News in research and teaching

Quantum networks have gained increasing prominence in the research community in recent years. Not only do they have the potential to strengthen the security of critical infrastructure they may also enable new applications –from the secure interconnection of quantum computers through to a future quantum internet. Such networks rely on devices known as quantum repeaters. [...]

The Delegate General of the Canadian province of Quebec, Geneviève Rolland, visited Saarland University today together with Anke Rehlinger, Minister-President of Saarland. University President Ludger Santen and the Vice-President for Internationalization and European Relations, Dominik Brodowski, welcomed the guests to the Saarbrücken campus for a moderated discussion and dialogue, which also involved students with ties to Canada. [...]

This year’s Girls' Day returns on Thursday, 23 April, 9 am – 2 pm, with the theme ‘Hands‑on science and technology’. Saarland University is joining this nationwide event with an exciting programme of activities and interactive workshops for girls from Year 5 and above. Registration is now open. [...]

Using the motto 'Teaching the subject – teaching the senses', more than 500 STEM teachers will gather at Saarland University from 26 to 29 March 2026 for this year’s national congress of the Federal Association for the Promotion of STEM Education (MNU). The programme features over 150 lectures, workshops and laboratory tours. [...]

Dr Ahmad Aljohmani is one of two award winners who were recognized by the Hans and Ruth Giessen Foundation on 19 March in a ceremony in the Saarland University 'Aula' assembly hall. Dr Aljohmani is an early career medical researcher and leads a research group at Saarland University Hospital that investigates potential treatments that can lessen harmful inflammation in the body without compromising its antibacterial defences. [...]

Roland Aydin was named Professor of Data-Driven Simulation and Analysis in Materials Science at Saarland University. In his research, Roland Aydin combines state-of-the-art artificial intelligence methods with simulation-based approaches. He uses large language models in conjunction with autonomous agent systems and other AI methods to address questions in the natural sciences and engineering. [...]

Quantencomputer können manches besser als klassische Computer, aber vieles eben auch noch nicht. Wissenschaftler der Saar-Universität wollen nun gemeinsam mit den Industriepartnern BMW, Infineon und dem Quantencomputer-Start-up planqc beide Welten zusammenbringen. Ein Quantencomputer soll klassischen Rechnern dabei helfen, hochkomplexe Optimierungsherausforderungen aus dem Industrie-Alltag zu bewältigen. Gefördert wird das Projekt mit 2,3 Millionen Euro vom Bundesforschungsministerium. [...]

On 23 March, Professor Herbert Schneider, Professor of Musicology at Saarland University, will celebrate his 85th birthday in Mainz. [...]

Eric Grosse wurde zum Professor für Betriebswirtschaftslehre mit Schwerpunkt Digitale Transformation im Operations Management an der Universität des Saarlandes ernannt. In seiner Forschung geht es um die Frage, wie sich Prozesse in der Produktion und Logistik digitalisieren lassen. Dabei zielt er auf die gesamte Wertschöpfungskette, an der interne und externe Partner beteiligt sind. Eric Grosse interessiert sich auch für die Zukunft der Arbeit in Industrie- und Logistikunternehmen. [...]

Krebs ist die zweithäufigste Todesursache in den westlichen Ländern. Häufig entsteht der Eindruck, unser Körper sei dieser Krankheit schutzlos ausgeliefert. Der menschliche Organismus ist jedoch durchaus in der Lage, Krebszellen über lange Zeit erfolgreich zu bekämpfen. Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler der Universität des Saarlandes haben nun einen solchen körpereigenen Abwehrmechanismus gegen Krebs entdeckt. Er könnte Grundlage für neue Therapien sein. [...]

Viele Erkrankungen, von chronischen Wunden etwa infolge von Diabetes bis hin zu Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen, entstehen, weil geschädigtes Gewebe im Körper nicht mehr stabil aufgebaut werden kann. Statt zu heilen, wird die körpereigene Struktur durch ein Ungleichgewicht in den körpereigenen Regulationsmechanismen zunehmend abgebaut. Ein Forschungsteam der Universität des Saarlandes hat nun gemeinsam mit Partnern ein Gel entwickelt, das diesen Prozess stoppen und so die Heilung beschleunigen kann. [...]

