Skip to content
  • Emergency
  • NAT-Wiki
  • TUMonline
  • Moodle
  • Webmail
  • Webdisk
  • e-Journals
  • App Server
  • CIP Pool
  • de
  • en
  • TUM School of Natural Sciences
  • Technical University of Munich
Technical University of Munich
  • Homepage
  • News and Events
    • Bioscience
    • Chemistry
    • Physics
    • Awards
    • ERC Grants
    • Rankings
    • TUM in figures
    • Events
      • Open house day
        • 2024
      • Tag der Physik
        • Tag der Physik 2024
        • Tag der Physik 2023
      • Chemistry graduation ceremony
        • Archive
          • 2025 (July)
          • Chemistry graduation ceremony
          • Chemistry graduation ceremony
      • Physics graduation ceremony
        • Previous graduation ceremonies in physics
          • Physics graduation ceremony (June)
          • Physics graduation ceremony 2023 (November)
          • Physics graduation ceremony 2024 (June)
          • Physics graduation ceremony 2024 (November)
          • Physics graduation ceremony 2025 (February)
          • Physics graduation ceremony 2025 (June)
      • MChG-Kolloquium
      • Munich Physics Colloquium
  • Professors
  • Our School
    • Contact and directions
      • In an emergency: What to do?
    • Organization
      • Organizational chart
      • Executive Board
      • Departments
      • School Office
        • Academic & Student Affairs
        • School Services
      • School Council
    • Professors
      • TUM Junior Fellows
    • Graduate Center
    • Equal opportunities
      • Child care
      • Study and work with family
      • Emergency
      • Support for Ukranian students
    • IT Office
      • IT-Service 5100
      • IT-Service 5400
        • Team
        • Support
        • CIP Pool
        • Info
        • TUMcard
    • Central Services
    • Outreach
      • TUM Open Campus Day
      • studium MINT
      • Unitag an der TUM
      • Open Doors with the Mouse
        • Open Doors with the Mouse 2023
    • Our History
      • Chemistry
        • Inorganic Chemistry
        • Organic Chemistry
        • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
        • Technical Chemistry
      • Physics
  • Academics
  • Research
    • Main Research Areas
      • Accelerated Scientific Discovery
      • Biomolecular Engineering & Design
      • Clean Technology Solutions
      • Fundamental Forces and Cosmic Evolution
      • Fundamental Science for Health
      • Quantum Science & Technologies
    • Professional Profiles
    • Departments
    • Clusters
    • CRCs and Transregios
    • TUM Centers
    • Research infrastructure
    • Research on Campus Garching
  • Intranet
  • Sitemap
  1. Homepage
  2. Research
  3. Clusters

Our Clusters of Excellence

Clusters of Excellence are innovative, world-class research projects funded under the national Excellence Initiative, which connects universities with leading German research institutes and businesses. The School of Natural Sciences contributes to five of these clusters.

Continued Clusters

e-conversion

The cluster “e-conversion” explores the underlying processes in the conversion of renewable energies, for example, in photovoltaics, photocatalysis, and batteries. Researchers are working to reduce energy losses occurring at the interfaces between different materials as a result of physical effects. These are crucial for the efficiency of energy conversion.

Image: Bettina V. Lotsch et al., published by American Chemical Society

MCQST

MCQST is examining the scientific basis for complex quantum systems and establishing the technological foundation of quantum technology, a key next-generation technology for the 21st century. The researchers address significant fields of application ranging from quantum computers, powerful quantum information systems and quantum sensors to novel quantum materials.

Image: MCQST / C. Hohmann

ORIGINS

The cluster „ORIGINS“ is conducting research into the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang to the origin of life. Researchers from the fields of astrophysics, biophysics and particle physics collaborate, for example, in the search for the connection between the formation of planets and the origin of the first prebiotic molecules. Among other things, they are trying to show that life is a natural process that forms part of the evolution of the universe.

Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Anton M. Koekemoer (STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

Upcoming Cluster

BioSysteM (Start January 2026)

The cluster “BioSysteM“ aims to create self-organizing molecular and cellular systems with programmable, life-like properties. The researchers develop biomolecular machines, intelligent materials and pattern-based therapeutics. As a basis for new medical applications, they are also researching the control of cell differentiation and organ formation.

Image: Barth von Rossum

Cluster with NAT involvement

NUCLEATE (Start January 2026)

The NUCLEATE research cluster investigates the fundamental biological functions of RNA and DNA molecules. The focus is on interdisciplinary approaches to better understand the roles of nucleic acids in organisms and how their activity can be specifically regulated. As a key technology for future medicine, the targeted modulation of nucleic acids will open up completely new possibilities for diagnosis and treatment.

Image: Adimas / Fotolia

News on clusters with participation from NAT

NUCLEATE, Research, Bioscience | 01.10.2025

Nucleic acids as key to a new class of drugs

NUCLEATE EXplained with Stefan Engelhardt. Prof. Carina Baer de Oliveira Mann, Prof. Danny Nedialkova and Prof. Michael Sattler are involved in the… [read more]

Color photo of a smiling person with crossed arms, a city scene in the background
BioSysteM, Fundamental Science for Health, Biomolecular Engineering & Design, Accelerated Scientific Discovery, Bioscience | 25.09.2025

“Many international researchers don’t even know what is possible in Germany”

Wübben Foundation interviewed new NAT School Prof. Thomas Schlichthärle for its “In Conversation with our Fellows” series [read more]

Color illustration of a magnifying glass and molecular models
Clean Technology Solutions, e-conversion, Research, Chemistry | 23.09.2025

With a magnifying glass into the reaction center

More realistic simulations to understand CO₂ reduction [read more]

BioSysteM, Biomolecular Engineering & Design, Research, Bioscience | 19.09.2025

An engineering approach to biology

BioSysteM EXplained with Friedrich Simmel [read more]

Fundamental Forces and Cosmic Evolution, Accelerated Scientific Discovery, ORIGINS, Research, Physics | 27.08.2025

A new era of neutrino physics

Chinese neutrino observatory JUNO completed with TUM participation [read more]

Public Outreach, Quantum Science & Technologies, MCQST, Physics | 25.08.2025

Between waves and particles

Quantum phenomena at the Deutsches Museum. The exhibition "Light and Matter" runs until October 26. [read more]

Color photo of a person working in a laboratory
Fundamental Forces and Cosmic Evolution, ORIGINS, Physics | 10.07.2025

LEGEND-1000 and IceCube-Gen2 shortlisted for the German National Prioritization Procedure for Research Infrastructures

A major success for the ORIGINS Cluster of Excellence and the Collaborative Research Center 1258 at the TUM School of Natural Sciences [read more]

Clean Technology Solutions, Accelerated Scientific Discovery, AMC, e-conversion, Research, Physics | 23.06.2025

Scientists Discover Why Perovskite Surfaces Stay “Trap-Free”

A new study published in ACS Energy Letters helps solve a puzzle at the heart of one of today’s most promising materials for solar cells [read more]

BioSysteM, Biomolecular Engineering & Design, Research, Bioscience | 20.06.2025

"Thinking of biology as technology"

Prof. Friedrich Simmel on the new BioSysteM Cluster of Excellence [read more]

Fundamental Forces and Cosmic Evolution, ORIGINS, Research, Physics, Award | 18.06.2025

Prof. Stephan Paul receives prestigious award from the Chinese Academy of Sciences

"Distinguished Fellowship" Award for outstanding scientific contributions in the field of experimental hadron and particle physics [read more]

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • Next >
  • Last >>
To top

TUM School of Natural Sciences

Technische Universität
München

Boltzmannstr. 10
85748 Garching

Excellence Strategy of TUM

Clusters of Excellence at TUM

  • Privacy
  • Imprint
  • Accessibility