Research Profile

The molecular life sciences in Heidelberg represent a research focus of the university that enjoys particularly high national and international visibility. In order to understand the molecular mechanisms of physiological and pathological functions within cells and organisms, the researchers are closely networked with their local extra-university partners.

This Field of Focus links synthetic chemistry with the physics of complex systems, pure mathematics with theoretical physics, and numerical mathematics with chemistry and physics. It aims at understanding common structures on all scales in the material world.

Field of Focus 3 „Cultural Dynamics in Globalised Worlds“ addresses the complexity and challenges of an increasingly dynamic world in three main fields of research: transcultural studies, area studies, and cultural heritage studies. It fosters collaborative research activities within the humanities at Heidelberg University, organised in three faculties.

The central concern of Field of Focus 4 is to better understand human (self-) regulation processes at the level of individuals and organisations in interdisciplinary dialogue. The main participants in this study are from the subject areas represented by the Faculty of Behavioural and Cultural Studies, the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Law.

The development of new materials, methods, technologies, devices and therapies at the molecular level using both natural and synthetically made components is the aim of the Flagship Initiative “Engineering Molecular Systems“, in which scientists from various institutions and disciplines work together.

With the aim of placing cultural heritage at the centre of research, teaching and transfer in an innovative form, the Flagship Initiative "Transforming Cultural Heritage" brings together the disciplinary and region-specific expertise of the Heidelberg University in the research and management of cultural heritage.

With over 100 institutes and seminars, the university covers the wide range of subjects of a full university.

Heidelberg University’s central research institutions are specialized institutions of research and teaching, providing students additional programmes of study. They are associated to the Rektorate.

The university strives to transfer research results and scientific findings to industry. With its Industry on Campus projects, Ruperto Carola ties its basic research with application-oriented research on the part of its industrial partners.

The university forms the centre of an excellent research, education and science network with the numerous non-university research and education institutions connected to it at the research campus Heidelberg and in the region.

To preserve and promote an atmosphere of openness, creativity and achievement and as a precaution against academic misconduct, a series of mission statements, guidelines and principles have been developed at Heidelberg University. Among other things, these include a Research Data Policy, an Intellectual Property Policy and an Open Access Policy.