TUM strengthens strategic activities in China

Based at the Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS), the new office will serve as a central hub to strengthen the strategic collaboration with Tsinghua University, one of TUM’s strategic flagship partners. TUM Executive Vice President, Prof. Juliane Winkelmann, emphasized at the opening ceremony in Shenzhen: “With the launch of this new office, we are strengthening our presence in one of China’s most dynamic innovation ecosystems. Shenzhen is a place where research, technology, and entrepreneurship meet at an extraordinary pace – and we are proud to build a bridge here that will support joint research, exchange, and talent development.” TUM Shenzhen will play a pivotal role in facilitating joint research initiatives and expanding strategic partnerships with industry and academia across the region. The office is to open new pathways for student mobility, research collaboration, and cross-border partnerships connecting China, Munich, and Singapore.

“Our internationality is both an asset and a responsibility”

With its award, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) aims not only to recognize international students but also to highlight diversity, showing “how international students enrich our universities,” emphasizes Stephan Geifes, Director of the National Agency for Erasmus+ at DAAD. At TUM, with its more than 20,000 international students, this is especially true.

Physicist Frank Pollmann receives Leibniz Prize

Frank Pollmann investigates the fundamental properties of condensed matter and how quantum mechanical effects influence its behavior. His research focuses on quantum many-body systems, in particular topological phases, frustrated and strongly correlated spin systems, and non-equilibrium quantum dynamics. To gain a deeper understanding of the physics of these systems, he uses and develops tensor network methods and concepts of quantum information. These enable exotic orders and new states of matter to be identified and precisely characterized. He also uses quantum computers and develops quantum algorithms to efficiently simulate such complex systems. Frank Pollmann studied physics at the Technical University of Braunschweig and the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and received his doctorate in 2006 from the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems (MPIPKS) in Dresden. He then conducted research at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2011, he began leading a junior research group at MPIPKS. In 2016, Pollmann was appointed associate professor and in 2022 full professor at TUM. Frank Pollmann is the 26th TUM researcher to be honored with the Leibniz Prize since 1986. TUM President Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann praises the award winner's outstanding work: “Prof. Frank Pollmann is a basic researcher par excellence. Using efficient classical algorithms and modern quantum computers, he investigates the fundamental laws that govern the behavior of matter and quantum systems. Such research is the prerequisite for spectacular new discoveries that can ultimately lead to breakthrough innovations. I congratulate Prof. Frank Pollmann on this well-deserved award.”

Decades-old mystery in particle physics solved

The result: The protons and neutrons necessary for the formation of deuterons are released during the decay of very short-lived, highly energetic particle states (so-called resonances) and then bind together. The same holds true for their antimatter counterparts. The findings were published in the renowned journal Nature. In proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, temperatures arise that are more than 100,000 times hotter than the center of the Sun. Until now, it had been entirely unclear how fragile particles such as deuterons and antideuterons could survive under these conditions. In such an environment, light atomic nuclei like the deuteron – consisting of just one proton and one neutron – should in fact disintegrate immediately, since the binding force that holds them together is comparatively weak. Yet such nuclei had repeatedly been observed. It is now clear: about 90 percent of the observed (anti)deuterons are produced through this mechanism.

Art and culture at our university

Biosensor performance doubled

Self-monitoring blood glucose and adjusting insulin as needed: Biosensors make this possible for people with diabetes—quickly and without the need for a lab. Biosensors are also used in other areas, but many promising applications require greater precision. For example, measuring creatinine levels, an important indicator of kidney function, has been too inaccurate so far. As a result, the full potential of biosensors remains untapped. Nicolas Plumeré, Professor of Electrobiotechnology at TUM, Huijie Zhang, former researcher at his professorship and now Professor of New Energy at Nanjing University of Science and Technology in China, and Mohamed Saadeldin, a TUM doctoral student, set out to change that. In a lab study, the accuracy of oxidase biosensors for glucose, lactate, and creatinine was increased from approximately 50% to 99%—without the need for prior calibration. Lactate, for instance, is measured when monitoring critically ill patients. According to the team, this breakthrough opens up entirely new fields of application. Their findings were published in Science Advances.