Dr. Sinan Durant from the Centre of General Medicine at Saarland University's Faculty of Medicine has been awarded the State Prize for University Teaching alongside an award of €24,000. The award recognizes a new digital teaching programme for the year of clinical practice in general medicine which was developed by the general medicine teaching team and led by Dr. Durant. The programme is being implemented in collaboration with 14 German universities. [...]

Adults with ADHD often have difficulty concentrating and structuring their daily lives. Many people with ADHD require therapy, yet places for the service are scarce. According to a recent clinical study involving 337 adults, a digital intervention can provide immediate support and has been shown to be as effective as behavioural therapy. Saarland University's Roberto D'Amelio was the study's lead author and the renowned journal Psychological Medicine published the study's findings. [...]

Saarland University's alumni reunion on 12 June promises to be evening full of memories, familiar and new faces and special moments. As the first university-wide gathering of its kind, it offers a varied programme with many opportunities for attendees to exchange experiences. The reunion aims to bring together people who studied, researched, worked or taught at the Saarbrücken or Homburg campuses. [...]

Scientists from Saarland University, RPTU Kaiserslautern–Landau, VIB-VUB Brussels and collaborating institutions have discovered that important enzymes in our cells, known as peroxiredoxins, can combine more flexibly than previously assumed. The discovery shows how cells create molecular diversity and fine-tune stress responses.
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On 11 March, Dr. Hans Leo Krämer, Professor of Sociology at Saarland University and founder of the World of Work Partnership Office (KoWA), will celebrate his 90th birthday. [...]

Innovative materials could help to reduce the energy consumption of electrical devices, allowing drones to fly longer and e-bikes to travel further. By introducing components made from metallic glass into electric motors, researchers aim to minimize energy losses during motor operation. Professor Ralf Busch and his team at Saarland University have developed new alloys for just this purpose. [...]

Werner Pitsch has been appointed Professor of Sociology of Sport. The sports scientist has been working at Saarland University since 2005 and will now take up the five-year fixed-term professorship until his retirement. Pitsch conducts research on a wide range of topics in sociology of sport and is considered a pioneer in the application of randomized response technology in sports science. [...]

Fraudulent emails are currently in circulation requesting students at Saarland University to pay alleged tuition fees. The message claims that outstanding fees of €350 must be transferred at short notice, otherwise the matter will be referred to a “legal department”. The email contains a request to transfer money to an external account and to send proof of payment to an email address that does not belong to the university. [...]

Frank Mücklich, Professor of Functional Materials at Saarland University, will give a lecture on material surfaces that can be used in the medical field and have also been tested in outer space. The lecture is a part of the University Society's science forum and will take place on Wednesday, 18 March at 6 p.m. in the 'Aula' assembly hall (Building A3 3) on the Saarbrücken campus. [...]

On 12 and 13 March, experts from around the world will gather at the Europa-Institut at Saarland University to discuss legal issues relating to sexual identity, human dignity and social diversity from an international perspective. The conference, entitled Sexual and Gender Minorities in International Law and European Union Law, is being held to mark the retirement of Professor Thomas Giegerich, long-time co-director of the Europa-Institut. [...]

A Saarland University study is taking a look at how courts and IT experts might handle smart contracts in the future – before a real case is even on the docket. Researchers and legal professionals simulated a court case as a part of a project entitled Industry 4.0. On 18 March at 3 p.m., the Institute for Legal Informatics at Saarland University under the leadership of Professor Georg Borges will present the simulation study 'Smart Contracts' in Frankfurt am Main. [...]

Time Magazine recently published a university ranking comparing 500 universities worldwide based on scientific performance, innovation and international engagement. Saarland University ranked 144th worldwide and 10th among German universities, 44 of which are included in the ranking. [...]

The protein IMP2 plays a pivotal role in tumour growth. A research team led by Professor Alexandra K. Kiemer from Saarland University has discovered that when immune cells, known as macrophages, produce this protein in the immediate vicinity of cancer cells, the tumour grows faster under laboratory conditions. The team suspects that the protein makes it easier for macrophages to infiltrate the tumour and promote its growth. [...]

Each summer semester, Saarland University offers prospective students the opportunity to try out studying in the so-called orientation programme. The programme allows students to attend regular courses in their desired subject for one semester without pressure to earn certain grades. The orientation programme is free of charge and interested students can register until 31 March on the programme’s website: [...]

