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Today, February 11, is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. It is a perfect moment to reflect on the diversity that drives our research, and fittingly, this week has brought excellent news for the future of our scientific community.
Fittingly, this week began with a major boost for the next generation of scientists. On Monday, Thuringia’s Minister for Science, Christian Tischner, visited the University to announce €3.6 million in funding specifically for our early-career researchers. This support serves as a strong vote of confidence as we move forward with our "University of Excellence" application.
In this newsletter, we recap this important visit and the support for our "University of Excellence" bid.
You will also find:
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JEMS Invitation: We look forward to welcoming Yen-Ping Hsueh next week.
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Community Events: From a book club discussion on AI to an info session for new parents.
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Historical Science: A symposium celebrating 225 years of UV light discovery in Jena.
Let’s continue to support and uplift one another in our scientific journey.
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University President Andreas Marx, Erika Kothe (Head of JSMC), Minister Christian Tischner, and Kirsten Küsel (Spokesperson for the Cluster of Excellence “Balance of the Microverse”) at the handover of the funding. Photo: TMBWK
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Minister Tischner Visits Jena Clusters: Millions Invested in Research Excellence and Young Talent
On Monday, February 9, Thuringia’s Minister for Science, Christian Tischner, visited the University of Jena to gain firsthand insight into the work of the university’s two Clusters of Excellence: "Balance of the Microverse" and "Imaginamics".
The delegation was welcomed by the Cluster’s leadership team. Kirsten Küsel, Erika Kothe, and Miriam Agler-Rosenbaum guided the Minister through the construction site of the new Microverse Center Jena.
In addition to the site tour, Kirsten Küsel gave a presentation offering exclusive insights into the cluster’s current research endeavors.
Funding for the Next Generation of Scientists
A highlight of the visit was the presentation of significant funding notifications to support early-career researchers (graduate measures) until 2028. Minister Tischner presented:
Early-career researchers within the Microverse Cluster are enrolled in the Jena School for Microbial Communication (JSMC). Supported by this funding, the JSMC continues to play a central role in providing a structured, interdisciplinary environment for doctoral students designed to master the complexity of microbial interactions.
"Top research and the promotion of young talent belong together," Minister Tischner emphasized. "The additional state funding ensures that Thuringia remains an international magnet for top young researchers."
Support for the "University of Excellence"
The visit also underscored the State’s full support for the University of Jena's application for the title of "University of Excellence." Following the submission of the full proposal in November 2025 and ahead of the on-site evaluation by international experts this summer, this funding sends a clear signal.
The Minister also visited the future site of the Imaginamics Center at Fürstengraben 23, where a funding application for a €24.7 million renovation was submitted in December 2025 to create a hub for interdisciplinary humanities and social sciences.
We thank the Ministry for this strong vote of confidence as we await the final excellence strategy decision in October 2026.
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TV report on the Minister's visit in the MDR Thüringen Journal on 9 February 2026 (in German, from 8:55 minutes)
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Portrait Yen-Ping Hsueh (Photo: Academia Sinica)
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REMINDER: JEMS in Feburary 2026
We are excited to announce the upcoming talk in the Jena Excellence in Microbiology Seminar (JEMS) series:
JEMS brings together leading experts to share cutting-edge research and foster collaboration within the microbiology community.
The seminar is open to all interested members of the Microverse Cluster and beyond. No registration is required.
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Microverse Diversity and Culture
Feb 11: Breaking Barriers in Science
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is more than a celebration—it is a reminder of the work still to be done. The Microverse Cluster remains committed to fostering an inclusive environment where women have equal opportunities to lead and innovate.
Let’s continue to support, mentor, and uplift one another in our scientific journey.
Info Session for Parents and Parents-to-be
March 3, 2026 | 9 am | digitally via Zoom
We will host an online info session of interest to fresh parents and parents-to-be in Jena. Topics covered include working while pregnant, parental leave, elterngeld & kindergeld, how to arrange childcare, and more. Special consideration is given to cover the questions and needs of international parents. All are welcome!
Microverse and JSMC members receive an invitation with Zoom info via Email - all others are welcome to contact Silvia Kolossa for the access info.
Coffee, Cake & Critical Thinking: Join the Book Club!
March 25, 2026 | 3.30 to 5.30 pm | Leibniz HKI, Nucleus Cafeteria, Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena
We invite you to the Nucleus Cafeteria on Wednesday, March 25. Let's enjoy some cake while discussing Kate Crawford’s provocative book, "Atlas of AI". The conversation will be in English and covers the power dynamics and planetary impact of artificial intelligence.
To ensure there is enough cake for everyone, please register by February 27.
Your Diversity Committee
Rosalind Allen, Merle Hammer, Silvia Kolossa & Johannes Zimmermann
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Aurora over Jupiter's north pole, photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope in the UV spectrum. (Photo: University of Michigan)
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225 Years of UV Light: Invitation to the Symposium "Radiation of the Year 2026"
February 21 and 22, 2026 | Various venues
Exactly 225 years ago, on February 22, 1801, the Romantic physicist and philosopher Johann Wilhelm Ritter made a groundbreaking discovery: through a series of meticulous experiments, he succeeded in proving the existence of ultraviolet radiation. To commemorate this milestone, the Center for Romanticism Research (Zentrum für Romantikforschung) invites you to a two-day symposium on February 21 and 22, dedicated to the history and impact of this discovery.
