Topics range from climate-neutral steel and storytelling in the digital age to the study of infectious diseases / Approximately €130 million for the first funding period

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) is establishing 18 new Research Training Groups (RTGs) to further bolster the support offered to researchers in early career phases. This was decided by the responsible Grants Committee in Bonn. From spring 2026 onwards, the new RTGs will receive a total of approximately €130 million over an initial period of five years. This includes a programme allowance of 22 percent for indirect project costs. The new RTGs include four International Research Training Groups (IRTGs) with partners in the US, Italy, Canada and France.

In addition to the 18 newly established groups, the Grants Committee approved an additional funding period for another ten RTGs. Research Training Groups offer doctoral researchers the opportunity to complete their doctorates by following a structured research and training programme at a high level of subject-specific expertise. The DFG is currently providing funding for a total of 214 RTGs, including 29 IRTGs.

The 18 new Research Training Groups in detail

(in alphabetical order of host university, with information on the spokesperson as well as the other applicant universities and cooperation partners):

With over 20 percent of global industrial CO₂ emissions originating from the steel value chain, the sector offers significant potential for achieving climate neutrality by 2050. The RTG Circular Steel – Enablers for a circular economy of climate-neutral steel will address the technological and scientific challenges this entails. These include adapting electric arc furnaces for the use of iron and recycled scrap, analysing the accumulation of harmful trace elements (especially copper), and optimising energy use in steel processing routes. Researchers will also explore strategies to extend the material’s service life, as well as its reuse and reprocessing. (RWTH Aachen, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Ulrich Krupp)

Soil-transmitted helminths are parasitic worms that can be spread to humans and animals via the soil. These infections are widespread in the Global South, but due to the growing prevalence of organic farming and the effects of climate change, they are also becoming a health risk in Europe for both people and animals, especially livestock. Treatment is difficult due to frequent resistance, and the worms can cause long-term soil contamination. The sustainable control of helminth infections has so far received little scientific attention. The RTG One Health approach to soil-transmitted helminths will seek to close this research gap by adopting a holistic view of human, animal and ecosystem health. (FU Berlin, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Susanne Hartmann)

Infectious diseases cause significant harm to both animals and humans. Their study typically relies on animal models that yield essential insights into infection processes and immune responses, making them critical to both veterinary and human medicine. For the most part, such models cannot yet be replaced by alternatives due to the systemic nature of disease mechanisms. So-called refinement methods offer the potential to reduce the burden on test animals, however. The RTG Assessment of behaviour and stress responses to understand and improve veterinary infectious diseases models aims to identify stress reactions and behavioural changes in different species of laboratory animals and pathogen types – via metabolic markers, video observation and AI analysis. The findings are expected to both reduce animal suffering and generate new knowledge about infections. (FU Berlin, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Christa Thöne-Reineke)

Biomolecular condensates are membrane-free subcellular structures formed through a process known as liquid–liquid phase separation. They have a key role to play in cellular functions such as stress responses and signal transmission. Yet it remains unclear how their composition, material properties, geometry and specific microenvironments govern biological functions. The RTG Biomolecular Condensates: From Physics to Biological Functions aims to uncover fundamental relationships between condensates, physiology and the associated diseases by combining molecular biology with polymer physics. (University of Dresden, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Jens-Uwe Sommer)

Cells can alter their properties and functions in response to external stimuli or internal processes. This will be investigated by the international RTG Cellular and Molecular Plasticity in the Cardiovascular System. The overarching hypothesis is that the plastic modulation of cells is accompanied by the development of novel cellular phenotypes that are crucial to both organ function and dysfunction. The researchers will employ a wide range of methods, spanning from in vivo and in vitro models to the functional analysis of the heart, blood vessels and cellular subtypes, as well as the comprehensive analysis of biomolecules using bioinformatic techniques. (University of Düsseldorf, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Axel Gödecke; cooperation partner: Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, USA)

In recent years, the rapid development of new detector technologies, the growing use of artificial intelligence and advances in accelerated material characterisation and simulation have also led to a dramatic increase in the volume of data generated in microscopy. The need to use this data efficiently and sustainably has triggered a paradigm shift from knowledge-based to data-driven approaches. This is the starting point of the RTG Correlative Materials Microscopy: From nanostructured functional films to hierarchical functional materials (CorMic). Correlative microscopy plays a key role in decoding structure-property relationships in modern functional materials, and thus in their efficient use in sustainable technologies such as photovoltaics, batteries and hydrogen. (University Erlangen-Nuremberg), Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Erdmann Spieker)