Industrial dyes and pigments significantly impact the environment and their production often requires a lot of power and resources. A research team of scientists and industry partners has set out to change this. Under the leadership of Christoph Wittmann, Professor of Systems Biotechnology at Saarland University, the team will employ bacteria to produce colour particles from by-products of wood-based cellulose fibre production. [...]

Interleukin-1 alpha ist ein Botenstoff, der vor allem für die Steuerung von Entzündungsreaktionen in unserem Körper verantwortlich ist. Ein Forschungsverbund der Universität des Saarlandes und der TU Dresden möchte herausfinden, was genau an der Innenwand von Blutgefäßen vonstattengeht, wo IL-1 alpha eine Rolle bei Entzündungen der Blutgefäße spielt, die bislang nur wenig erforscht wurde. Die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft fördert das Projekt ab dem Herbst 2026 mit rund 500.000 Euro. [...]

Artificial intelligence today is largely based on statistical methods that search for patterns in large amounts of data. So far, AI cannot recognise causalities, meaning it cannot understand how cause and effect are related in the same way that humans can. Computer science researcher Sara Magliacane wants to change that. Saarland University has now appointed her Professor of Machine Learning. [...]

Starting 1 March, Bergita Ganse will be the new university professor in experimental musculoskeletal medicine at the Department of Surgery at Saarland University. Previously, the physician held the temporary Werner Siemens Endowed Professorship for Innovative Implant Development at the Homburg campus. Her areas of expertise include smart implants, fracture healing and immobilisation of injured body parts, as well as performance decline in old age and space medicine. [...]

Advanced dosage forms and current trends in drug development, infectious disease research and alternatives to animal testing are some of the topics at the heart of the 'Controlled Release meets BioBarriers' conference, which will be held at Saarland University's Saarbrücken campus from 3–6 March 2026 and is expected to draw more than 200 scientists from around the world. The event will bring together leading international experts alongside early-career pharmaceutical researchers. [...]

Over 40,000 years ago, our early ancestors were already carving signs into tools and sculptures. According to a new analysis by linguist Christian Bentz at Saarland University and archaeologist Ewa Dutkiewicz at the Museum für Vor- und Frühgeschichte (Museum of Prehistory and Early History) in Berlin, these sign sequences have the same level of complexity and information density as the earliest proto-cuneiform script that emerged tens of thousands of years later, around 3,000 B.C.E. [...]

This year's Mathematics Day will take place at Saarland University on Saturday, 14 March 2026. The competition is open to students in years 11 and 12 at grammar schools and years 12 and 13 at comprehensive schools who enjoy solving mathematical puzzles. It will begin at 9:30 a.m. on the Saarbrücken campus. Please register by 6 March by emailing TdM@math.uni-sb.de [...]

For two days, experts from academia, politics and industry will discuss the key questions shaping the future of the European steel industry. On 25 and 26 February, the inaugural 'Saarland Steel Talks' will take place at the Saarland Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalization and Energy in Saarbrücken. [...]

Twins can help science understand whether our lives are more strongly influenced by genetic factors or environmental factors. Researchers, including Saarland University Professor Frank Spinath, are building a nationwide twin registry for studies exploring these questions. Spinath is looking for twins of all ages who are willing to participate in scientific studies. Twins interested in participating can register in the Gertrud portal, where they can view upcoming studies. [...]

Jobseekers should be careful making political statements online. Saarland University researchers found that HR managers are influenced by whether and how someone expresses their political views – especially if they lean towards extreme political fringes. If the political opinion of the recruiter is contrary to that of the applicant, their job prospects decrease. These findings were described in a Saarland University study that was recently published in the Journal of Business and Psychology. [...]

With crewed missions planned to the moon and, in the medium term, to Mars, gaining a better understanding of how longer periods of spaceflight affect the human organism is becoming increasingly critical. Researchers are therefore studying the effects of prolonged stays in space on mammalian organisms using data collected on the International Space Station (ISS). [...]

Children's hospice work provides families in extremely challenging situations with expert support and compassionate care. The financing of children's hospice work is only partially covered by the existing systems. In Homburg, the official start of construction was marked for Germany's first combined children's and adult hospice. [...]

