Which plant species grow where, alongside which others - and why? Researchers at the University of Halle and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig have the answer. They have set up the world's first global database on the earth's vegetation. Professor Helge Bruelheide, head of the international project, explains what can be explored with such a wealth of data. Read more
From the Humboldtian model of higher education to the “assessed university”: The number of higher education concepts now seems to be infinite. The Institute of Higher Education Research (HoF), an institute affiliated to the University of Halle, has dealt with the expansion of these in a new book and has itemised the concepts that are currently relevant. HoF Director Professor Peer Pasternack explains the developments in an interview. Read more
Proteins control important processes in the body. At the university's new Charles Tanford Protein Centre, their secrets are deciphered. The Protein Centre has a floor space of around 5,400 square metres, spread out over four floors - space for 255 employees in 125 laboratories and 62 offices. The concept: Research would be accelerated by the spatial proximity of the working groups and state-of-the-art infrastructure located in a common building. Read more
Professor Stefan Hüttelmaier is one of the new tenants of the Protein Centre. His work focuses on cutting-edge ideas in cancer research. Read more
The University's Charles Tanford Protein Centre will take its protein research to a new level. Here around 255 employees will work together in the future on questions relating to the building blocks of life. Read more
Epigenetics is an emerging branch of biological research. Its findings will help us understand how information outside DNA can be passed on from cell to cell throughout a person’s life and partially even inherited from generation to generation. Bioinformatician Professor Ivo Grosse explains what epigenetic modifications are all about and how they can be affected by environmental factors. Read more
Love brought her to Halle over 30 years ago. Nowadays, Dr Armenuhi Drost-Abgarjan is a professor of Armenian studies who is fighting for the future of her subject. Read more
Prof Georg Theunissen holds the only chair of pedagogy for autism in the German-speaking world. He is committed to an innovative scientific approach to the topic in Germany. Autistic people in Germany are still discriminated against and excluded rather than respected and included. This is not only due to widespread ignorance, but also to the fact that the perspectives of those affected are not as much in the foreground as in the USA, Canada or Australia. Read more
Animal diseases are posing ever greater challenges for the agriculture industry and the demand for effective vaccines is extremely high. This is where the spin-off company from Halle called Verovaccines comes in with its innovative yeast-based vaccines. A further obstacle has now been overcome. The company will again receive funding amounting to 3.1 million euros over the next three years as part of the GO-Bio programme of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Read more
