uni.news

» Published on 21. August 2013

Genome researchers at Bielefeld University decode the hamster genome

Scientists present their findings in ‘Nature Biotechnology‘

Genome researchers from Bielefeld University’s Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec) headed by Professor Dr. Alfred Pühler have succeeded in sequencing the genome of the Chinese hamster. The Chinese hamster supplies the cell cultures used by the pharmaceutical industry to produce biopharmaceutical products such as antibodies used in medicine. This costly project was only possible thanks to a cooperation between Bielefeld University and its international project partners. The researchers have now published their results in the internationally renowned scientific journal ‘Nature Biotechnology‘.

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» Published on 29. Juli 2013

Chips that mimic the brain

Researcher from Bielefeld University involved in new development

Novel microchips imitate the brain’s information processing in real time. The neuroinformatics Junior Professor Dr. Elisabetta Chicca from the Center of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC) at Bielefeld University together with colleagues from Zurich University, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), and the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt am Main have shown, how complex cognitive abilities can be incorporated into electronic systems made with so-called neuromorphic chips: They show how to assemble and configure these electronic systems to function in a way similar to an actual brain. The researchers published their results online on Monday 22 July 2013 in the online edition of the renowned journal ‘PNAS’.

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» Published on 17. Juli 2013

Using bacteria batteries to make electricity

Bielefeld students take part in iGEM competition

Their idea is state of the art: Ten Bielefeld students have set their sights on constructing a bio-battery. They want to make use of the bacteria Escherichia coli to convert glucose into energy. With this project, they are taking part in this year’s ‘international Genetically Engineered Machine competition’ (iGEM) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston, USA. Since May, they have been spending a lot of their free time in the laboratory in order to realise their idea. Now that the first test results are available, the project enters an important phase.

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» Published on 8. Juli 2013

Measuring molecules in their undistorted form

New core facility at Bielefeld University

Using a special electron beam apparatus, scientists at Bielefeld University can determine the precise three-dimensional structure of gaseous molecules. To do this, Professor Dr Norbert Mitzel’s research team analyses the molecules in their gaseous state. Bielefeld University is the only institution in the European Union suitably equipped to conduct such gas-phase analyses. External research facilities are now able to use the device to have their substances analysed. The German Research Foundation (DFG) is providing 550,000 euros over a period of three years to fund the new Core Facility, which has been opened on 3 July, in the presence of international guests.

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» Published on 28. Juni 2013

Bielefeld University to host the European node for human genome data

US-American genome server is being twinned in Ostwestfalen

Since 2001, the human genome has been accessible on the Internet over the ‘UCSC Genome Browser’. It is hosted by University of California, Santa Cruz, USA. This Website is used intensively by geneticists, molecular biologists, and medical scientists engaged in research on the human genome throughout the world. However, the strong demand is straining the data link across the Atlantic. The answer has been to set up a computer in Europe to feed a copy of the Genome Browser into the Internet. The contract went to Bielefeld University. Technicians from the University of California linked up the server. Since 26th of June Bielefeld University hosts the European node of the genome server.

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» Published on 25. Juni 2013

Four more years of funding for Bielefeld University’s mathematical Collaborative Research Centre

German Research Foundation (DFG) awards approximately 10 million Euros

Since 2005, Bielefeld University’s Faculty of Mathematics has hosted the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 701 ‘Spectral structures and topological methods in mathematics’ – one of the few CRCs in Germany specializing in mathematics. After a positive evaluation of the first and second funding periods, the German Research Foundation (DFG) has approved a further four-year funding period starting on 1 July. With funds totalling approximately 2.5 million Euros per year, this will finance not only an extensive guest and workshop programme but also 31 academic positions made up of 20 full-time posts, 3 part-time positions for post-docs, and 8 doctoral positions.

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» Published on 25. Juni 2013

Up to 40th place among the best young universities in the world

Bielefeld University second-best German higher education institute in the international Times Higher Education Ranking

Bielefeld University is one of the best young universities in the world according to the latest ‘100 under 50’ ranking by Times Higher Education (THE). The ranking assesses universities throughout the world that were founded less than 50 years ago. Compared to last year, Bielefeld University, founded in 1969, has moved up two places to Rank 40. Apart from Bielefeld, there are just three other German higher education institutes among the top 100 – only the University of Konstanz has a higher ranking.

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» Published on 3. Mai 2013

Bielefeld robots take part in a space simulation

Bielefeld University and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) test Flobi and Nao

The two robots Flobi and Nao worked full time for three weeks in an isolation study in Cologne. Scientists from Bielefeld University’s Research Institute for Cognition and Robotics (CoR-Lab) were studying how these intelligent assistance systems can help astronauts to keep fit – both physically and mentally. However, it was not just the persons who were on trial, but the robots as well. The scientists were testing both their suitability and their capacity. The experiment ended on Saturday. Professor Dr. Franz Kummert, who is running the study together with Professor Dr. Britta Wrede, delivered an initial assessment: ‘I am proud of the members of this project – the way they handled the enormous challenges that such a long-term study imposes on the endurance of our robots was just excellent.’ 

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» Published on 16. April 2013

German–French Master’s and doctoral degree programme

Funding approved for the Bielefeld and Paris I Universities programme

As the German–French Chamber of Industry and Commerce announced in February, France is once again Germany’s most important trading partner in 2012. It is only appropriate that Bielefeld University and University of Paris I are working together to train students in quantitative economic research. The already established Master’s and doctoral degree programmes are to receive funding from the German–French University for five years starting in the next winter semester. The programme is called ‘PhD Track in Quantitative Economics’, TiQE in short. Funding was approved on 8 April.

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» Published on 26. Februar 2013

Blueprint for an artificial brain

Bielefeld physicist Andy Thomas takes nature as his model

Scientists have long been dreaming about building a computer that would work like a brain. This is because a brain is far more energy-saving than a computer, it can learn by itself, and it doesn’t need any programming. Privatdozent [senior lecturer] Dr. Andy Thomas from Bielefeld University’s Faculty of Physics is experimenting with memristors – electronic microcomponents that imitate natural nerves. Thomas and his colleagues proved that they could do this a year ago. They constructed a memristor that is capable of learning. Andy Thomas is now using his memristors as key components in a blueprint for an artificial brain. He will be presenting his results at the beginning of March in the print edition of the prestigious Journal of Physics published by the Institute of Physics in London.

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