We are pleased to announce that this symposium is a featured installment of the L³ event series. The program will not only explore Ritter’s historical experiments but also highlight other significant advancements in radiation research achieved here in Jena, such as the first application of UV microscopy and the discovery of fluorescence in microscopy (1904).
Event Details
The symposium is organized in collaboration with the German Optical Museum (D.O.M.), the Association for Radiation Research (Fachverband für Strahlenforschung), and the Romantikerhaus Jena.
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Kick-off: Saturday, February 21 at 1.30 pm
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Location: Rosensäle, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität (Fürstengraben 27)
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Closing: The event concludes on Sunday with a thematic city walk, visiting historical sites such as Ritter’s former residence and the Romantikerhaus.
Participation is free of charge and open to the interested public.
For the detailed schedule and further information, please visit the event website.
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Open Calls
- KlarText-Prize for Science Communicators
Deadline: February 28, 2026
Further Information (only available in german language)
- Deutscher Studienpreis 2026
Deadline: March 1, 2026
Further Information (only available in german language)
- Bertha-Benz-Preis 2026
Deadline: March 1, 2026
Further Information (only available in german language)
- HIAS Fellowships 2027-2028
Deadline: March 2, 2026
Further Information
- DFG Funding Initiative “Global Minds in DFG Consortia”
Deadline: March 6, 2026
Further Information
- Helmholtz Investigator Groups (Standard Track) & Helmholtz Innovation Exploration Groups (Pilot Track)
Preliminary Applications: March 6, 2026
Further Information
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Exploration Grants of the Boehringer Ingelheim Stiftung
Deadline: March 15, 2026
Further Information
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Lise Meitner Excellence Program
Deadline: April 15, 2026
Further Information
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7th FAIRest Dataset Competition
Deadline: April 15, 2026
Further Information
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Upcoming Events & Workshops
- 17th German Peptide Symposium 2026
March 4 to 6, 2026 | University of Duisburg-Essen, central campus in Essen, in the old Audimax (building S04), located at Universitätsstraße 2, 45141 Essen
Read more
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ChemBioSys International Symposium
March 9 to 11, 2026 | Rosensäle, Fürstengraben 27, 07743 Jena
Read more
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Microverse Seminar with Karina Xavier
March 17, 2026 | 12.15 pm | Leibniz HKI – Seminar Room Pasteur, Building A8, Beutenbergstr. 11a, Jena
No registration is required.
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More dates from the Microverse
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Selected Publications
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Corbetta E, Calvarese M, Then P, Bae H, Meyer-Zedler T, Messerschmidt B, Guntinas-Lichius O, Schmitt M, Eggeling C, Popp J, Bocklitz T. Automatic optimization of flat-field corrections by evaluation and enhancement (EVEN) in multimodal optical microscopy. Nat Commun. 2026;17(1):225.
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Baborski A, Rohland O, Wuenschmann T, Bauer M, Allen RJ, Busch A. Biofilm-derived bile duct microbiota in liver transplantation: high-quality genomes of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, and Enterococcus faecium. Microbiol Resour Announc. 2026:e0088625.
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Meyer D, Barth E, Wiehle L, Marz M. diffMONT: predicting methylation-specific PCR biomarkers based on nanopore sequencing data for clinical application. Bioinformatics. 2026.
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Pratama AA, Perez-Carrascal O, Sullivan MB, Küsel K. Diversity and ecological roles of hidden viral players in groundwater microbiomes. Nat Commun. 2026.
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Spangenberg J, Siederdissen CHZ, Goettsch W, Kohler L, Luke LM, Papenfort K, Marz M. Dynamont: A comprehensive cross-species comparison of ONT segmentation tools. Gigascience. 2026.
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Körnig J, Benes V, Manthey C, Reichelt M, Kunert G, Paetz C, Kutzschbach J, Lampe P, Kaltenpoth M, Beran F. Glucosinolate hydrolysis products suppress entomopathogenic nematodes in vitro but do not protect sequestering flea beetle larvae in vivo. Pest Manag Sci. 2026.
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Samimi A, Verdon N, Allen RJ, Rosenbaum MA. Probing Antibiotic Inhibition in Small Bacterial Populations With Combinatorial Droplet Microfluidics. Small Sci. 2026;6(1):e202500421.
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Hoffmann T, Pretzel D, Stumpf S, Behrendt F, Klein M, Lange L, Kaspar LM, Liefeith K, Gottschaldt M, Schubert US. RGD Modification of Poly(2-oxazoline) Cryogels: Investigation of Material Properties and Cellular Adhesion. Macromol Biosci. 2026;26(1):e00421.
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Sharma A, Küsel K, Wegner CE, Perez-Carrascal OM, Taubert M. Two worlds beneath: Distinct microbial strategies of the rock-attached and planktonic subsurface biosphere. Microbiome. 2026.
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All publications
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