The Faculty of Law at Saarland University does not impose any restrictions on the use of AI in academic assignments – not even for term papers and seminar papers. However, students are still required to complete their work independently and use AI responsibly. With their upcoming study, the Faculty of Law aims to support students in meeting these requirements from the outset while also researching AI systems. Prof. Georg Borges, who focuses on IT law, is looking for law students from Germany... [...]

Plastic from straw: that is the essence of a project that Christoph Wittmann's Systems Biotechnology team at Saarland University has been pursuing since early February in collaboration with partners from academia and industry. In the LiGNUM project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, bacteria will be engineered so that they can convert a by-product from straw-pulp production into the basic building blocks for nylon and Perlon. [...]

Saarland University is once again hosting public lectures. The lectures for the upcoming week will be announced here. The planned lecture dates can also be found in the event calendar on the university's homepage. [...]

Fundamental breakthroughs in the natural sciences are rare. Progress is usually made in small steps, with knowledge slowly accumulating as more pieces of the puzzle fall into place. Now, however, chemists at Saarland University have made a major breakthrough: they have synthesized a stable molecule that chemists worldwide have been seeking – unsuccessfully – for decades. Their discovery has now been published in Science. [...]

Anyone who builds furniture or doors wants to use lightweight materials that are both stable and durable. That’s where wood fibres come into play. Similar to corrugated cardboard, wood fibres can be shaped into different wave heights. Hans-Georg Herrmann, Professor of Lightweight Systems at Saarland University, is working with the company Homanit to develop a new high-performance material system that can be implemented in various contexts. [...]

On 5 May, Saarland University will once again offer companies the opportunity to introduce themselves to students and young researchers from all departments and connect with potential skilled workers early on. Spaces for exhibition stands are still available. Companies interested in participating can visit the 'next' campus fair website: www.uni-saarland.de/next [...]

Sixty years ago, Catholic bishops and cardinals convened in Rome at the Second Vatican Council to adapt and reorient the church to a changing world. Since 2016, more than 150 scholars have been researching what the Council has achieved worldwide to date – and what it has not. Among them is Urszula Pękala, who has been a Professor of Church and Theological History at Saarland University since 2025. [...]

Conventional lithium-ion batteries contain problematic substances such as nickel and cobalt, and the solvents used to coat the electrode materials are also toxic. Materials scientists at Saarland University are therefore working to develop environmentally friendly alternatives. By introducing finely dispersed iron oxide into tiny, highly porous, hollow carbon spheres developed by Professor Michael Elsaesser at the University of Salzburg, the Saarbrücken team has achieved very promising results. [...]

Hans-Jürgen Lüsebrink, professor of Romance Languages and Literature at Saarland University, has been awarded the Prix d'Histoire du Gouverneur Général du Canada. The prize is one of Canada's highest academic honours and was awarded for Lüsebrink’s biography of French-Canadian journalist and intellectual Paul-Marc Sauvalle (1857-1920). [...]

Woman, man, non-binary? The social construct of gender determines many aspects of our lives: from the name we receive at birth and the clothes we wear to the education we receive. Gender is deeply personal and at the same time politically controversial. It therefore may come as a surprise that analytic philosophy has paid little attention to the concept of gender. Viktoria Knoll, a researcher at Saarland University, is fundamentally examining gender with around one million euros funding. [...]

Microplastics are a major environmental concern. These tiny plastic particles can now be found everywhere – in rivers, seas and on land. Not only are they highly persistent, they are also suspected of being toxic to living organisms – and thus pose a threat to ecosystems and to human health. In a joint project funded by the EU and the Saarland state government, Saarland University and htw saar are researching ways to remove these difficult-to-degrade plastic particles efficiently from water.
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Amid all the current geopolitical crises, climate change has slipped somewhat from the public radar. Yet it remains one of the most significant long-term threats to human coexistence on Earth. A major contributory factor is the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO₂), which accelerates global warming. [...]

Mental health problems among young people have risen sharply. Many have developed fears about the future in the wake of the Covid pandemic, the climate crisis and global conflicts. This makes it all the more important to support young people in managing stress and mental health challenges – and to help them build and maintain mental resilience. [...]