Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology

Saarland University is one of 20 higher education institutions in Germany that has been tasked with attracting top international talent in the fields of artificial intelligence and quantum technologies, with the goal of retaining these researchers in the country long-term and building Germany as a centre of scientific excellence. [...]

Progress in chemistry is often gradual, with some of its most important advances taking years – sometimes decades – to unfold. A case in point is the discovery of a novel ‘ferrocenophane’ from the class of compounds known as ‘sandwich molecules’ – so named because of their particular structure. In a ferrocenophane, the ‘bread slices’ are two carbon rings that enclose an iron atom as the sandwich ‘filling’. [...]

How can waste be put to good use instead of being disposed of? A research team at Saarland University developed an innovative approach that converts readily available waste materials – urine and ash – into valuable raw materials. The researchers aim to make good use of these two waste materials to provide nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium – the basis of many fertilizers currently in high demand. The research findings were recently published in the renowned journal Bioengineering. [...]

New broad-spectrum antiviral compounds are seen as an important contribution to pandemic preparedness. A project led by Alexander Titz, professor of organic and pharmaceutical chemistry at Saarland University, and Professor Christian Sieben, research group leader at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), aims to develop such compounds to fill a gap in pandemic preparedness. [...]

A new research consortium bringing together htw saar, Saarland University and Fraunhofer IZFP is strengthening technology transfer in Saarland with support from the Transformation Fund. The project focuses AI, sensor technologies and ways to apply technology to boost the economy and help society. [...]

Continuous monitoring of indoor air to assess health and wellbeing, smart sheets that monitor sleep quality and miniaturized hearing aids – international partners in academia and industry are collaborating on the SensorTech4Health project to develop novel technology that monitors the surrounding environment to continuously gauge health. Whether integrated into a smart home system or as a discreet wearable, these new technologies aim to monitor health and wellbeing and increase quality of life. [...]

How do molecules move? What do the interactions within cells look like in real time? How does this activity on a microscopic scale influence the bigger picture – and thus our health? Dr. Fabian Erdel's research aims to tackle these questions. The multi-award-winning molecular and cell biologist is moving from the Centre de Biologie Intégrative in Toulouse, France, to Saarland University. [...]

Whether rancid nuts in chocolate or unnoticed mould, quality defects in products pose an enormous risk for food manufacturers, ranging from costly recalls to reputation damage. Existing testing methods are often slow and expensive. At the SME Innovation Day organised by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy on 11 June in Berlin, the SENT-GC-MOS research project presented portable gas chromatography detectors that test food for spoilage in a matter of seconds and at low cost. [...]