further explore and theoretically model the unique structures and functions of visual forms of expression such as gestures, signs, and emojis.

Since its launch in 2022, ViCom has significantly shaped the research field of visual communication both nationally and internationally. During the first phase, 19 subprojects made important contributions to understanding how people create and interpret meaning through visible signs and movements, whether in sign languages, gestures, or digital communication using emojis. The interdisciplinary program has led to numerous publications, international conferences, and collaborative research projects.

As the second funding phase begins, the focus is on developing theories and systematizing the findings from the first phase. Using the extensive empirical data collected, researchers aim to advance new linguistic and cognitive models to describe visual communication in all its dimensions – from the grammar of sign languages to the role of gestures in conversation and digital forms of expression. Special attention is being given to supporting early-career researchers and fostering international collaboration.

“Visual communication is a cornerstone of human understanding, connecting language, body, and thought," says Prof. Cornelia Ebert from Goethe University, who coordinates the priority program together with Prof. Markus Steinbach (University of Göttingen). “The second funding phase gives us the opportunity to further solidify the theoretical fundamentals of this comparatively young research field and expand scientific exchange on an international level." Prof. Steinbach emphasizes: “During the first phase, a vibrant research community emerged, closely linking linguistics, psychology, neurosciences, and computer science. We now aim to deepen this interdisciplinary collaboration through new projects, programs for junior scholars, and international summer schools."

In addition to its scientific goals, ViCom is committed to fostering an open and inclusive research structure. Programs for the advancement of junior scholars, equal opportunities advancement, and accessibility were already established during the first phase, including mentoring opportunities, family-friendly working conditions, and sign language interpretation at events. In the second phase, the focus will shift more toward practical measures to support junior scholars, while continuing and expanding successful equal opportunities and accessibility initiatives.

The priority program's second funding phase will run until October 2028. ViCom includes a total of 17 subprojects located at various universities and research institutions across Germany. The German Research Foundation is supporting the second phase with €6 million, the same amount as in the first funding phase.

Prof. Dr. Cornelia Ebert has been conducting research and teaching at Goethe University Frankfurt since 2019, focusing primarily on semantics. She studied computer linguistics in Potsdam and, after several academic positions in Osnabrück and Berlin, moved to Frankfurt. In 2020, she received a Goethe Fellowship at the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften in Bad Homburg. In 2022, she became the Spokesperson for the ViCom priority program, which she co-founded with Prof. Markus Steinbach. Ebert has also been involved in another priority program: XPRAG.de – New Pragmatic Theories based on Experimental Evidence.

Prof. Dr. Markus Steinbach has been conducting research and teaching at the University of Göttingen since 2009, with a focus on semantics, pragmatics, and sign language linguistics. He studied German studies and philosophy at Goethe University Frankfurt and earned his doctorate at Humboldt University in Berlin. From 2007 to 2008, he held a professorship at Goethe University. At Göttingen, he leads the experimental sign language lab. He is involved in several collaborative projects and serves as the publisher of a professional journal and two book series. In 2022, he became the Spokesperson for the ViCom priority program, which he co-founded with Cornelia Ebert.

Images for download: https://www.uni-frankfurt.de/180158826

Caption: Cornelia Ebert und Markus Steinbach, both linguistics experts, jointly lead the DFG Priority Program ViCom. The project is now entering its second funding phase. (Photos: Stefanie Wetzel)

Further Information
Prof. Dr. Cornelia Ebert
Institute for Linguistics
Goethe University Frankfurt
Tel.: +49 (0)69 798-32394
E-Mail: ebert@lingua.uni-frankfurt.de

For more details about all projects, events, and research findings, please visit the homepage of the Priority Program ViCom at https://vicom.info.

Nov 5 2025

12:07

Renowned Frankfurt philosopher and sociologist hands over the second part of his preliminary legacy to University Library Frankfurt

New Insights into Jürgen Habermas’ Intellectual Contributions

For decades, he has been regarded as one of the most important public intellectuals, if not the most important: Jürgen Habermas, who taught for many years as a professor at Goethe University Frankfurt, has decisively shaped the discourse on democracy, society, and media in Germany. Now, he has entrusted his alma mater with the second part of his preliminary legacy, which includes writings and correspondence from the period after 1994.