Six 91��ɫ Consolidator Grants awarded to TUM researchers

Each project is funded by the European Research Council (91��ɫ) with up to two million euros. With these six new Consolidator Grants, the total number of 91��ɫ Grants at TUM rises to 261, including 60 Consolidator Grants.

Support for start-ups in the field of cybersecurity

Together, the partners want to establish Munich as a leading global hub for security-related innovations of the future. As innovation incubators, TUM Venture Labs offer research and start-up teams in the deep tech sector intensive support in transforming scientific findings and ideas into marketable products. This includes direct access to TUM's cutting-edge research, specific technical infrastructure, tailor-made training programs, expertise in the respective market, and global networking with industry and investors.

Monitoring biodiversity in the long term

Hula Earth has developed a system that automatically recognizes, processes and stores bird calls and sends the results to the company headquarters via radio. The most essential function of the solar-powered, shoebox-sized green device is to listen to nature and distinguish between sounds. “Bird calls in particular have been well researched,” says co-founder David Schmider, the team's inventor. “And birds are also a good indicator of biodiversity,” says the computer scientist and CTO at Hula Earth. What makes the overall system special is that it reliably recognizes bird calls. “In addition, the data is processed directly in real time on the device. This saves biologists a lot of manual field work,” concludes Schmider. Dashboard with biodiversity indicators The device registers bird calls within a hundred meters. In addition to local bioacoustic data, Hula Earth looks at the Earth from space and utilizes satellite data to determine such parameters as water content in leaves or levels of photosynthesis activity. All of the data are compiled in a dashboard that displays the biodiversity of the respective region, including figures on ecosystem vitality, leaf area index (the amount of leaf area per unit of soil surface) and water storage capacity. “Just like the climate crisis, there is also a biodiversity crisis,” explains co-founder and CEO Florian Geiser, a TUM alumnus and the strategist and visionary in the team. “More than half of gross domestic product depends directly on nature's services. It is essential to be able to measure the state of nature reliably and over the long term.” Nature as a spiritual source for the business model

“Anything that carries the WARR name has turned out well.”

Defective enzyme causes nerve cells to die

TUM and Munich Fire Department join forces for sustainable fire protection

"The 'Munich Fire Science Partnership' combines scientific excellence in fire protection with real operational practice. As a result, we can reflect on the relevance of research projects. Our shared goal is to make fire protection more sustainable and resource-efficient at the intersection between firefighting and preventive fire safety," says Claudius Hammann, Professor for Fire Science and Engineering. "Firefighting largely relies on experience gained from individual situations. It is now important to link this with scientific methods to derive general rules that apply to all situations," emphasizes Wolfgang Schäuble, Chief Fire Officer and Head of the Munich Fire Department.

Maintaining Excellence and Relevance

In his speech, President Hofmann emphasized: “With a clear vision for the future, we are facing the great challenges of our time in order to maintain excellence and relevance.” The world is confronted with technological advances at an unprecedented speed, structural economic changes, completely changed requirements for future workers, a progressive erosion of trust within society, and new geopolitical realities.

Are phages the future of medicine?

Strengthening Social Entrepreneurship: An Interview with Melis Güler and Jonas Süß of Talente Spenden e.V.

Ms. Güler, you’ve said that you want your future career to contribute to society or the environment. That’s why you chose to study Environmental Engineering at TUM. Since your second semester, you’ve been actively involved with Talente Spenden, already contributing to the common good. What motivates your volunteer work? Melis Güler: What excites me most about Talente Spenden is collaborating with so many dedicated and motivated people who all pursue the same goal. I’m convinced that we can only make real change as a society if we work together. My involvement is my personal contribution to that. I view it as a privilege to be able to study, and I believe it is essential to give back. Mr. Süß, you are also actively involved with Talente Spenden. What drives your engagement? Jonas Süß: I’ve always wanted to work on something that creates real social value. I enjoy using my skills for something meaningful. Talente Spenden gives me exactly that opportunity. And I find it fascinating how much impact an organization with 2,000 alumni and 300 active members can generate.