In both public discourse and academic contexts, democracy is usually understood solely as a form of government. The RTG Aesthetics of Democracy will explore the sensory and aesthetic dimensions of democracy – from the level of perception to that of action. Its focus lies on the orders, practices, objects and experiences that give form to democratic coexistence. Surprisingly little attention has been paid to this aesthetic of democracy so far – in contrast to the aesthetics of fascism, for instance. Drawing on concepts from political theory regarding the interplay between forms of government and collective ways of life, this RTG will involve collaboration between researchers from a range of disciplines, including literary studies, art history, film and media studies, history and philosophy. (University of Frankfurt/Main, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Johannes Völz)

The IRTG Analysis of Nonlinear PDE: Conformal Energies, Optimal Shapes, and Continuum Mechanics will focus on nonlinear partial differential equations, which are examined both analytically and numerically. In particular, the researchers aim to explore the overlaps between theoretical and application-oriented perspectives in order to generate mutual benefits – especially with regard to the development of new mathematical methods. The individual research projects will cover geometric analysis, shape optimisation and continuum mechanics models. Stochastic elements provide links to current topics such as climate modelling and geometric data science. (University of Freiburg, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Patrick Dondl, cooperation partners: Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy; Università di Pisa, Italy)

Forests in both Germany and Canada are severely affected by climate change. In particular, increasing stress factors such as drought and storms are driving drastic transformations in forest ecosystems. These rapid changes pose major challenges for forestry, demanding cross-scale approaches on the part of researchers. The IRTG Scale effects in the forest adaptation to climate change (FORSCALE) aims to develop systemic solutions in response. Its research will focus especially on the impact of forest adaptation across different spatial, temporal and institutional scales – and on the interactions that arise as a result. The programme is based on theories of system dynamics and resilience research in complex adaptive systems. (University of Freiburg, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Thomas Seifert, cooperation partners: Lakehead University, Université du Québec à Montréal, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Université du Québec en Outaouais, Canada, Université TÉLUQ, University of British Columbia, Canada)

Almost everything we know about gene function has been discovered in a handful of traditional model organisms such as fruit flies, zebrafish and mice. But it has recently become possible to study gene functions in a wider range of animal species. This opens up new avenues for exploring gene regulation processes and the origins of biodiversity. The RTG Emerging genetic model systems: Cross-species comparison of developmental gene function and gene regulatory networks aims to investigate how the diversification of gene regulatory networks and gene functions contribute to the evolution of animal diversity. As an example of gradual evolution, the researchers will examine the process of head development as it has emerged over generations. They will also explore what led to the emergence of evolutionarily novel morphologies such as the horns found on the heads of beetles. (University of Göttingen, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Gregor Bucher)

Infections are among the most common diseases worldwide and constitute a significant socioeconomic burden. Despite progress in prevention and treatment, they remain one of the leading causes of death globally. Contributing factors include the growing problem of antibiotic resistance in bacteria and the lack of effective antiviral drugs. There is a particular need for new therapeutic approaches to treat intracellular infections caused by viruses and by bacteria that can survive both inside and outside host cells. The RTG ACME – Activation of Cellular anti-Microbial Effectors is based on the central hypothesis that defence mechanisms can be activated or modulated to control infections more effectively. (Hannover Medical School, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Dirk Schlüter)

Respiratory infections and systemic inflammation can trigger a range of diseases characterised by damage to immunoneuronal processes. In a worst case scenario they may lead to brain damage and acute changes in social behaviour. Although infections and inflammation are increasingly recognised as significant causes of neurological disorders and mental health impairments, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The RTG Neuropsychiatric Sequelae of Infectious Diseases – NEURINFECT aims to shed more light on these processes. The RTG will operate at the intersection of infectious disease medicine/immunology and neurology/psychiatry. (University of Jena, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Nils Opel)

Antibodies perform a range of functions in the body – they can protect against disease but also contribute to its development. What role do antibodies play in such divergent immune responses? In order to answer this question, the RTG Protective and pathogenic antibody responses at barrier organs will study antibody reactions in allergies and chronic inflammatory diseases in various barrier organs – the skin, lungs and intestines. Since B cells and the antibodies they produce play a central role in all the diseases under investigation, the RTG will place a particular focus on this type of white blood cell. Its aim is to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that trigger and sustain B cell responses in immunological barrier organs, and also to explore how and why antibodies can mediate such opposing effects. (University of Lübeck, spokesperson: Professor Dr. Rudolf Manz; also applying: University of Kiel)

What does it mean to bear witness, and in what forms is witnessing manifest? Research on this topic to date has primarily focused on the witness as a singular subject of knowledge. The RTG Technologies of Witnessing: Media and Cultural Practices seeks to broaden this narrow perspective. It will explore such things as the specific techniques of witnessing that are emerging in digitally networked environments – such as in witness videos on social media – and the influence these developments have on contemporary cultures. The RTG will also address topics such as theatrical tribunals, forensic investigations and non-human witnesses in the visual arts – all of which point to a fundamental shift in the concept of witnessing and the need for new approaches. (University of Mainz, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Christian Tedjasukmana)