FRANKFURT. “Goethe University is deeply honored to be entrusted with Jürgen Habermas’ preliminary legacy, which acknowledges his alma mater as his intellectual home. The fact that he wishes to localize research on his work in Frankfurt, the focal point of his development and contributions, is evidence of the close relationship of trust and appreciation Mr. Habermas has for our university,” says Goethe University President Prof. Enrico Schleiff about the latest addition to the University Library. “The Frankfurt School, Critical Theory, and the work of Jürgen Habermas are among the most significant components of our university’s identity: We seek answers to societal questions through a diversity of disciplines.”

The second part of the preliminary collection – i.e. a collection of materials donated during the lifetime of a prominent individual to an institution – was handed over to Frankfurt University Library in February 2025, with the goal that the extensive materials be promptly processed. The materials span the period from 1994 to the present, seamlessly continuing from the first part of the preliminary collection, which was donated to the University Library in 2011 and covers materials up to 1994, the year of Habermas’ retirement. Unlike the first part, this installment primarily consists of digitally stored documents.

Also included in the collection are documents related to Habermas’ extensive political commitment, including statements on politics, Europe, and religion. It also features his academic works created after 1994, materials related to their development, publishing correspondence about his works and their translation, as well as his complete correspondence with notable figures such as publisher Siegfried Unseld, social historian Hans-Ulrich Wehler, and former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi. Additionally, 90 file folders containing letters were handed over, along with several boxes of correspondence related to milestone birthdays and other occasions. Habermas’ own letters, stored on his private computer since 1994, were also included in the donation. The computer data also contains unpublished manuscripts and drafts of works created after his retirement.

In 2011, Jürgen Habermas donated the first compendium to Frankfurt University Library. To ensure the extensive and complex collection is properly processed, a dedicated position was created at the time. In close coordination with Jürgen Habermas himself, the writings were cataloged and made accessible in the archives – albeit under strict regulations. The processing took approximately two years.

“The second part of the preliminary estate is far more extensive than the first, and processing is expected to take longer this time,” says Dr. Mathias Jehn, Head of the Department of Curation, Specialized Information, and Placement at Johann Christian Senckenberg University Library. “In its completeness as a continuation of the first materials batch on the one hand, and its openness to international networking on the other, this part of the preliminary estate is even more valuable than the first. It represents a high-level, identity-shaping library asset for both academics and cultural memory.”

The University Library has the expertise and technical know-how required to handle the complex, demanding, and extensive materials. Both analog and digital archival materials are now being processed, preserved, and stored professionally – most importantly, they are being systematically cataloged using the library’s in-house archive management system, Arcinsys. The catalog will also be supplemented with cross-references to the central estate database Kalliope, which documents materials and estates from the German-speaking world, such as the estate collections of the Marbach Literature Archive. “Crosslinking all information will one day be of great importance for the diverse and nuanced perception and appreciation of Jürgen Habermas. The correspondence, in particular, highlights the international network of relationships in which he operates,” says Mathias Jehn.

Once they have been processed, the collections will not be freely accessible without restrictions. During his lifetime, Habermas, as the creator, retains the final say, as do the individuals involved, including his correspondents. Be that as it may, Mathias Jehn points out that thanks to the interlocutors’ close relationship with Jürgen Habermas, in the past, access for academic purposes was granted in a rather straightforward manner. Under the Hessian Archive Law, certain protection periods also apply posthumously, and special interest must be demonstrated.

Habermas has also offered to donate his entire private library – though only after his passing.

Jürgen Habermas, born in 1929, studied philosophy, history, psychology, literature, and economics in Göttingen, Zurich, and Bonn. In 1956, as a research fellow at the Institute for Social Research, he connected with key figures of the Frankfurt School, including Theodor W. Adorno, Max Horkheimer, and Herbert Marcuse. After positions in Marburg, Bonn, and Heidelberg, he returned to Frankfurt in 1964, where he succeeded Max Horkheimer as chair of philosophy and sociology. He held this position until 1971, during which he significantly shaped the second generation of Critical Theory. From 1983 until his retirement in 1994, he taught again at Goethe University, where he held a professorship in philosophy with a focus on social philosophy and the history of philosophy. Habermas is one of the most widely read philosophers and sociologists of our time.