All the world's buildings available as 3D models for the first time

How many buildings are there on Earth – and what do they look like in 3D? The research team led by Prof. Xiaoxiang Zhu, holder of the Chair of Data Science in Earth Observation at TUM, has answered these fundamental questions in this project funded by an 91��ɫ Starting Grant. The GlobalBuildingAtlas comprises 2.75 billion building models, covering all structures captured in satellite imagery from the year 2019. This makes it the most comprehensive collection of its kind. For comparison: the largest previous global dataset contained about 1.7 billion buildings. The 3D models with a resolution of 3×3 meters are 30 times finer than data from comparable databases. In addition, 97 percent (2.68 billion) of the buildings are provided as LoD1 3D models (Level of Detail 1). These are simplified three-dimensional representations that capture the basic shape and height of each building. While less detailed than higher LoD levels, they can be integrated at scale into computational models, forming a precise basis for analyses of urban structures, volume calculations, and infrastructure planning. Unlike previous datasets, GlobalBuildingAtlas includes buildings from regions often missing in global maps – such as Africa, South America, and rural areas.

Software architecture for future cars

To ensure that the cars of the future can travel safely and reliably on roads regardless of environmental conditions, vast amounts of data must be processed. The data are collected in real time from sensors in the vehicle while driving and from databases and/or simulations on test benches during vehicle development. “For autonomous driving, the data recorded by the vehicle itself is combined with data from permanently installed cameras, lidars or radar sensors on sign bridges or from other nearby vehicles. That would be the maximum amount of information you could get,” says Knoll, head of the TUM Chair of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Real-Time Systems. Ad-hoc data analysis Over the past three years, researchers at TUM and various partners from the automotive and chip industries have developed a suitable vehicle architecture that evaluates and uses the data on an ad-hoc basis – as part of the ‘Central Car Server’ (CeCaS) research project funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). A centralized and entirely software-based architecture of this kind will be required for vehicle generations from 2033 onwards. The advantages in detail: (1.) Scenarios can be tested realistically in simulations In reality, vehicles are not yet fully capable of handling many traffic and weather conditions that they encounter. To address this, researchers have created a simulation environment in which a wide range of scenarios can be generated with the aid of powerful graphics chips. After training, the vehicle has the knowledge to cope with the given situation ‘on board’. The scenarios can also be made available to users from the automotive industry and research via open source access. (2.) Drastic cost savings through centralized and standardized data processing Conventional vehicles often use more than a hundred individual control units. Versatile, programmable high-performance computers such as those used in the CeCaS concept will largely replace them in the future. This will eliminate the need for many connecting cables between control units, make installation easier and reduce costs. Above all, however, it will be possible to add new functionality purely through software upgrades. And, as with mobile phones, the software development can be customized by customers. (3.) A digital twin allows all functions to be assessed on the test bench The TUM test bench allows vehicles to be securely clamped in place with all axles and wheels for testing. This means that not only driver assistance systems, anti-lock braking systems and new emergency braking assistants can be tested. “Using a digital twin of the vehicle, we can also import scenarios and perform live testing on the test bench,” explains TUM researcher Alois Knoll. In addition, scenarios from real-world accidents involving autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles can be imported and used for training – without anyone being harmed in the process. Artificial intelligence: software created effortlessly For TUM Professor Knoll, a key advantage of the future vehicle architecture is that it will accelerate development processes and thus innovation as well. As TUM research results within the framework of the CeCaS project show, software can be developed ever more quickly with the help of artificial intelligence and generative language models. Specifications are almost always available in text form. And these reflect the behavior of technical devices. TUM researchers have shown that language models can process specifications as long as they are consistent, complete and free of contradictions, which in turn can be checked by AI. This allows new software code to be created in seconds, virtually by design. However, this requires the entire architecture in the vehicle to be compatible. Knoll: “Understanding cars as software-defined vehicles, i.e. software platforms, is simply necessary in order to remain competitive in the vehicle market in the future.”

