News

Awardee Dr. Jingyuan Xu in her laboratory at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (photo: Markus Breig, KIT).Markus Breig, KIT
Prize of the Leopoldina for young scientist Jingyuan Xu from KIT

March 12, 2024

With the Leopoldina Prize for young scientists 2023, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina honors Dr. Jingyuan Xu, who researches novel heating and cooling technologies for the energy transition at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Currently, the young engineer can boast two more significant awards: the Hector RCD Award as well as admission to the Global Young Academy, an exclusive association of international young scientists.

Press Release 021/2024
The three members of the Board of Directors Edward Lemke, Sylvia Erhardt, and center spokesperson Michael Knop, as well as Phil-Alan Gärtig of the Carl Zeiss Foundation (Photo: Uwe Anspach, Heidelberg University – Communications and Marketing)Uwe Anspach, Heidelberg University – Communications and Marketing
New Center for Synthetic Genomics

March 3, 2024

Applying and developing new technologies for DNA synthesis to pave the way for producing entire artificial genomes – that is the goal of a new interdisciplinary center that is being established at Heidelberg University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). The aim of the Center for Synthetic Genomics is to spark new developments in synthetic genomics through basic research and technology development using methods of artificial intelligence. The Carl Zeiss Foundation (CZS) is financing the center’s establishment over a period of six years with a total amount of twelve million euros.

Press Release 016/2024
Sören LehmkuhlKIT/IMT
Sören Lehmkuhl becomes Emmy Noether fellow

The DFG has arwarded Sören Lehmkuhl with an Emmy Noether Independant Junior Research group. The central research goal will be to develop a new sensor based on the RASER (Radiofrequency Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) approach.

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[DE] Meltem Elitaş erhält Humboldt-Forschungspreis

December 11, 2023

Die türkische Biomechatronik-Forscherin ist KIT Excellence Fellow und wird am Institut für Mikrostrukturtechnik arbeiten

Mithilfe des „Humboldt Research Fellowship“ wird die Forscherin der Sabanci-Universität Istanbul am Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) Chips mit Mikrokanälen entwickeln, durch die Flüssigkeit fließen kann. Diese Chips sind mit der Kernspinresonanzspektroskopie kompatibel und messen die Antibiotika-Reaktion von Bakterien in Echtzeit. Meltem Elitaş leistet damit einen wichtigen Beitrag zu Entwicklung neuer Antibiotika. Sie wurde von Jan Korvink, Leiter des Instituts für Mikrostrukturtechnik des KIT, nominiert.

Die Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung verleiht jedes Jahr bis zu 100 Humboldt-Forschungspreise an international führende Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler aller Fachrichtungen für ihre bisherige Arbeit. Damit können sie selbst gewählte Forschungsvorhaben an einer wissenschaftlichen Einrichtung in Deutschland gemeinsam mit den dortigen Teams durchführen. Darüber hinaus erhalten sie ein Preisgeld von 60 000 Euro.

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Cutting-edge research in optics and photonics needs special clean rooms for sensitive components. (Photo: Sandra Göttisheim, KIT)Sandra Göttisheim, KIT
Optics and Photonics: High-tech Center for KIT

December 5, 2023

The Karlsruhe Center for Optics and Photonics (KCOP) is taking shape. At the new, highly modern technology center of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), research teams will work on applications of light or photons. These include highly efficient photovoltaics, 6G communication and glass fiber networks, novel quantum sensors, superconducting detectors, extremely fast 3D image acquisition, and high-resolution microscopy for life sciences. The 56 million Euro building is planned to be inaugurated in early 2026.

Press Release 102/2023
MSE (Materials Systems Engineering) is one of three programs within the Research Field Information of the Helmholtz Association.Helmholtz Association
MSE-Day 2023: A Multifaceted Panorama of Material Sciences

November 21, 2023

On November 14, 2023, the third MSE Day took place at Hereon in Geesthacht. As one of three programs of Helmholtz Information, the Helmholtz Program ‘Materials Systems Engineering’ (MSE) captivated around 250 participants. The conference impressed with a diversity of lectures, posters, and interactive discussions, offering deep insights into current research trends and advancements in the MSE program.

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Next year, Indian chemist Thalappil Pradeep will stay at KIT for an up-to-six-months research period. (Photo: Thalappil, IIT)Thalappil, IIT
First „International Excellence Award” of KIT Goes to Chemist Thalappil Pradeep

November 20, 2023

Professor Thalappil Pradeep from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT) in Chennai is awarded the first “International Excellence Award of KIT” and the “Fellowship of SCHROFF Foundation”. With these awards, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) honors the renowned chemist and his fundamental research in the field of nanoscience and the application of novel nanomaterials for drinking water purification. The award also includes an invitation to stay at KIT.

