uni.news

» Published on 5. März 2015

When dad wants to do more than just go to work

Conference at Bielefeld University’s Center for Interdisciplinary Research    

‘Many companies still view paternity leave as a lack of commitment to the job, and this leads to career disadvantages,’ says Professor Dr. Mechtild Oechsle from Bielefeld University’s Faculty of Sociology. How do companies react to ‘working dads’ who ask their employer to enable them to engage in active fatherhood? How are working dads exposed to discrimination, and how are they supported? The role of companies in promoting active fatherhood is the topic of a conference to be held at Bielefeld University’s Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF) from March 12-14. Mechtild Oechsle is one of the organizers.

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» Published on 2. März 2015

22 million Euro for bioinformatics centres

Starting in March, Bielefeld University will be coordinating the new German Network for Bioinformatics Infrastructure   

In March, Bielefeld University’s Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec) will be heading a new bioinformatics programme. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is providing a total of 22 million Euro of funding until 2020 for the German Network for Bioinformatics Infrastructure (de.NBI). The network is bringing together eight German centres that specialize in processing bioinformatics data from the life sciences. As a joint institution, they will offer bioinformatics services for research projects in biotechnology and biomedicine. In addition, the network will train researchers in how to use bioinformatics software.

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» Published on 2. März 2015

Preventing the spread of cancer with copper molecules

Chemists at Bielefeld University develop anti-tumour agent  

Chemists at Bielefeld University have developed a molecule containing copper that binds specifically with DNA and prevents the spread of cancer. First results show that it kills the cancer cells more quickly than cisplatin – a widely used anti-cancer drug that is frequently administered in chemotherapy. When developing the anti-tumour agent, Professor Dr. Thorsten Glaser and his team cooperated with biochemists and physicists. The design of the new agent is basic research. ‘How and whether the copper complex will actually be given to cancer patients is something that medical research will have to determine in the years to come,’ says the chemist.

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» Published on 18. Februar 2015

Doctoral students to develop gentle anti-tumour drugs

Bielefeld University coordinator of Europe-wide training network

Medication that specifically targets cancer cells and delivers its active agent without harming healthy cells – this is what doctoral students of the Magicbullet network will be working on from mid-2015. Bielefeld University is coordinating the programme for the development of “gentle” cancer treatment. The European Union is supporting it with around €4 million in funding.

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» Published on 17. Februar 2015

The best doctoral theses of 2014

University Society awards prizes

On the 5th of February, the Westfälisch-Lippische Universitätsgesellschaft (WLUG, University Society) awarded prizes to young academics for their doctoral theses at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF). The 15 theses submitted for prizes by Bielefeld University’s faculties had all received the highest grade possible ‘summa cum laude’ (outstanding).  The event was hosted by Andreas Liebold who presented the doctoral topics in discussions with the award winners.

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» Published on 13. Februar 2015

New: Temporary Main Entrance and new pedestrian routes

Fencing off for the first construction phase

From Monday 16 February, both the Main Entrance to the Main Building of the university and the previous women’s car park will be closed. From this date to the end of March, the site will be prepared for the first construction phase. Extensive fencing will be erected around the outside of Sections A, B, K, S, and R. As a result, many of you will have to change the ways you enter and leave the university. Part of the first modernization phase is to provide the university with a completely new entrance area over the next few years.

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» Published on 12. Februar 2015

International network of experts on intelligent systems

More than 800,000 Euro for Bielefeld University/CITEC Cluster of Excellence to head new programme

Equipping machines with the necessary intelligence that will enable them to recognize how to make life easier for their human users all by themselves: To further this research, Bielefeld University is strengthening its international ties with leading universities and research institutes on five continents. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is providing more than 800,000 Euro for the new Thematic Network: Interactive Intelligent Systems. Bielefeld University’s Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Information Technology (CITEC) will be running the programme. Bielefeld already has one Thematic Network in the theoretical sciences set up in 2013. The DAAD is funding a total of 28 Thematic Networks throughout Germany.

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» Published on 10. Februar 2015

Award-winning students from France and Morocco

Prize-giving ceremony at the Society for the Support of Foreign Students in Bielefeld 

At the end of January, the Society for the Support of Foreign Students in Bielefeld (ViSiB) honoured two foreign students for their good work and exceptional commitment. The chairperson of the society, Michael W. Böllhoff, awarded the prizes – each worth 750 Euros – to Mathilde Ackermann (Bielefeld University) and Zineb El Gharbaoui (Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences) during the Society’s annual reception in Building X.

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» Published on 5. Februar 2015

Theatre: To do good with ten million dollars

English Drama Group performs a play by John Patrick

Ten million dollars is a lot of money, no doubt. However, its purpose of use offers various causes for dispute, anger and intrigues. Bielefeld University’s English Drama Group presents “The Curious Savage”, a comedy by John Patrick, from February 9th – 14th at 8 o’clock pm (February 9th: lecture hall 1; February 10th: lecture hall 12; February 11th: lecture hall 1; February 12th-14th: lecture hall 7). The play will be staged in English under the direction of Angie Starczyk and Sonja Vollmer. Admission is free.

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» Published on 20. Januar 2015

Square Kilometre Array: The Cosmology Engine

Astronomers prepare to map the Universe with largest radio telescope ever built

An international team of scientists including Hans-Rainer Klöckner from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn and Dominik Schwarz from the University of Bielefeld have joined forces to lay the foundations for an experiment of truly astronomical proportions: putting together the biggest map of the Universe ever made. The experiment will combine signals from hundreds of radio dishes to make cosmic atlas. In a series of papers published today on the arXiv.org astrophysics pre-print website, an international team of researchers set out their plans for the mammoth survey.

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