The Johann Christian Senckenberg University Library is one of Germany’s most important academic libraries, thanks to its extensive collections and holdings. It combines the functions of a university library with numerous state-level responsibilities, serving as a scientific library for the city of Frankfurt and the Rhine-Main region, as well as a specialized library within the nationwide system for literature and information resources.

A photo of Prof. Jürgen Habermas is available for download: https://www.uni-frankfurt.de/179957145

Caption: “Once Again: On the Relationship Between Morality and Ethical Life” – this was the title of the keynote lecture with which Prof. Jürgen Habermas honored Goethe University on the occasion of his 90th birthday. The renowned Frankfurt philosopher and sociologist has now handed over the second part of his lecture manuscript to the university library. (Photo: Uwe Dettmar)

Further Information
Dr. Mathias Jehn
Head of the Department of Curation, Specialized Information, and Placement
Johann Christian Senckenberg University Library
Goethe University Frankfurt
Tel. +49 (0)69 798 39007
E-Mail: m.jehn@ub.uni-frankfurt.de

Nov 5 2025

11:00

Physicists from Frankfurt and Shanghai compare shadow images of black holes with alternative theories of gravity

Are there different types of black holes? New method puts Einstein to the test

Images of black holes are more than just fascinating visuals: they could serve as a “testing ground” for alternative theories of gravity in the future. An international team led by Prof. Luciano Rezzolla has developed a new method to examine whether black holes operate according to Einstein’s theory of relativity or other, more exotic theories. To that end, the researchers conducted highly complex simulations and derived measurable criteria that can be tested with future, even sharper telescopes. Over the next few years, this method could reveal whether Einstein’s theories hold true even in the most extreme regions of the universe.

Black holes are considered cosmic gluttons, from which not even light can escape. That is also why the images of black holes at the center of the galaxy M87 and our Milky Way, published a few years ago by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration, broke new ground. “What you see on these images is not the black hole itself, but rather the hot matter in its immediate vicinity,” explains Prof. Luciano Rezzolla, who, along with his team at Goethe University Frankfurt, played a key role in the findings. “As long as the matter is still rotating outside the event horizon – before being inevitably pulled in – it can emit final signals of light that we can, in principle, detect.”

The images essentially show the shadow of the black hole. This finding now opens up the opportunity to closely examine the theories behind these extreme cosmic objects. So far, Einstein’s general theory of relativity is considered the gold standard in physics when it comes to the description of space and time. It predicts the existence of black holes as special solutions, along with all their peculiarities. This includes the event horizon, beyond which everything – including light – disappears. “There are, however, also other, still hypothetical theories that likewise predict the existence of black holes. Some of these approaches require the presence of matter with very specific properties or even the violation of the physical laws we currently know,” Rezzolla says.

Together with colleagues from Tsung-Dao Lee Institute Shanghai (China), the Frankfurt-based physicist introduced a new possibility to check such alternative theories in the journal “Nature Astronomy”. Until now, there has been no solid data to enable either the refutation or confirmation of these theories – something the researchers plan to change in the future by using shadow images of supermassive black holes.

“This requires two things,” Rezzolla explains. “On the one hand, high-resolution shadow images of black holes to determine their radius as accurately as possible, and on the other hand, a theoretical description of how strongly the various approaches deviate from Einstein’s theory of relativity.” The scientists have now presented a comprehensive description of how different types of hypothetical black holes diverge from relativity theory and how this is reflected in the shadow images. To investigate this, the team conducted highly complex three-dimensional computer simulations that replicate the behavior of matter and magnetic fields in the curved spacetime surrounding black holes. From these simulations, the researchers then generated synthetic images of the glowing plasma.