Press Release 095/2023
Early-stage researchers Dr. Nadja Alina Henke (Photo: Jannik Jilg), Dr. Gözde Kabay (Photo: Conny Ehm), and Dr. Jingyuan Xu (Photo: Markus Breig, KIT) receive funding for their projects from Carl Zeiss Foundation.KIT
Research into Bioprocesses, Biosensors, and Refrigeration

September 14, 2023

Three early-stage researchers from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) will be granted EUR 1.5 million each for up to five years from the CZS Nexus funding program of Carl Zeiss Foundation. Dr. Nadja Alina Henke studies how bioprocesses can be scaled up precisely from the lab scale to the industrial scale. Dr. Gözde Kabay develops biosensors for the rapid diagnosis of acute kidney injuries, and Dr. Jingyuan Xu’s development work focuses on CO2-neutral and zero-power refrigeration.

Presseinformation 071/2023
The new molecular structure in which sandwich complexes form a nano-sized ring is called ‘cyclocene.’ (Photo: Nature / AOC, KIT)Nature / AOC, KIT
Nanorings: New Building Blocks for Chemistry

August 3, 2023

Sandwich compounds are special chemical compounds used as basic building blocks in organometallic chemistry. So far, their structure has always been linear. Recently, researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the University of Marburg were the first to make stacked sandwich complexes form a nano-sized ring. Physical and other properties of these cyclocene structures will now be further investigated. The researchers report their findings in Nature (DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06192-4).

Press Release 057/2023
New biomaterials for industrial biocatalysis: Enzyme foams form three-dimensional porous networks with a stable hexagonal honeycomb structure. (Photo: Julian Hertel, KIT)Julian Hertel, KIT
Materials Research: Biocatalytic Foams of Tremendous Stability and Activity

July 27, 2023

Industrial biocatalysis with enzymes is deemed to be a “game changer” in the development of a sustainable chemical industry. Enzymes can be used to synthesize an impressive range of complex molecules, including pharmaceutical substances, under environmentally compatible conditions. Researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have now developed a new class of materials by producing enzyme foams of tremendous stability and activity. They report in Advanced Materials. The researchers have already filed a patent application on the process to produce enzyme foams. (DOI:10.1002/adma.202303952)

Press Release 054/2023
The new low-temperature process enables fabrication of a large variety of nanoscale quartz glass structures. (Figure: Dr. Jens Bauer, KIT)Dr. Jens Bauer, KIT
Nanomaterials: 3D Printing of Glass without Sintering

June 7, 2023

A new process developed at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) enables printing of nanometer-scale quartz glass structures directly onto semiconductor chips. A hybrid organic-inorganic polymer resin is used as feedstock material for 3D printing of silicon dioxide. Since the process works without sintering, the required temperatures are significantly lower. Simultaneously, increased resolution enables visible-light nanophotonics. The researchers report in Science. (DOI: 10.1126/science.abq3037)

Press Release 041/2023
Thanks to a new molecule, blue OLEDs will shine brighter and faint slowlier in future. (Photo: Markus Breig, KIT)Markus Breig, KIT
Organic Light-emitting Diodes: Making the Blue Shine Brighter and Longer

June 6, 2023

Organic light-emitting diodes, OLEDs for short, are energy-efficient and flexible. However, it is still difficult to produce blue OLEDs. They have lacked luminance and stability so far. Researchers from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Shanghai University have now developed a new strategy for the production of efficient deep-blue OLEDs: Electronic excitation of a specially developed new molecule results in a dual-channel intra-/intermolecular exciplex emission and, hence, deep-blue electroluminescence. The researchers report in Science Advances. (DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf4060)

Press Release 040/2023
Ein photonischer Zeitkristall in 2D kann Freiraum- und Oberflächenwellen verstärken. (Grafik: Dr. Xuchen Wang, KIT)Dr. Xuchen Wang, KIT
Metamaterials: Time Crystal Gives Light a Boost

April 6, 2023

Photonic time crystals, whose properties change periodically, promise significant enhancements in microwave engineering, optics, and photonics. Researchers from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and partners from Aalto University and Stanford University have unveiled a groundbreaking 2D photonic time crystal and demonstrated important applications. Their approach simplifies the realisation of photonic time crystals and may improve the efficiency of future communication systems. The results of this study have been reported in Science Advances. (DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg7541)

Press Release 024/2023
Supercomputers help researchers simulate materials and study their properties before they exist in reality. (Photo: Amadeus Bramsiepe, KIT)Amadeus Bramsiepe, KIT
Materials Research: New Supercomputer at KIT

March 16, 2023

A new supercomputer for materials research has now started operation at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT): The computer that is worth 1.2 million euros enables researchers to simulate the structure of future materials and study their properties even before they exist in reality. This helps them develop new materials that may be applied in the medical sector or in energy research. With their new computer models, the researchers succeeded in improving the membrane of Covid rapid test kits, for instance.

Press Release 011/2023