Frankfurt researchers receive over 3 million euros for groundbreaking projects!

Frankfurt researchers receive over 3 million euros for groundbreaking projects!

The Goethe University Frankfurt has given great pleasure that two of its research projects were awarded the coveted Emmy Noether funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG). This funding is awarded to young scientists to support their scientific independence.

dr. Tobias König from the Institute for Mathematics and Prof. Dr. Till Stephan from the Institute for Molecular Biosciences are the funded researchers. A total of more than 3.1 million euros in funding will flow to Goethe University. Dr. König will receive up to 1.3 million euros for his project "Geometric Functional Inequalities and Their Stability". His research focus is on mathematical inequalities on which the natural phenomena are based, and he strives for the development of new mathematical tools for the analysis of stable conditions.

research on lipid metabolism

Prof. Dr. Till Stephan receives up to 1.8 million euros for his investigation of the lipid metabolism in cells. His research team analyzes the transport and synthesis of lipids between cell organelles, especially between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. These processes are of great importance, since disorders in them are associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Stephan uses biochemical processes, mass spectrometry and super-resolution fluorescence microscopy for his research.

The Emmy Noether funding has a term of up to six years and represents an important qualification level for a university professorship. This confirms the high priority that the DFG supports the promotion of young scientists.

soap bubbles and their fascination

Another interesting topic that is repeatedly taken up in science are soap bubbles. These consist of a thin film of soap water and form a hollow ball with a dazzling surface. Soap bubbles are known for their fleeting nature and are sensitive to touch, which makes it a fascinating object for various artistic and scientific applications. In mathematics, soap bubbles are also used as an examination objects, especially in terms of minimal areas.

physically solve soap bubbles complex problems because they form the smallest surface between points and edges. They also contain soap molecules with a hydrophilic and hydrophobic structure. These physical properties help to understand why soap bubbles become spherical: the surface tension minimizes the surface, which leads to optimal shape. Knowledge of the interference of the light on the thin soap skin explains the dazzling colors that we can observe in soap bubbles.

The challenges and opportunities associated with the investigation of such dynamic and complex systems underline the interdisciplinary nature of today's research. Particularly noteworthy is the work of groups such as that of Aljaz Godec at the Max Planck Institute for Complex Systems, which deal with the theory of individual molecular dynamics and the fundamental laws of statistical mechanics. Here the dynamics of molecules are examined under non-equilibrium conditions, which is important in many biological systems.

The excellent research projects in Frankfurt and the ongoing fascination for soap bubbles illustrate how mathematics and natural sciences are connected in numerous research fields and thus contribute to solving complex questions.

For more information, read the reports of puk.uni-frankfurt , chemie-school and mpinat .