The members of the TRC are closely collaborating in a range of areas and institutions. From Neuroscience to Media Studies, research in Tübingen is collaborative. Graduate and PhD programs also benefit from the presence of top-level experts at different research institutions, making Tübingen a hotspot for interdisciplinary graduate training in various fields. The city is an ideal place for collaborating across institutions due to the physical proximity of the partners. At the same time, all TRC partners are embedded in regional, national, and international networks. The initiatives listed below are non-exhaustive examples of local cooperation projects.
The TRC members also cooperate closely within the framework of the German Government's Excellence Initiative.
TRC partners involved: Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research; Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics; University Hospital Tübingen; University of Tübingen
At the Bernstein Center Tübingen, scientists from various disciplines, including theoretical and experimental neurobiology, machine learning, and medicine, collaborate in order to analyze the basis of inference processes in the brain, such as the reconstruction of a third dimension from 2D patterns, or the recognition of objects and their properties independent of light conditions. In particular, a main research goal is to understand the coordinated interaction of neurons during information processing. Through medical and technological advances, this interdisciplinary center aims to make important contributions to understanding the functioning of the brain.
TRC partners involved: German Center for Diabetes Research; University Hospital Tübingen; University of Tübingen
With the help of basic research projects, clinical and epidemiological studies and health service analysis, the members of the network hope to improve the knowledge regarding prevention, treatment and development of diabetes mellitus. The network is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
TRC partners involved: German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases; Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research; Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics; Natural and Medical Sciences Institute; University of Tübingen (CIN)
The Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience (GTC) offers three English-language, international, neuroscience master's programs that provide comprehensive theoretical and practical training under the guidance of leading neuroscientists. Neuroscience in Tübingen is interdisciplinary and networked across classical disciplinary boundaries through the work of outstanding scientists at numerous university and non-university institutions and research centers of the TNC. Students benefit from a vibrant research community and state-of-the-art facilities in their theoretical, especially in their practical education. The GTC offers structured training and close, personal support to PhD students from the Tübingen institutes with a neuroscience PhD program. Together with the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics and the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, the GTC offers integrated MSc/PhD training in the International Max Planck Research School for the Mechanisms of Mental Function and Dysfunction.
https://www.neuroschool-tuebingen.de/
TRC partners involved: Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems; University of Tübingen
Other partners: University of Stuttgart
Intelligent systems operate autonomously in, and adapt to, complex changing environments. While biological intelligent systems (including humans) have developed sophisticated abilities through interaction, evolution and learning to act successfully in our world, our understanding of these phenomena is still limited. The synthesis of intelligent, autonomous, learning systems remains a major scientific challenge. IMPRS-IS aims to recruit the most promising students in the world to work in this fascinating research area.
The goal of the International Max Planck Research School for Intelligent Systems is to train doctoral students to investigate and understand the organizing principles of artificially intelligent systems that can successfully interact with complex environments. IMPRS-IS researchers deal with fundamental problems of intelligence: perception, action and learning. The IMPRS-IS seeks to create a new generation of young scientists and engineers, within a highly multi-disciplinary environment, enabling them to tackle the fundamental challenges of intelligent systems.
The IMPRS-IS unites within one graduate school a host of leading intelligent systems researchers from mechanical engineering, control theory, computer science, cognitive science, neuroscience, mathematics, and materials science. The program’s research and training have a high potential for practical applications in areas such as robotics, autonomous vehicles, and medical devices.
imprs.is.mpg.deThe IMPRS-IS is also part of the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg's Cyber Valley initiative.
The International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) for The Mechanisms of Mental Function and Dysfunction (MMFD) is a joint project of the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, the University of Tübingen and the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research. The IMPRS-MMFD is part of the Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience. GTC and IMPRS-MMFD thus continue more than 20 years of successful collaboration in the training of young neuroscientists from the first day of their master’s studies until the completion of their PhD.
IMPRS-MMFD offers outstanding graduates an integrated MSc/PhD program under the guidance of leading neuroscientists from MPI Biological Cybernetics and other TNC research centers and institutes. Outstanding graduates with a BSc or MSc degree start their career in neuroscience already in the master program in close contact with exceptional and experienced female scientists.
TRC partners involved: Friedrich Miescher Laboratory; Max Planck Institute for Biology; University of Tübingen
The International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) “From Molecules to Organisms” provides excellent interdisciplinary training across the disciplines of structural, molecular, cellular and developmental biology as well as bioinformatics, genomics and evolutionary biology. The school’s aim is to endow the next generation of scientists with the knowledge and skills to study complex biological processes, which cannot be adequately understood within the limits of single disciplines, in the context of entire organisms. The program of the school is challenging and innovative because it bridges not only diverse disciplines but also spans several levels of biological organization (from molecules to organisms), which the participating laboratories cover with their broad range of expertise.
TRC partners involved: Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM); University of Tübingen
The Leibniz-WissenschaftsCampus “Cognitive Interfaces” (WCT) conducts research on how ideas, actions and working practices in the context of digital media can be improved through the design of human-machine interfaces. Alongside psychology, the research encompasses the fields of computer science, medicine, dentistry, didactics of biology, media studies and education.
