Christoph Schletterer (Unit Corporate Design), Jan Röder (Unit Strategy), Prof. Ursula Staudinger (Rector), Dr. Volker Balli (University Development Division), and other participants at the get-together to submit the report. © Sven Ellger/TUD

Milestone for Excellence Funding: TUD Submits Self-Assessment Report to the German Science and Humanities Council

After months of intensive work, TUD submitted its EXU self-assessment report to the German Science and Humanities Council on August 1. This crucial milestone marks the outset of the next phase of Excellence funding. Back in May, TUD already secured five Clusters of Excellence, attesting to our university's outstanding research credentials.

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche (center) congratulated representatives of the boOst consortium © Dominik Butzmann/BMWE

Success in Federal Start-up Competition: Millions in Funding for Start-up Factory

The Central German project “boOst Startup Ecosystem gGmbH” has won the nationwide competition to set up “Startup Factories.” The university alliance from Saxony and Thuringia, coordinated by TUD and the University of Leipzig, and its partners from industry will receive up to ten million euros per project to establish a Central German Startup Factory and bolster start-up activities.

© Collage: Helene Herwig; Einzelbilder: D. Jungmann, M. Schumann, P. Talukdar, S. Lange, TUD/Kasetsart University

Internationalization Funding Program | Presenting Best Practice Projects

The Internationalization funding program is designed to support projects aimed at global collaboration and international visibility. The more than 185 projects funded from 2020 to August 2025 demonstrate the diverse forms of internationalization practiced at TUD. At a new presentation showcasing selected examples of best practice, successful funding recipients offer insights into their projects and inspiration for others in the future.

© jirsak - stock.adobe

Two New TUD Young Investigators

Since 2014, the University Executive Board has awarded a total of 81 excellent Junior Research Group leaders the title “TUD Young Investigator”. Now, two more outstanding scientists have been appointed to the position:

• Dr. Jiri Eitler | Medicine
• Dr. Darja Andreev | Medicine

This status strengthens the position of excellent, independent Junior Research Group leaders in Dresden’s scientific community by integrating them more closely into the faculties and offering them qualifications tailored to their specific needs.

Postdoc Talk | Internationality as a Career Booster

In cooperation with our EUTOPIA partner Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), the Postdoc Center invites you to a Postdoc Talk on “Internationality as a Career Booster”.
This English-language Zoom talk will take place from 11.30 am to 1 pm on September 16.

Postdoc Day 2025 | Sign Up Now

Rather than being plain sailing, research often comes up against obstacles, doubts and setbacks. But it is precisely those challenges that offer a chance to grow and gain fresh perspectives. The Postdoc Center’s third Postdoc Day on September 18 is thus bylined “Bumps, Bruises, and Breakthroughs: Building Careers from Setbacks” and invites visitors to share their personal experiences and discover strategies for turning setbacks into bona fide success stories.

           

DRESDEN-concept Expands to 43 Partner Institutions

DRESDEN-concept has secured two new member institutions — the City of Dresden’s Culture, Science and Tourism Division and Dresden International University (DIU) — bringing the current number of partner institutions to 43. These are united by the common aim of promoting Dresden as a research location, creating and making use of synergistic effects in research and teaching, infrastructure, administration and the transfer of knowledge.

© diloka107 auf Freepik

Scientific Area Network | A Circular Economy

The Scientific Area Network event on September 9 provides the perfect platform for you to network with researchers from the DRESDEN-concept alliance studying the concept of a circular economy; to discuss the latest research findings, and to jointly come up with new ideas for conserving resources in future.

© Sven Ellger/TUD

StuFoExpo 2025 | Fail Better – The Art of Failing in Research

The StuFoExpo 2025 on December 5 will celebrate something rarely mentioned elsewhere: mistakes, errors and dead ends. The event acts as a safe space for students to talk about research projects that did not go as planned, and the lessons they learned from them. To deliver their presentation, participants can choose from pitches, posters, or science slams with audience discussion. The application deadline for students is September 12.

© Unit Diversity Management

Diversity TU go | Mind the Gap – AI, Power and Participation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has come to overshadow our everyday life, our learning and our work. But whose voices are missing? The AI gender gap shows that women are still underrepresented, and that inequalities are reflected in data and algorithms. This trigger presentation by Sarah Müller-Sägebrecht (“We explain AI”) examines the causes, consequences and possible courses of action for higher education institutions. Don’t miss out: sign up by September 24!

© Courtesy of the artist (Mario Pfeifer) & KOW , Berlin (Corpo Fechado (2016), installation view, GfZK Museum of Contemporary Art, Leipzig)

Performing Transformation | Schaufler Lab

From September 29 to 30, the “Performing Transformation” event will investigate how, in our changing society, knowledge is produced, manifested and put to the test at the point where art, science and technology meet. The aim is to bring together researchers, artists and practitioners to explore collaborative research practices in the context of economic, cultural and technological change. The conference will be organized by interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary institutions at TUD, including SchauflerLab@TU Dresden, TUDiSC and the Emerging Field of Societal Change.

© Frank Grätz

Control Surgical Procedures from anywhere in 3D

In robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery (MIS), a Mixed Reality (MR) system was demonstrated that combines a 3D live view, robot-mounted endoscope control, and in-situ telestration. This approach replaced flat video feeds with an interactive workspace, enabling real-timepointing, annotation, and camera control from anywhere.Tested in operating room settings with surgeon feedback, the system showed how experts can guide procedures with greater clarity and precision — without being physically present. The method offers new potential for faster decision-making, improved team coordination, and enhanced access to specialist knowledge.

A microscopy picture of an 8-week-old human cortical organoid. Neurons are labeled in cyan and neural stem cells are labeled in magenta. The grey color shows the lining of one of the brain’s internal cavities. © Ezgi Şenoğlu

Single-Cell Epigenetic Analysis Provides Insights Into Brain Development

Epigenetic regulation plays an important role in the development of most organs, but how important is it for the human brain? A research team led by Prof. Mareike Albert at the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD) has now combined human brain organoids with a new single-cell technique to characterize a large number of epigenetic modifications in the developing brain. The team showed that histone methylation, a type of epigenetic modification, regulates cell proliferation and organoid size. The new method, called Epi-CyTOF, is now available for researchers and industry partners at the CRTD Mass Cytometry Facility.

© Farknot Architect – stock.adobe.com; Sven Ellger/TUD

Alumni Magazine Focuses on Excellence

The current issue of the alumni magazine "Kontakt-online" is all about one of the most important topics discussed at TUD this year: Excellence. What does the title “University of Excellence” mean? What groundbreaking research projects have the Clusters of Excellence sparked?