“The central question was: How significantly do images of black holes differ across various theories?” explains lead author Akhil Uniyal of the Tsung-Dao Lee Institute. From this, they were able to derive clear criteria that, with future high-resolution measurements, could often allow a decision to be made in favor of a specific theory. While the differences in images are still too small with the current resolution of the EHT, they systematically increase with improved resolution. To address this, the physicists developed a universal characterization of black holes that integrates very different theoretical approaches.

“One of the EHT collaboration’s most important contributions to astrophysics is turning black holes into testable objects,” Rezzolla emphasizes. “Our expectation is that relativity theory will continue to prove itself, just as it has time and again up to now.” So far, the results align with Einstein’s theory. However, the measurement uncertainty is still so high that only a few very exotic possibilities have been ruled out. For instance, the two black holes at the center of M87 and our Milky Way are unlikely to be so-called naked singularities (without an event horizon) or wormholes – just two of the many other theoretical possibilities that need to be checked. “Even the established theory must be continuously tested, especially with extreme objects like black holes,” the physicist adds. It would be groundbreaking if Einstein’s theory were ever proven invalid.

The EHT offers outstanding opportunities for such measurements. This collaboration of several large radio telescopes across the globe achieves a resolution equivalent to a telescope the size of Earth, for the first time enabling a sharp view into the immediate surroundings of black holes. In the future, additional telescopes on Earth are planned to be integrated into the EHT. Scientists are also hoping for a radio telescope in space, which would significantly improve the overall resolution. With such a high-resolution view, it would be possible to subject various theories about black holes to a rigorous test. As the newly presented study shows, this requires angular resolutions of less than one millionth of an arcsecond – comparable to viewing a coin on the Moon from Earth. While this exceeds today’s capabilities, it is expected to be achievable in a few years.

Publication: Akhil Uniyal, Indu K. Dihingia, Yosuke Mizuno, Luciano Rezzolla: The future ability to test theories of gravity with black-hole shadows, Nature Astronomy (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-025-02695-4

Images for download:
https://www.uni-frankfurt.de/179886970

Caption: At the current resolution of telescopes, black holes predicted by different theories of gravity still look very similar. Future telescopes will make the differences more visible, making it possible to distinguish Einstein's black holes from others. (L. Rezzolla / Goethe University)

Further Information
Prof. Dr. Luciano Rezzolla
Institute for Theoretical Physics
Goethe University Frankfurt
Tel: +49 (69) 798-47871
rezzolla@itp.uni-frankfurt.de
https://astro.uni-frankfurt.de/rezzolla/

Oct 31 2025

11:36

“Identification of membrane targets for lipid species containing esterified EETs (ELS)” – New Koselleck Project at Goethe University Frankfurt explores unresolved research question

The Role of Lipids in Cardiovascular Diseases

Lipids are not just energy sources and structural components of cell membranes – they also act as molecules that transmit signals within and between cells. A new Koselleck Project at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at Goethe University Frankfurt and the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research focuses on certain products derived from arachidonic acid. These products exhibit beneficial effects in cardiovascular diseases as well as in Alzheimer's dementia and chronic pain.

FRANKFURT. Some products of arachidonic acid have already been well studied: the prostanoids formed by cyclooxygenases are central mediators of inflammation, fever, and pain. Their synthesis is inhibited by drugs such as acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin). Likewise, the effects and mechanisms of leukotrienes, which are formed by lipoxygenases from arachidonic acid and serve as targets for asthma medications, are well known.

Less well understood, however, is a third group of lipids – the epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), which are produced from arachidonic acid by cytochrome P450 epoxygenases. It has been known for almost 40 years that EETs can trigger a range of beneficial biological effects: they lower blood pressure, have anti-inflammatory properties, and are neuroprotective. Yet even after decades of intensive research, the molecular pathways through which these effects are mediated remain unclear. As a result, no pharmacological targets are currently known that could be used to mimic the therapeutic potential of EETs.

A new research project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) under its Koselleck Program – led by Prof. Eugen Proschak and Prof. Stefan Offermanns – aims to shed light on this question through novel experimental approaches. Evidence suggests that cell membrane receptors may be involved, which could be activated either directly by EETs or after their incorporation into membrane lipids. The project, titled “Identification of membrane targets for lipid species containing esterified EETs (ELS)", will systematically search for transmembrane proteins that bind to EETs and mediate their effects. In addition, the researchers will test the hypothesis that EETs act not as free lipids but in a more complex form – that is, after being integrated into more complex membrane lipids.

