October 7, 2022

Extremely dense mass - a look into the interior of neutron stars

Exploring the properties of dense matter by deep learning

Neutron stars are extremely dense inside: They reach masses comparable to twice that of the sun - having a size equivalent to the city of Frankfurt (10-14 km radius). Therefore, these compact objects serve as unique laboratories for studying the properties of dense matter. A research group at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) now deployed deep learning techniques to add further constraints on the stars’ interiors.

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October 6, 2022

Improved early earthquake warning with Artificial Intelligence

A significantly improved model for earlier earthquake detection is described in two recent publications of Nishtha Srivastava’s group at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS). Their model detects earthquakes more reliably and faster than previous studies, which can simplify advance warnings, especially in less developed regions of the world.

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September 23, 2022

Three Poster Awards on ECMTB 2022

Franziska Matthäus' group is happy to have won three poster prizes at the European Conference on Mathematical and Theoretical Biology, https://ecmtb2022.org/. This large conference in the research field, with 750 participants, awarded 13 poster prizes. Three of these went to the FIAS group: Zoë Lange for the Best Poster in Developmental Biology, Gustavo Hernandez-Mejia for the Best Poster in Epidemiology, and Marc Pereyra received the Lewis Wolpert Prize for Best Poster. "I'm super-proud of all three of them," says Matthäus.

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September 7, 2022

New binding site to cell membrane identified

Role in retinal and hearing disorders

A team led by Sebastian Thallmair at FIAS investigates the interactions of proteins and lipids (fats) in membranes by means of simulations. In the barrel-shaped Tubby protein, they identified a previously unknown binding site that could help to understand various diseases.

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August 5, 2022

How does the brain recognise an orange?

DFG Research Group on Abstraction in the Brain and for Better AI Systems

How abstract knowledge is stored in the brain is being studied by psychologists and computer scientists in the new DFG research group ARENA. The findings should contribute to making artificially intelligent (AI) systems more efficient and flexible.

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three-dimensional view of several red-labelled CD30-positive lymphocytes in an inflamed lymph node
© Martin-Leo Hansmann

July 26, 2022

Role of the protein CD30 for the early detection of Hodgkin's lymphoma

A protein (CD30) sitting on Hodgkin's lymphoma tumour cells is an important diagnostic marker for this cancer. But CD30 is also found on rare activated immune cells. Therefore, a team led by Martin-Leo Hansmann from the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) and Ralf Küppers (Universitätsklinik Essen), with support from the Wilhelm Sander Foundation, investigated whether CD30 cells in inflammatory reactions are precursors of Hodgkin's lymphoma tumour cells and how these CD30-positive cells differ. The results suggest that the inflammatory reactions are not cancer precursors and that the two types of CD30 cells differ significantly in the relationships they maintain with other cells in the tissue.

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July 25, 2022

Funding for Roman Poberezhnyuk

The Philipp Schwartz Initiative for Researchers at Risk is supporting the FIAS visiting scientist Dr. Roman Poberezhnyuk with an 18-month scholarship beginning 1 August 2022.

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July 19, 2022

Congratulations to Bastian Eppler on his doctorate!

Bastian Eppler from Matthias Kaschube's FIAS research group defended his thesis on 19 July and celebrated with the team afterwards. In his doctorate, he studied the mechanisms of how the brain stores information stably over long periods of time and at the same time integrates important new information quickly.

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Laureatus 2022 (c) Fabian Feldmann
© Fabian Feldmann

July 13, 2022

Luciano Rezzolla receives Laureatus Professorship

The Walter-Greiner-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der physikalischen Grundlagenforschung (for the support of foundational research in physics, WGG) awarded two Laureatus professorships for outstanding achievements in research and teaching. As a part of the 24th academic summer ceremony of the physics department at Goethe-University, the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) and the WGG several physicists were honoured. Prof. Dr. Luciano Rezzolla received the prestigious Carl Wilhelm Fueck Laureate Professorship for his work in the field of theoretical astrophysics. For many years he has conducted research as a Senior Fellow at FIAS and has been a part of the board of directors.