Control theory examines dynamic systems whose behaviour can be influenced by external inputs. Until now, it has developed largely independently of machine learning (ML). The RTG Machine Learning and Control Theory: Exploring Synergies, Complementarities, and Mutual Benefits (METEOR) aims to bridge these two fields. Researchers will investigate how machine learning can support the data-driven design of robust control systems for complex, safety-critical applications (“ML for CT”), and also how concepts and methods from control theory might enhance ML algorithms (“CT for ML”). The perspective of complex dynamic systems provides the shared mathematical framework. (LMU Munich, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Eyke Hüllermeier; also applying: TU Munich)

With its complex network of over 100 cell types, the retina plays a key role in the early stages of visual signal processing and the transmission of behaviourally relevant information to the brain. Since these first crucial steps in seeing require a great deal of energy, the retina is the highest relative energy consumer in the human body. The IRTG Energy input vs. information output: Identifying the limits that shape the function of the retina and the visual system (Limits2Vision) will investigate the delicate balance between these demands, i.e. the mechanisms that enable the retina to manage its energy needs while efficiently processing visual information. (University of Tübingen, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Thomas Euler; cooperation partner: Institut de la Vision, Paris, France)

In an age of complex social, economic and ecological crises, the concept of precarity is proving to be a valuable tool for diagnosing the present. The RTG Figurations of the Precarious in the Global South critically examines the usefulness of this concept for analysing conditions in the Global South. To what extent do individuals and communities perceive everyday situations, social contexts or interactions as being precarious? What patterns of cultural perception do they use to interpret and evaluate precarity? And what tactics and strategies do they develop to navigate it? These are some of the questions the researchers will address. The Global South is understood here as a space of entanglement in which elements of Western modernity intersect with regionally specific models of problem-solving and world-making. (University of Tübingen, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Sebastian Thies)

People spend much of their lives engaging with stories, not least to process what they have experienced or to share information. Recent research has shown that stories exert a powerful influence on users and recipients. In this context, emerging media environments such as artificial intelligence, virtual realities and social media raise pressing new questions. How do digital media influence the psychosocial development of children for example? The aim of the RTG The Experience of Stories in the Digital Age (TESDA) is to create a research environment that brings together communication studies, psychology and computer science. Its goal is to advance research into how stories are processed and what effects they have in the digital age – and to address the related epistemological challenges. (University of Würzburg, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Markus Appel)

The ten RTGs with their funding extended for an additional period

(in alphabetical order of host university, with information on the spokesperson as well as the other applicant universities and cooperation partners, and with references to the project descriptions in the DFG’s online database GEPRIS):

• RTG Experiencing Gender. Constitution and Transformation of Being in the World (University of Bielefeld, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Tomke König), https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/432521237?language=en(externer Link)
• RTG Biostatistical methods for high-dimensional data in toxicology (TU Dortmund, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Jörg Rahnenführer), https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/427806116(externer Link)
• RTG Knowledge- and Data-Driven Personalisation of Medicine at the Point of Care (University of Duisburg-Essen, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Felix Nensa), https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/407978809(externer Link)
• RTG Practicing Place. Socio-Cultural Practices and Epistemic Configurations (KU Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Robert Schmidt), https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/418843373(externer Link)
• RTG Interfacing image analysis and molecular life-science (Imol) (University of Frankfurt am Main, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Achilleas Frangakis), https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/414985841(externer Link)
• RTG Understanding protease functions in cellular pathways through discovery and analysis of protease substrates (ProtPath) (University of Freiburg, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Thomas Reinheckel), https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/423813989(externer Link)
• IRTG Baltic Peripeties. Narratives of Reformations, Revolutions and Catastrophes (University of Greifswald, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Eckhard Schumacher; also applying: Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Tartu Ülikool, Estonia), https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/413881800(externer Link)
• RTG Beyond Amphiphilicity: Self-Organization of Soft Matter Via Multiple Noncovalent Interactions (University of Halle-Wittenberg, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Dariush Hinderberger), https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/436494874(externer Link)
• RTG Template-designed organic electronics (TIDE) (University of Cologne, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Klaus Meerholz; also applying: University of Bonn), https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/418939742(externer Link)
• RTG Ion Pair Effects in Molecular Reactivity (University of Regensburg, Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Ruth M. Gschwind), https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/426795949(externer Link)

Further Information

More detailed information on the funding programme and the Research Training Groups to be awarded funding can be found here: www.dfg.de/gk/en(interner Link)

Further information is also available from the RTG spokespersons.