27.01.2026

University of Tübingen’s six clusters of excellence get down to work

The new clusters TERRA, GreenRobust, and HUMAN ORIGINS officially launched on January 1. The existing clusters iFIT, Machine Learning and CMFI commence their second funding phase

Research projects are getting underway, the individual teams are setting up, upcoming field experiments are being coordinated, and a starting symposium is planned. For the new clusters of excellence TERRA, GreenRobust and HUMAN ORIGINS, January 2026 was the start of their funding phase, which will run seven years to the end of 2032. Meanwhile, the existing clusters CMFI, iFIT, and Machine Learning are entering their second funding phase. On May 22 last year, the University of Tübingen received approval from the German government Excellence Strategy for three new clusters to join the three existing ones; preparations began at once.

TERRA investigates consequences of species loss, overuse of fertilizers and climate change

In its first year of funding, the TERRA cluster is putting in place its field experiment at the Diversitorium in Hohenheim. The experiment comprises around 200 test fields with various soils equipped with measuring instruments and subjected to climate manipulation. Preliminary tests are also being conducted in Tübingen. This allows researchers to study under controlled conditions how plants, animals, and microorganisms develop in various soils and under different weather and climate conditions. A subsequent goal is to investigate how these processes in turn affect soil formation. This research could, for example, lead to stabilization measures as a response to extreme weather events. 

TERRA is investigating the consequences of species loss, global overuse of fertilizers, and climate change in the face of man-made global change. The group is investigating the interactions between animals, plants, and microorganisms on the one hand, and between soils, water, and air on the other.

The cluster’s management team is being established in Tübingen, and the first postdoctoral researchers in TERRA-funded projects are set to begin their research. In addition, 15 topics for doctoral theses will be distributed across five research projects. In April, the TERRA FutureLab will launch in the newly constructed pavilion below the Environmental and Geoscience Center (GUZ) for dialogue with the public, focusing on topics related to global change. One initial project deals with the use of biochar as a strategy for carbon storage in agricultural soils.

GreenRobust investigates what makes plants robust

Plants are also the focus of the new GreenRobust cluster at the Universities of Tübingen, Heidelberg, and Hohenheim. Researchers at the three institutions are seeking to understand what underlies plant robustness, i.e., how plants resist diseases, pests and environmental influences. The researchers will use the knowledge they gain to sustainably manage and preserve natural and agricultural plant systems. 

A central component of the cluster is the Plant Perturbation Atlas (PPA), which is located at the Phytotechnikum research greenhouse at the University of Hohenheim. In this controllable environment, plants are exposed to fluctuations in immediate environmental influences, such as temperature or water supply. The plants' reactions are measured and documented from the molecular to the population level. With the help of artificial intelligence and network analysis, patterns can be identified and plant reactions to challenging environmental influences predicted, with the findings benefiting agriculture and ecosystem conservation.

The cluster will also train a new generation of researchers and support them in their early academic careers via a specially established program, RobustTracks. The cluster seeks to involve interested members of the public through cooperation with institutions outside the academic world.

HUMAN ORIGINS: A paradigm shift in the study of human evolution

The HUMAN ORIGINS cluster of excellence investigates human development over the past five million years to answer fundamental questions about the origins and uniqueness of Homo sapiens. It combines biological, cultural, and ecological analyses of fossil and archaeological finds with state-of-the-art methods. The aim is to gain new insights into evolutionary relationships, the development of cognition, and adaptation to ecological niches. The goal is to bring about a paradigm shift in the study of human evolution by integrating fragmented data and developing innovative theories.

The cluster's first projects have been approved following review by expert colleagues and recommendation by the cluster's scientific advisory board. Early-career researchers and junior group leaders will soon begin their work, and some of them will attend the cluster's first symposium at the Museum of Prehistory in Blaubeuren at the end of January.

iFIT starts its second round of funding

The existing Tübingen excellence cluster Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies (iFIT), begins its second funding period in 2026 – once again with seven years to run. In its first phase, iFIT became an internationally recognized beacon of cutting-edge oncological research.  Researchers successfully tested several active agents, antibodies, and vaccine treatments on humans for the first time. In addition, four new businesses emerged from iFIT, and over 50 patents attest to the cluster's innovative power.