“We know these effects exist, but we still don't understand how they come about. Yet to develop an entirely new class of drugs, we urgently need this basic knowledge," explains Prof. Eugen Proschak. A particular focus will be on endothelial cells – structures of the vascular system – and thus on diseases of the cardiovascular system.

The project brings together two research groups with complementary expertise: Prof. Proschak's group at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, specializing in medicinal chemistry and the synthesis of pharmacological tools, and Prof. Offermanns' group at the Institute of Molecular Medicine, which uses classical and molecular pharmacological methods both in vitro and in vivo. Prof. Offermanns is also Director of the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim.

Divided into four subprojects, the research combines chemical, pharmacological, and proteomic approaches – the latter encompassing the entirety of proteins present in a cell. With this innovative concept, the researchers hope to uncover the molecular mechanisms through which EETs exert their biological effects. A total of €1.25 million is available for this work until 2030.

Established in 2008, the Koselleck Program is named after Reinhart Koselleck (1923–2006), one of Germany's most important 20th-century historians and a co-founder of modern social history. Koselleck projects are awarded to “researchers distinguished by outstanding scientific achievements." Funding is reserved for particularly innovative and high-risk research approaches.

The project by Eugen Proschak and Stefan Offermanns exemplifies these criteria in an exceptional way: until now, all attempts to elucidate EETs' mechanism of action have failed. If this endeavor succeeds, the resulting insights could be groundbreaking – not least for the potential development of entirely new classes of drugs that specifically mimic the beneficial effects of EETs.

Further Information
Prof. Dr. Eugen Proschak
Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry / Faculty of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy
Goethe University Frankfurt
proschak@pharmchem.uni-frankfurt.de

Prof. Dr. Stefan Offermanns
Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research
stefan.offermanns@mpi-bn.mpg.de

Oct 30 2025

11:15

Frobenius Institute Research Award goes to Maren Jordan

Why fewer children are being born in Oman

Each year, the Frobenius Institute presents the Frobenius Research Award for outstanding ethnological dissertations in German-speaking countries. This year, the €3,000 prize was awarded to Maren Jordan for her dissertation “Temporalities of Reproduction: Fertility Transformations across Generations in the Sultanate of Oman."

FRANKFURT. Maren Jordan studied ethnology and Islamic studies at the University of Hamburg. After completing her master's degree, she worked in teaching. Her doctoral thesis was written as part of the German Research Foundation (DFG)-funded project “Fertility Transformation in the Sultanate of Oman," under the supervision of Prof. Julia Pauli and Prof. Laila Prager. Since 2022, she has served as academic coordinator for the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1475 “Metaphors of Religion: Religious Meaning-Making in Language Use" at the Center for Religious Studies (CERES) at the University of Bochum.

Between 2016 and 2017, Jordan conducted twelve months of ethnographic research in the central Omani oasis town of al-Hamra. Her work focused on a demographic development observed in Oman since the 1970s: the significant decline in birth rates, often referred to as a “reproductive revolution." Jordan's research challenges the assessment that this phenomenon constitutes a revolution tied to notions of a new “modernity." Instead, she examines changing marriage practices, gender roles, and shifting norms and values surrounding birth control and family planning, offering a nuanced perspective. Her study spans several generations, from the 1970s to the present, and is based on 70 systematically collected birth and marriage histories of women, extensive interview material, as well as supplementary quantitative data and source analyses.

According to the Frobenius Institute, the dissertation impressively demonstrates how ethnology can engage productively with other disciplines. It builds a bridge to demography while maintaining its ethnological identity, the Institute said, adding that by using quantitative data to deepen qualitative findings – and ethnographic depth to interpret statistical trends — the work is highly relevant not only to ethnology but also to sociology, demography, and gender studies.

Further Information
Frobenius Institute for Research in Cultural Anthropology
Apl. Prof. Dr. Susanne Fehlings
fehlings@uni-frankfurt.de
www.frobenius-institut.de/en