TUM IDEAward for biotechnology and nanotechnology teams

Which ideas can be turned into successful products? What start-up team is addressing the challenges facing society? Which start-up will create sustainable value in the future? In the final round of the TUM IDEAward, 10 teams aiming to launch start-up companies presented their ideas to the public. The award for the best ideas is granted by the 91��ɫ (TUM), UnternehmerTUM, the Center for Innovation and Business Creation, and the Zeidler Research Foundation, which provides a total of 37,500 Euros in prize money. The winners also receive individual coaching from TUM Start-up Consulting up to the time of market launch.

First place for TUM team at iCANX in Hong Kong

As third place and then second place are awarded at the iCANX ceremony in Hong Kong, the name Sonovision has still not been called. The three team members — Dragan Rašeta, Paula Ruhwandl, and Daniel Martin — are unsure whether to hope or to doubt. “In that moment, it is clear: either we receive no prize at all, or we get first place,” recalls Dragan Rašeta, who is responsible for Sonovision’s hardware. A few seconds later, the name of their project is announced. First comes relief, then celebration — it is the moment in which months of work turn into international success.

Immune cells turn damage into repair

Regulatory T cells (Tregs), a specialized type of immune cells, are usually seen as “peacekeepers” that prevent excessive immune attacks. In a study  published in Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, researchers from the Department of Radiation Oncology at the TUM University Hospital and the LIT Cooperation Group “Innate Immune Sensing in Cancer and Transplantation” uncovered how the body`s own immune system can be harnessed to repair the intestinal lining and improve survival. 

TUM will save 30,000 tons of CO2 per year in the future

The key to this is the intelligent use of what is already available: waste heat. In future, most of the heating will come from the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre, a facility of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities on the research campus. Its high-performance computers generate considerable heat and require complex cooling systems. In the future, this energy will be fed into the campus’ local heating network. Additional heat will be obtained via geothermal energy, i.e., hot thermal water from underground in Garching. Heat pumps and – for peak load requirements – electric boilers will also be used. Only for the absolutely necessary purpose of ensuring security of supply in the event of a power failure will there be a new, particularly efficient gas boiler. TUM President Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann said: "We are serious about our commitment to greater sustainability and are continuing to implement our TUM Sustainable Futures Strategy 2030. In addition to research into innovative and efficient technologies, this also includes the day-to-day operation of our university. For us, this is a question of responsibility for future generations and credibility. I would like to thank the TUM Sustainability Office and the Vice President for Sustainable Transformation, Prof. Werner Lang, for their support, as well as our real estate management team for planning and implementing this innovative step. Everything should be ready in just three years." TUM Executive Vice President Human Resources, Administration and Finance, Albert Berger, added: "In GETEC, our TUM real estate department has found an internationally experienced partner for the implementation of such large-scale projects. These specialists will take over the complete operation and service of the new campus-wide heat supply. And they are installing extensive new pipelines and other necessary infrastructure for this purpose. These are absolutely sensible investments in the future of our university operations." Henning Lustermann, Managing Director of GETEC Wärme und Effizienz GmbH, emphasizes: "We are proud to be able to accompany the 91��ɫ in this flagship project of the heat transition. Our energy concept proves that security of supply, economic efficiency, and climate protection are not mutually exclusive. By intelligently networking various local heat sources, such as waste heat from the supercomputer and geothermal energy, we are creating a sustainable system that meets the high demands of a campus of excellence."

Entrepreneur Martin Herrenknecht promotes climate research at TUM

In view of increasingly frequent climate extremes and an increasingly disturbed water balance, it is crucial to better understand the effectiveness and scalability of possible countermeasures. The fellowship will investigate concrete approaches to stabilizing the landscape water balance in order to mitigate the consequences of flooding and drought in southern Germany. The research goal is to model and evaluate decentralized forestry and agricultural retention measures as well as storage reservoirs, taking into account the effects of climate change in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. The fellowship is based at the Chair of Hydrology and River Basin Management held by Prof. Markus Disse. Dr.-Ing E.h. Martin Herrenknecht, whose company Herrenknecht AG is a Partner of Excellence at TUM, emphasizes: "Changes in the climate mean that we often have too little water, drought, or too much water, flooding. As an entrepreneur, I am used to finding solutions to problems; as an engineer, I believe in the power of science. That is why I support the research at the Chair of Hydrology and River Basin Management at TUM." TUM President Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann expresses his gratitude on behalf of the University Foundation for the generous donation: "The consequences of man-made climate change will become increasingly apparent in people's everyday lives in the future. In addition to efforts to slow down global warming, we must also address concrete protective measures against extreme weather conditions. Dr. Herrenknecht's support is a sign of responsible and forward-thinking."