There has been huge progress in the development of information and communication technologies during the 21st century. Finding out a telephone number in Australia or getting a weather forecast for Timbuktu – something which might have been extremely laborious thirty years ago – can today be achieved within 30 seconds and irrespective of location and time. Digital technologies have created an interface which provides access to an enormous range of information in real time. This interface supports what we think, know and decide, and how we behave. It is therefore a cognitive interface, as it can actively support humans in performing cognitive tasks.
Yet interfaces themselves increasingly feature the characteristics of cognitive systems: they are becoming more adaptive, form inferences, and thus “participate” in social and cognitive processes. The potential of digital technologies is particularly promising in the realm of knowledge-intensive activities. These might be learning-based contexts, but also include work-related applications for cognitive interfaces.
The Leibniz-WissenschaftsCampus “Cognitive Interfaces” draws on the topic of the founding Leibniz-WissenschaftsCampus “Informational Environments”, yet approaches it in a focused manner. It concentrates on the form that an interface between an individual and their informational environment must take in order to foster “knowledge work” (knowledge acquisition, comprehension, knowledge construction, knowledge exchange, problem-solving, decision-making). The Leibniz-WissenschaftsCampus “Cognitive Interfaces” thus focuses on psychological and educational constructs, as well as on interface design, then has hitherto been the case. It therefore overlaps with the research prevalent in computer science into the design of human-computer interaction (HCI).
Its objective is to establish a denser network with a clear strategic focus in order to develop the research of Digital Media in Tübingen and to strengthen the scientific field dealing with this topic. The Leibniz-WissenschaftsCampus "Informational Environments" was the first Leibniz-WissenschaftsCampus to be realized nationwide in the context of the identically named initiative by the Leibniz-Gemeinschaft.
Website of the Leibniz-WissenschaftsCampus "Cognitive Interfaces"
TRC Partners involved: Max Planck Institute for Biology; University of Tübingen
The Quantitative Biology Center (QBiC) is an interdisciplinary core facility of the University of Tübingen and the Max Planck Institute for Biology. QBiC provides convenient access to state-of-the-art high-throughput technologies (next-generation sequencing (NGS) for genomics and transcriptomics, mass spectrometry for metabolomics and proteomics).
Additionally, QBiC offers coherent bioinformatic solutions for data processing, analysis and archiving. QBiC is the central bioinformatics core facility and provides a full range of services from the consultation of experiments to the analysis of the resulting data.
Through the involvement of established facilities and research labs in the areas of NGS, proteomics and metabolomics as QBiC member labs, QBiC provides a single point of entry for large-scale quantitative studies. All services are integrated in a single web-based user interface. QBiC offers consultation prior to the experiment to ensure sufficient statistical power of the data and select the optimal experimental method for your purpose. QBiC staff, skilled bioinformaticians, will support projects from their conception to the interpretation of the entire study.
Website of the Quantitative Biology Center (QBiC)
TRC partners involved: Friedrich Miescher Laboratory; Max Planck Institute for Biology; University of Tübingen
The central interest of the Collaborative Research Center (SFB) 1101 is the "Molecular Encoding of Specificity in Plant Processes" is of how specificity of biological processes is achieved on molecular-mechanistic level. The requirement for the success of the SFB 1101 is a multi-disciplinary research approach based on the wide scientific knowledge and a diverse methodical portfolio of the contributing institutes. This is guaranteed by the scientific and technological strength and synergistic interaction of the Center for Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP) of the University of Tübingen, the participating institutes of the Max-Planck-Society (MPG) at the Tübingen campus and three associated research groups of the Center for Organismal Studies (COS) of the University of Heidelberg.
Website of the SFB "Molecular Encoding of Specificity in Plant Processes"
TRC partners involved: German Center for Diabetes Research; Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research; Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM); Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics; Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Natural and Medical Sciences Institute; University Hospital Tübingen; University of Tübingen; University of Tübingen (CIN)
Other partners: German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
The TübingenNeuroCampus (TNC) is a newly launched initiative designed to connect neuroscientific research groups and institutes in and around Tübingen in order to support scientific cooperation, identify possible synergies and foster scientific and technological innovation. A coordinated communication strategy and image will facilitate the recruitment of leading scientists in the field. The advancement of neuroscientific educational programs and graduate training is going to increase the attractiveness of Tübingen as the location for excellent research, especially for young high potential researchers. Based on its tradition of excellence in the field, Tübingen’s status as one of the top international neuroscientific centers will be secured and further enhanced.
With more than 100 active research groups the Neurosciences in Tübingen are among the most successful neuroscientific sites in Europe. With a wide range of methods, scientists in Tübingen pursue theoretical, system-neuroscientific, molecular and clinical research approaches in their entire breadth. The TNC will ensure the optimal use of Tübingen‘s potential with respect to research, education and application.
Website of the TNC
Tübingen is a special place for research. Very few locations offer such a wide range of research areas in such close proximity - both physically and figuratively. Not only are all of Tübingen's research institutions just a stone's throw away from each other, they also collaborate closely within the Tübingen Research Campus.
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Life in Tübingen is life in the heart of Europe and in one of Germany's most scenic and economically competitive regions. It's a bustling mediaeval town with a young, international, and vibrant population and a rich cultural and artistic scene. Lectures, concerts, film festivals, and more: life in Tübingen never gets boring.
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The Neurosciences in Tübingen with more than 100 active research groups have the potential to rank among the most successful neuroscientific sites in Europe.
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