Dear reader,

The countdown is on: June 28 is Long Night of the Sciences in Berlin! The Berlin-Buch campus has been taking part in the event for 25 years – and so have we at the Max Delbrück Center. As part of our anniversary celebrations, you can explore how blood vessels make their way through our bodies during lab tours, visit a walk-in artery, or use VR glasses to find out how the heart functions and what happens during a heart attack. These are just a few examples from our program. We are looking forward to seeing you!

While you wait, check out the highlights in our Insights newsletter – from the new Clusters of Excellence and pancreatic islet organoids to Science Clash, which is a new podcast from the Life Science Learning Lab Gläsernes Labor.

Enjoy reading and listening!

Your Insights team

PS: If you want to know more about the Max Delbrück Center, just follow us on
LinkedIn, Instagram or Bluesky.

IN FOCUS

Millions in funding for Berlin Clusters of Excellence

A reason to celebrate: In the Excellence Strategy competition of the German federal and state governments, a total of five clusters from Berlin will receive funding starting in January 2026 – up to ten million euros each over a period of seven years. We are proud to be a partner in two of the successful Berlin projects: ImmunoPreCept and NeuroCure.

Read more

RESEARCH

First vascularized model of stem cell islet cells

Researchers led by Maike Sander, Scientific Director of our institute, have developed a vascularized organoid model of hormone secreting cells in the pancreas. The advance, published in “Developmental Cell,” promises to improve diabetes research and cell-based therapies.

Read more

 

AI helps people and doctors make medical decisions

Online symptom checkers often miss the mark. Can AI do better? Researchers from Altuna Akalin’s team at MDC-BIMSB put large language models to the test – evaluating their ability to guide patients and support doctors. Their study was published in “npj Digital Medicine.”

Read more

 

 

Michael Robson awarded grants to study chromatin

Michael Robson has won two new grants from the DFG and the Human Frontier Science Program totaling over €2 million. He and his lab are now working to decode the mechanics of chromatin, hoping to finally define its physical state and better understand how it governs gene regulation.

Read more

 

Helmholtz: 30 years – 30 stories

Germany's largest research organization, the Helmholtz Association, is celebrating its 30th anniversary. There are 18 research centers in the association, including the Max Delbrück Center. Together, we strive to tackle the pressing issues facing our society. Here are 30 stories about why cooperation is so important.

Read more

 

 

A microscopy network in West Africa 

Senegalese scientists gained hands-on microscopy and image analysis training during a workshop to strengthen regional biomedical research capacity in Africa. For Peran Hayes, it is a project close to his heart. He offered a course in Dakar, Senegal, and also presented the project at the first EU-LIFE Science Vision Talk Contest.

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OUR PEOPLE

Stan Gorski takes the helm of Strategic Initiatives

Stan Gorski has been appointed Head of Strategic Initiatives. He and his team aim to drive strategic developments in areas such as spatial biomedicine, AI, bioengineering and precision prevention. They will also strengthen collaborations among institutions and help set a bold agenda for the future. 

Read more

 

More visibility for female scientists

The Zia fellowship supports young female researchers in their professional and personal development. Interested applicants can apply for next year’s fellowship in July and August. Evangelia Nathanail is a current fellow — and highly recommends the program.

Read more

 

 

HI-TAC expands

We welcome four new guest groups: The labs of the junior scientists are part of the Helmholtz Institute for Translational AngioCardioScience, which is focusing on how the vascular system contributes to the development of diseases that affect multiple organ systems.

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INNOVATIONS

Joint Berlin Data & AI Center planned

Data-driven research is crucial for tackling societal challenges. In a collaboration that is so far unique, Berlin's Universities of Excellence, the Max Delbrück Center, and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, together with the Zuse Institute Berlin, aim to establish a powerful Data and AI Center. 

Read more

ON CAMPUS

Long Night of the Sciences

The Long Night of the Sciences turns 25! June 28 will mark 25 years of the Long Night of Sciences! From 5 p.m. until 11:00 p.m., we will open our laboratories and buildings to the public – like many other scientific and science-related institutions in Berlin. We will offer hands-on experiments, insight into our labs, and hopefully lots of new discoveries. To top it all off, there will be two shows. So come and join us!  Tickets to events across Berlin are available for the special anniversary price of only 5 euros. As always, children under six will be admitted for free.