The winners of the TUM Future Learning Initiative 2025

Five years ago, TUM President Thomas F. Hofmann launched the TUM Future Learning Initiative to create a forum for the entire community to not only develop ideas for improving teaching and learning but also put them into practice. In 2025, the competition entered its third round. A distinguished jury of representatives from teaching, administration, and TUM’s Student Representation has selected the winners of the TUM Future Learning Initiative 2025. Thanks to Freunde der TUM – Association of Alumni and Friends, these projects can now be implemented.

Global Technology Forum Promotes International AI Research Collaboration

The agenda included:  Identification of relevant fields of application and competence profiles  Promotion of international scientific cooperation  Networking of research institutions with industry partners 

Second school student research center under the direction of TUM

From racing car to rocket tank

As is so often the case in engineering, a small detail determines technological progress. In the case of rockets, it is the high-pressure tanks that are specially designed for the fuel systems. As rockets are designed to be as light as possible, they lose structural stability when the fuel tanks, known as primary tanks, are emptied. A trick is used to counteract this: alongside fuel combustion, noble gases are released from internal high-pressure tanks, known as secondary tanks. These gases fill the resulting empty space, maintaining structural integrity. "It’s like a can of soda – the ratio of wall thickness to diameter is actually quite similar in aerospace. As long as the can is filled with liquid and CO₂, I can stand on it without worry. But once it’s empty, it immediately loses its structural integrity," explains Bastian Behrens, founder of Blackwave and TUM alumnus.

AI helps cancer patients better understand CT reports

To simplify the original documents, the researchers used an open-source large language model operated in compliance with data protection regulations on the TUM University Hospital’s computers. An example: "The cardiomediastinal silhouette is midline. The cardiac chambers are normally opacified. [...] A small pericardial effusion is noted" was simplified by the AI as follows: "Heart: The report notes a small amount of fluid around your heart. This is a common finding, and your doctor will determine if it needs any attention."

TUM ranked 13th worldwide for interdisciplinary research

Interdisciplinarity at TUM is a mindset rooted in autonomy, curiosity and agility, emphasize the British magazine Times Higher Education and the US research promoter Schmidt Science Fellows in their white paper “Interdisciplinary Futures,” in which they analyze the ranking. Collaboration arises in TUM's research culture through flexible funding, shared facilities and recognition systems.  TUM has a range of subjects that is unique in the European Union, covering engineering, computer science, natural sciences, life sciences, medicine, economics and social sciences – and it makes intensive use of this potential. THE and Schmidt Science Fellows particularly highlight the TUM Innovation Networks, in which interdisciplinary teams can come together with their own initiatives for new research questions, cross-disciplinary institutes such as the Center for Organoid Systems and the integration of the social sciences.  THE and Schmidt Science Fellows also emphasize the intensive collaboration with partners, particularly with companies based on campus such as SAP and Siemens, as well as with society, politics and administration, for example in the TUM Think Tank and the Munich Cluster for the Future of Mobility in Metropolitan Regions (MCube).  TUM also teaches its students to think outside the box through project weeks, plug-in modules and numerous student clubs, in which members from different disciplines pursue research projects together.

Uniform reference system for lightweight construction methods

Lightweight components are generally designed with computer-based methods before being manufactured. There are various common methodologies. Because they use different physical and mathematical descriptions, however, direct comparisons are difficult. Moreover, the highly complex computation methods limit them to low spatial resolutions. With their Stress-Guided Lightweight 3D Designs (SGLDBench) benchmark, the researchers have succeeded in overcoming these serious obstacles.

How plants search for nutrients