The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Germany’s premier research funding organization, has announced the establishment of 13 new Collaborative Research Centres (CRC), marking a significant commitment to advancing cutting-edge scientific inquiry at German universities. This infusion of approximately €177 million, spanning an initial funding period beginning in October 2025, is designed to harness the collaborative potential of interdisciplinary teams addressing complex and long-term scientific challenges. Among these new ventures are three CRC/Transregios (TRR), which uniquely unite multiple universities under a shared research umbrella, fostering wide-ranging academic synergies and amplifying innovation potential.
Central to this funding round, the DFG reaffirms the importance of Collaborative Research Centres as engines of transformative science, enabling researchers from diverse fields to unite around ambitious objectives that demand cross-disciplinary expertise. These centres promote a research culture where innovation is accelerated through sustained dialogue between specialists in various branches of natural sciences, engineering, life sciences, and beyond. By October 2025, the DFG will be supporting a total of 262 CRCs nationwide, underpinning the country’s commitment to sustaining and expanding its scientific excellence.
One standout CRC/TRR project, “Foundations of Circadian Medicine,” hosted by Charité, Freie Universität, and Humboldt Universität Berlin, investigates the delicate interplay between the body’s circadian clock and disease processes. Circadian rhythms, the intrinsic 24-hour cycles regulating physiology and behavior, are vital for maintaining health across organ systems. Modern lifestyle disruptions, however, challenge this equilibrium and are implicated in a spectrum of chronic conditions. This CRC seeks to unravel the molecular and systemic mechanisms by which circadian dysregulation exacerbates disease pathologies, aiming to pioneer clinical strategies that harness temporal biology for improved therapeutic outcomes.
In parallel, another ambitious project addresses the staggering global rise of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly termed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Despite recent pharmaceutical advances, the underlying molecular pathogenesis remains poorly understood. The CRC/TRR spearheaded by Charité, FU Berlin, and HU Berlin aims to dissect MASLD’s complex biology across molecular, cellular, and systemic scales. By elucidating the multifaceted mechanisms driving disease onset and progression, this research aspires to craft tailored therapeutic interventions addressing obesity and type 2 diabetes-linked liver dysfunction.
At the frontier of materials science, the FU Berlin-hosted CRC "Heterostructures of Molecules and 2D-Materials" promises to revolutionize nanomaterials research. The team will systematically synthesize and characterize hybrid heterostructures constructed from inorganic and organic molecular components, leveraging advanced spectroscopic and microscopic techniques enhanced by state-of-the-art computational modeling and machine learning algorithms. Through predictive simulations and experimental validation, researchers aim to unlock novel phases of matter with unforeseeable functionalities, potentially catalyzing breakthroughs in electronics, energy storage, and catalysis.
The University of Bonn’s CRC “Analysis of Criticality” confronts a foundational problem transcending multiple disciplines: the understanding of critical phenomena. Criticality governs the behavior of systems at phase transitions, including stochastic growth processes and indirect measurements. Despite its ubiquity in nature and technical applications, a unified mathematical and physical framework remains elusive. This innovative centre integrates statistical mechanics, materials science, and life sciences to develop comprehensive models that unravel how complex systems exhibit critical behavior, aiming to enhance simulation precision and predictive power across scientific domains.
Addressing urban challenges, the TU Dresden-led CRC/TRR “AgiMo: Data-driven Agile Planning for Responsible Mobility” aims to redefine transport planning through integrative, data-powered methods. The centre’s research foregrounds emerging technologies such as autonomous vehicles while emphasizing equity and sustainability in road usage. By harmonizing traffic forecasting, optimization, and flow control with the diverse needs of individual and goods mobility, the CRC intends to forge a holistic planning framework adaptable to future transport ecosystems marked by technological disruption and heightened social demands.
