DFG Research Units

The Research Units of the German Research Foundation (DFG) bring together a number of outstanding scientists to work together on one research topic exclusively. These groups are able to devote substantially more time and financial resources to their projects across a broader range of topics than is normally the case with individual research projects funded by the DFG. The Research Units are usually funded for a period of eight years, and often play a key role in establishing new directions in research.

Current Research Units

Neural basis of vocal communication (Research Unit 5768)

Spokesperson: Prof Dr. Steffen Hage, Faculty of Medicine, University Clinic for Otorhinolaryngology

Duration: January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2029

Homepage of “Neural basis of vocal communication” research unit

Precision Neutrino Physics with JUNO (Research Unit 5519)

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Tobias Lachenmaier, Physical Institute

Duration: April 1, 2023 through March 31, 2027

Article on the "Precision Neutrino Physics with JUNO" Research Unit

Information Abstraction during Sleep (Research Unit 5434)

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Jan Born, Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioural Neurobiology

Duration: March 1, 2023 through February 28, 2027

Article on the "Ínformation Abstraction during Sleep" Research Unit

Long-range Interacting Quantum Spin Systems out of Equilibrium: Experiment, Theory and Mathematics (Research Unit 5413)

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Igor Lesanovsky, Institute for Theoretical Physics

Duration: June 1, 2022 through May 31, 2030

Homepage of "Quantum Spin Systems" Research Unit

Understanding the Behaviour of Multinational Corporations in the Context of International Tax Institutions (Research Unit 2738)

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Georg Wamser, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Economics – Public Finance

Duration: 2019-2026

Homepage of "Behaviour of Multinational Corporations" Research Unit

Modal and Amodal Cognition: Functions and Interactions (Research Unit 2718)

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Barbara Kaup, Faculty of Science, Psychology – Language and Cognition

Duration: 2020-2026

Homepage of "Modal and Amodal Cognition" Research Unit

Words, Bones, Genes, Tools: Tracking Linguistic, Cultural and Biological Trajectories of the Human Past (Center of Advanced Studies 2237)

Spokespersons: Prof. Dr. Gerhard Jäger, Institute of Linguistics, and Prof. Dr. Katerina Harvati, Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment

Duration: 2015-2026

Homepage of "Words, Bones, Genes, Tools" Center of Advanced Studies

Completed Research Units of the last five years

De/Sacralization of Texts (Research Unit 2828)

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Birgit Weyel, Faculty of Protestant Theology, Practical Theology III

Duration: 2022-2025

Homepage of "De/Sacralization of Texts" Research Unit

Migration and Mobility in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages (Center of Advanced Studies 2496)

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Mischa Meier and Prof. Dr. Sebastian Schmidt-Hofner, Institute of Ancient History, and Prof. Dr. Steffen Patzold, Institute of Medieval History

Duration: 2017-2025

Homepage of "Migration and Mobility" Center of Advanced Studies