Research and Teaching with the best minds

Research and Teaching at the University of Bonn

The University of Bonn is one of eleven Universities of Excellence in Germany and the only university with six Clusters of Excellence. Our seven faculties cover a broad range of disciplines. These strong disciplines are supplemented by six cross-faculty, interdisciplinary “Transdisciplinary Research Areas” (TRAs) that create spaces for exploration and innovation where key scientific, technological and social challenges are addressed.

Postdoc
© Volker Lannert/Uni Bonn

Transdisciplinary Research Profile

The research profile of our University of Excellence is based on our six Transdisciplinary Research Areas (TRAs), and is further strengthened by six Clusters of Excellence, countless collaborative projects and outstanding researchers.

Frau Professor Margherita Disertori vom Hausdorf Center for Mathematics hält eine Mathematikvorlesung vor Studierenden.
© Volker Lannert/Uni Bonn

Teaching Profile

We aim to create a passion for science in young people and help them develop their individual professional and personal skills as best possible. The overall orientation of study and teaching at the University is based on ten principles.

Wissenschaftler im Hofgarten
© Volker Lannert/Uni Bonn

Researchers and Teachers

The University provides a range of services to help increase the time available for research and teaching. These range from providing advice on submitting applications and handling third-party funded projects, all the way to consulting on teaching methods. Learn about our Welcome Center and funding lines for international exchange, among other things.

Angebote Forschende und Lehrende
© Ulrike E. Klopp/Uni Bonn

Doctoral Students and Postdocs

We want to give talented early-career researchers the opportunity to perform independent research and help them achieve their goals both within and outside academia. The Argelander Program provides orientation, cross-disciplinary training and funding for early-career researchers.

Transfer enaCOM
© Volker Lannert/Uni Bonn

Knowledge and Technology Transfer

enaCom Transfer Center sees itself as an intermediary, translator and catalyst between science and stakeholders outside the scientific community. Its work focuses on making research results obtained at the University of Bonn available for the benefit of society.

Forschung und Lehre - 2
© Frommann/Uni Bonn

Quality Assurance

Academic integrity and high quality teaching are our top priorities. Learn about our quality assurance measures, Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice and your contact persons.

Latest Research and Teaching News
Innovative catalyst produces methane using electricity

Researchers at the University of Bonn and University of Montreal have developed a new type of catalyst and used it in their study to produce methane out of carbon dioxide and water in a highly efficient way using electricity. Methane can be used, for example, to heat apartments or as a starting material in the chemical industry. It is also the main component of natural gas. If it is produced using green electricity, however, it is largely climate neutral. The insights gained from the model system studied by the researchers can be transferred to large-scale technical catalysts. The system could also be used to produce other important chemical compounds. The study was recently published in the prestigious journal “Nature Chemistry.” 

Central mechanism of inflammation decoded

The formation of pores by a particular protein, gasdermin D, plays a key role in inflammatory reactions. During its activation, an inhibitory part is split off. More than 30 of the remaining protein fragments then combine to form large pores in the cell membrane, which allow the release of inflammatory messengers. As methods for studying these processes in living cells have so far been inadequate, the sequence of oligomerization, pore formation and membrane incorporation has remained unclear. An international research team led by the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn has succeeded in answering this question with the help of antibody fragments, so-called nanobodies, which they have identified. They hope that this will lead to potential therapeutic applications. Their results have now been published in the journal "Nature Communications".

How the brain processes the number zero

Despite its importance for mathematics, the neuronal basis of the number zero in the human brain was previously unknown. Researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB), the University of Bonn and the University of Tübingen have now discovered that individual nerve cells in the medial temporal lobe recognize zero as a numerical value and not as a separate category "nothing". The results have now been published in the journal "Current Biology".

Will customers accept a little in their cafeteria meals?

We eat too much meat in Germany and this not only has a negative impact on health but is also damaging for the environment and climate. Cafeteria owners are increasingly open to the idea of serving smaller portions of meat – especially for cost reasons. But how do you encourage their customers to choose smaller portions of meat? Researchers at the University of Bonn have been investigating this question at a cafeteria in a rehabilitation clinic. The desired effect was the biggest when the team at the cafeteria simply served smaller portions of meat and only topped them up when this was requested by customers. This approach was also largely accepted by patrons. The results have now been published in the journal “Environment and Behavior.”

6

Clusters of Excellence

200+

Degree Programs

545

Professors

Our Research Profile

The research profile of our University of Excellence is defined by six Transdisciplinary Research Areas (TRAs), each of which has a Clusters of Excellence at its core. The TRAs focus our research on key scientific, technological and social issues of the future. Outstanding researchers, strong disciplines and a cooperative research culture have always formed the basis of our research profile.

Transdisciplinary Research Areas

The six Transdisciplinary Research Areas (TRAs) at the University of Bonn create spaces for innovation in research and teaching.

Excellence Strategy

“We invest in people. We foster networks. We create impact.” Our strategy for excellence in research and teaching.

Clusters of Excellence

The University of Bonn has six Clusters of Excellence, more than any other university in Germany.

Promotion of Early-Career Researchers

We offer many support services for doctoral students and postdocs to promote early independent research.

Research Networks

Innovative top-level research in many national and international partnerships and collaborative projects sets us apart.

Outstanding Researchers

The outstanding research performed by our researchers is shown by the many awards that have been received.

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