In semiconductor technology, the University Erlangen-Nuremberg spearheads a CRC focusing on "Next-generation Printed Semiconductors." This project explores atomic-level engineering via tailored molecular surface chemistry to develop printable semiconductors synthesized under mild chemical environments, in contrast to traditional gas-phase deposition. The work will systematically examine material suitability, defect formation, mitigation strategies, and the deliberate manipulation of electronic properties, seeking to pioneer cost-effective, energy-efficient pathways toward next-generation semiconductor devices.
The complex interplay between colorectal cancer and its tumour microenvironment forms another critical focal point. This CRC/TRR, anchored at the University of Frankfurt/Main, explores cellular communication in the stromal environment that shapes tumour growth and patient therapeutic responses. By elucidating the molecular crosstalk within the tumour milieu, the research aspires to establish a national centre for translational research in colorectal oncology, ultimately informing novel treatment modalities that consider microenvironmental influences to overcome therapy resistance.
Marine ecosystems also receive attention through the CRC/TRR “Carbon Sequestration at Å Resolution – CONCENTRATE,” led by the University of Greifswald. This initiative probes the microstructural complexities of glycans produced by marine algae, critical carbohydrates implicated in carbon sequestration processes regulating atmospheric CO₂ levels. By integrating in situ oceanographic measurements with laboratory-based microbial interaction studies, including bacteria and fungi, the centre seeks to unravel molecular binding mechanisms that enhance glycan stability, contributing to understanding global climate regulation.
In the realm of immunology, the University of Hamburg’s CRC “Maternal Immune Activation: Causes and Consequences” investigates how deviations in maternal immune tolerance during pregnancy impact fetal development and neonatal health. Confronted by modern lifestyle and environmental factors disrupting this delicate immune balance, the project aims to define cellular and molecular triggers of inappropriate immune activation. This understanding could pave the way for novel diagnostics and interventional strategies to mitigate adverse pregnancy outcomes and enhance early life health trajectories.
Another CRC at the University of Heidelberg delves into “Cellular Plasticity in Myeloid Malignancies,” examining the capacity of cancer cells to adapt dynamically from initial transformation to therapeutic resistance and disease relapse. This project seeks to decode the molecular underpinnings of cellular plasticity, hypothesized as a key driver of malignancy progression. By mapping plasticity mechanisms, the research hopes to identify vulnerabilities that can be exploited to develop more effective, targeted cancer therapies, addressing an urgent need in oncology.
The University of Cologne leads the CRC/TRR “PodoSigN – Podocyte Signaling Networks,” confronting the immense global burden of chronic kidney disease linked to podocyte dysfunction. Utilizing advanced molecular, spatial single-cell technologies alongside AI-driven data analytics, the centre investigates signaling networks balancing podocyte health and injury. This integrated approach aims to profoundly expand biological understanding of kidney filtration mechanisms and accelerate the discovery of innovative therapies for renal diseases.
Finally, the LMU Munich-based CRC/TRR “Simulation-based Learning in Higher Education: Advancing Research on Process Diagnostics and Personalized Interventions (SHARP)” pioneers the application of personalized simulation in medical and STEM education. By analyzing real-world teaching dynamics between professionals and learners via bespoke simulation environments, the centre aspires to establish theoretical and practical frameworks for individualized learning pathways. The ultimate vision is to transform educational methodologies in higher education, enhancing training efficacy and professional readiness in critical sectors.
Collectively, these newly funded Collaborative Research Centres epitomize the ambitious scale and interdisciplinary depth required to tackle twenty-first-century scientific and societal challenges. From foundational natural science inquiries into critical phenomena and nanomaterials to translational biomedical research and sustainable technological solutions, the DFG’s strategic investment catalyzes innovation destined to reverberate across global research landscapes, setting new benchmarks for collaborative scientific excellence.
Subject of Research: Establishment and Objectives of New DFG Collaborative Research Centres across Diverse Scientific Disciplines
Article Title: Germany’s DFG Launches 13 Pioneering Collaborative Research Centres to Propel Scientific Innovation
News Publication Date: Not specified; funding period begins October 2025
Web References:
https://www.dfg.de/sfb/en
Keywords: Scientific community, Chemistry, Chemical biology, Molecular chemistry, Cell biology