Learn more about our program

 

Meditation in the museum

“The Healing Museum” combines art history with meditation, mindfulness, and medical research. The project, which aims to strengthen the mental health of visitors, was created through a collaboration between the Bode Museum and the ECRC and was spearheaded by Carmen Infante Duarte. 

 

Knowledge for your ears

The Life Science Learning Lab has launched a new podcast intended to spark young people’s interest in research. During the first three episodes of “scienceCLASH,” students from Berlin interviewed Sarah Kedziora and Theda Bartolomaeus from the ECRC about the gut microbiome’s influence on heart health.

Read more

SOUND ON

What are you listening to, Ms Steinfelder?

Svenja Steinfelder is a postdoc in the “Neural Circuits and Behaviour” group, where the biologist manages the lab. Her fascination with science doesn’t stop there: Svenja recommends two podcasts that take us into the amazing – and sometimes quirky – world of research.

Learn more
 

OPEN POSITIONS

Curious about a career that combines science and innovation? At the Max Delbrück Center you can expect exciting challenges, interdisciplinary and international teams and the opportunity to help shape the medicine of tomorrow – whether in administration or in the lab.

All open positions

SAVE THE DATE

 

June 2 - 5

Messe Karlsruhe
Messeallee 1
76287 Rheinstetten


HelmholtzAI Conference 2025


The Helmholtz AI Conference 2025: AI for Science invites you to share and further explore the transformative power of AI in science, showcasing the latest research on applied AI solutions for the fifth consecutive year.
 

June 4

4 - 5:30 p.m.

Online via Zoom


Lab meets teacher

Teacher training

Topic: Artificial intelligence in digital image processing

The lecture will be given by Christoph Karg. 
 

June 19 - 20

 

MDC-BIMSB
Hannoversche Str 28
10115 Berlin


18th Berlin Summer Meeting

Sequencing Planet Earth

The annual Berlin Summer Meeting: The Computational and Experimental Molecular Biology Meet brings together scientists working at the intersection of computational and experimental science and promotes cross-disciplinary exchange between early-career researchers and leading experts.
 

June 26

5 - 9 p.m.

Campus Berlin-Buch
Robert-Rössle-Str. 10
13125 Berlin


Talk im Cube

Cooperation in Life Science with the United States

Expert discussion focused on cooperation in Life Science with the United States. 

This event will feature two esteemed experts in the field who will share their insights and experiences.

With
Juliane Eichler, Senior Legal Advisor, German American Chamber of Commerce in New York and 

Harald Hasselmann, CEO Eckert & Ziegler

Registration viau.lohmeier@campusberlinbuch.de
 

June 28

5 - 11 p.m.

Campus Berlin-Buch
Robert-Rössle-Str. 10
13125 Berlin


Long Night of Sciences


In June, we will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Long Night of the Sciences (LNDW) in Berlin!

Once again, you can look forward to a diverse program featuring spectacular experiments, exciting lectures, science shows, lab tours, and a late-night show.

This year, tickets are only 5 euros! Book your tickets now!

Sign up for the newsletter now!

Follow the Lange Nacht on LinkedIn
 

July 2

4 - 5:30 p.m.

Online via Zoom


Lab meets teacher

Teacher training

Topic: Animal models for mental health disorders

The lecture will be given by Michael Gotthardt. 
 

July 4

10 a.m. - 10 p.m.

MDC-BIMSB
Hannoversche Str. 28
10115 Berlin


MDC Alumni Day & Graduation Symposium 2025


Join the MDC Alumni Day & Graduation Ceremony 2025 – a day of celebration, reunion and graduation. 

Rediscover the nostalgia and camaraderie of the Max Delbrück Center during the alumni gathering and applaud our latest doctoral achievements! 

Registration
 

July 4

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Max Delbrück Center
Robert-Rössle-Str
13125 Berlin


Seminar Magdalena Götz

Neuroscience Seminar Series
 

July 18

1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

MDC-BIMSB
Hannoversche Str. 28
10115 Berlin


Pride at MDC

Resilience in Times of Change

We invite all who believe in the power of resilience, want to stand up for LGBTQI+ rights, and are passionate about fostering a more inclusive scientific community to join us.

Registration