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© StadtFrankfurt/M - Holger Menzel

July 8, 2022

Goethe Plaque to FIAS Board of Trustees Chairman Volker Mosbrugger

The city of Frankfurt honoured Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Volker Mosbrugger with the prestigious Goethe Plaque 2022, which is awarded annually to personalities of cultural life.

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Hannah Elfner Scientist of the Year 2021
© Dettmar, GU

June 29, 2022

Scientist of the Year: Hannah Elfner

Prize awarded

FIAS Fellow Hannah Elfner was nominated "Scientist of the Year 2021". The physicist received the prize by Goethe University and the Alfons and Gertrud Kassel Foundation, which awards the prize to researchers every two years. In addition to outstanding scientific work, the focus is also on promoting young researchers, for which part of the prize money of 25,000 Euros will be used.

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MET molecule (Arghittu)

June 13, 2022

FIAS part of collaborative research centre on cell membranes

As part of the new collaborative research centre (CRC) 1507, Roberto Covino's group will contribute to understand the role of the cell membrane in regulating fundamental cellular programs. With modelling, calculations, and computer simulations, they want to elucidate the complex interactions between membrane proteins and lipids.

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vulcano Stromboli

May 30, 2022

Measuring volcanic activity

The FIAS Seismology and Artificial Intelligence group used the Italian volcano Stromboli in the Mediterranean Sea as an example to develop a powerful module for immediately detecting and creating more complete seismo-volcanic event catalogs. These catalogs not only enable the evaluation of volcanic hazard but also the in-depth investigation of possible precursors based on the historic instrumental data.

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Sgr A*, the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy (ESO)

May 12, 2022

FIAS team contributed to black hole image

Interpretation of huge masses of data

Eight super telescopes, many international working groups, and elaborate computer calculations over years led to the first image of the black hole at the center of our Milky Way.

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ukranian flag

May 11, 2022

FIAS supports Ukrainian scientists

Seven scientists have found a temporary research position at Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS). Personal commitment and the support of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the Polytechnic Foundation of Frankfurt am Main ensure financial security, research opportunities, and a temporary home in Frankfurt for two professors, five (post)doctoral students and their families.

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Eckhard Elsen

May 3, 2022

Eckhard Elsen new director at FIAS

New governance structures at the Frankfurt research institute

Prof. Dr. Eckhard Elsen is the new Scientific Director of the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) as of May 1, 2022. He thus replaces the previous five-member board including the executive and an administrative director. The basis for this new structure is an amendment to the statutes. With a single executive director at the helm processes and decisions in the institute will be rendered more efficient and coordination simplified.

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ELEMENTS Annual Conference

April 29, 2022

ELEMENTS Annual Conference

Research Cluster ELEMENTS at FIAS

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CMMS Talks Gasper Tkacik

April 28, 2022

Opening event: "CMMS Talks"

Prof. Gašper Tkačik from Institute of Science and Technology Austria speaks about Information Processing in Biological Systems

On 28.04.2022 Prof. Dr. Gašper Tkačik from Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST) starts the new talks series "CMMS Talks" with his presentation about "Statistical analysis and optimality of biological systems". The talks series will take place on a regular basis during the semester times within the frame of the LOEWE Project "CMMS" at FIAS.

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Mice Kaschube Publication Generalisation auditive Cortex

March 7, 2022

How does the brain link sensory impressions?

A new study shows flexible processing of sensory stimuli in the cerebral cortex

The brain's ability to store and generalize information is incredibly complex and diverse. But what happens at the level of neuronal networks in the process? In a new study, scientists at Johannes Gutenberg University-Mainz (JGU) and the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) have found that activity patterns in the brain, especially the auditory cortex, are not as stable as previously thought. This instability is crucial for the linking of sensory impressions.

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ukranian flag

March 1, 2022

FIAS in solidarity with Ukraine

Ukraine has been subjected to a war of aggression by Russia. This action, for which Vladimir Putin is solely responsible, is a blatant violation of international law and in no way justified. Our thoughts are with the Ukrainian people - with the people who are being injured and are dying in these minutes as a result of the war of aggression. There are many civilian casualties, among them children.

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