Cancer remains one of the greatest medical challenges of our time despite major advances in treatments. Many tumors are still only detected at an advanced stage, when they are difficult to treat. iFIT is dedicated to tackling these therapy-resistant tumors. Researchers from several disciplines are working closely together to find new vulnerabilities in tumor cells, develop precise therapies, and visualize their effects directly in the body.

The iFIT cluster combines three complementary areas of research:
A) Functional identification of therapeutic target structures, academic drug development, and molecular tumor therapies,
B) Immunology and immunotherapies,
C) Molecular and functional multiparametric imaging
This close integration makes it possible to characterize tumors functionally and combine treatment approaches in a targeted manner. That is a decisive step toward personalized cancer treatments.

The success of iFIT played a key role in Tübingen becoming a location in the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT). Together, iFIT and NCT-SüdWest create ideal conditions for testing new cancer therapies at an early stage in clinical trials, thereby giving patients earlier access to innovative cancer treatments.

With its networked and interdisciplinary approach, iFIT stands for world-class cancer research. The goal remains to advance the development of more effective therapies, improve the quality of life for patients, and to reduce the burden of cancer in the long term.

Three new professors in the Machine Learning cluster

Researchers at the Machine Learning: New Perspectives for Science excellence cluster are developing algorithms to advance scientific discoveries in a wide range of disciplines.

In the second funding period, which is now beginning, the cluster is hiring three new professors who will operate at the interfaces between machine learning and physics, economics, and philosophy and ethics. In addition, researchers are working to develop network projects within the cluster to strengthen collaboration between machine learning and the specialist sciences. Here, machine learning experts will collaborate with researchers from fields such as medicine and cultural studies. Three to four doctoral students are to be hired for each project.

The cluster's collaboration with the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) is to be further expanded over the next seven years. The focus here is on a new research group that will be based in Kigali, Rwanda, and will be jointly established and operated by AIMS, the University of Tübingen, and the cluster.

CMFI plans to award ten grants in 2026 alone

The Control of Microorganisms to Fight Infections (CMFI) cluster entered its second funding phase in January. It is thus continuing its innovative research in the fight against infectious diseases. In the first phase, which began in 2019, the interdisciplinary collaboration of some 150 researchers led to groundbreaking discoveries that fundamentally changed our understanding of microbial mechanisms. As a result, the cluster has established itself as a leading international center for infection research. This is reflected in more than 350 publications, five new professorships, nine junior research groups, 37 doctorates, and over 550 media appearances since 2019.

CMFI is restructuring its research areas to reflect developments in recent years. Translation, i.e., the application of research results in clinical practice, is now integrated into all areas. Core research includes bacterial surface structures and the search for novel natural agents and mechanisms. AI-supported methods and high-throughput analyses have grown in importance. In the second funding phase, the CMFI is continuing to support four technology platforms at the University with extensive resources. The platforms are equipped with cutting-edge technology and specialist staff and will help develop new methods. 

Particularly promising research projects will continue to be funded via internal grants. Around ten grants will be awarded this year alone. Fifteen doctoral and additional postdoctoral positions will be filled, and the IGIM graduate school will continue to receive funding. The IGIM organizes summer schools, the annual Microbiology and Infection Biology Day, and workshops to bring early-career researchers together and assist with their training. The current funding phase will also see the creation of new CMFI junior research groups and professorships.

Numerous events are planned for the coming years: the Microbiology Colloquium, international conferences, a mobile interactive exhibition, participation in the University’s 550th anniversary and the 2026 “Medicine of the Future” science year, and a workshop for co-creative science communication.

University of Tübingen

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