Nationally supported projects

The SFB/Transregio 277 (TRR 277) aims to comprehensively investigate additive manufacturing (AM) in interdisciplinary basic research as a novel digital manufacturing technology in construction and thus to create the framework conditions for its introduction in the construction industry. Additive manufacturing is fundamentally different from conventional predominantly manual manufacturing technologies in construction, which are designed for low labor costs but not for material-efficient construction. As the construction industry is one of the world's largest emitters of CO2, the highly efficient use of resources in construction is of global societal importance. In this interdisciplinary, cross-location research project, the two universities TU Braunschweig and TU Munich are pursuing a novel manufacturing approach for the construction industry, using additive manufacturing to use material only where it fulfills a function. This will pave the way for a new freedom of design in the construction industry while at the same time enabling the resource-efficient use of building materials.

The work program of TRR 277 focuses on the two research approaches: Material and process combination and end-to-end digitalization in the construction industry.

Contact:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Harald Kloft – Institute of Structural Design, TU Braunschweig
Prof. Dr. Kathrin Dörfler – Digital Fabrication, TU Munich

Involved Project Partners:

• TU Braunschweig: Institute of Mechanics and Adaptronics (IMA), Institute of Applied Mechanics (IAM),  Institute of Building Materials, Concrete Construction and Fire Safety (iBMB), Institute for Construction Engineering and Management (IBB), Institute of Machine Tools and Production Technology (IWF), Institute of Joining and Welding (ifs), Institute of Geodesy and Photogrammetry (IGP), Institute for Particle Technology (iPAT), Institute for computational modeling in civil  engineering (iRIMB), Institute of Steel Structures (IS), Institute of Structural Design (ITE)
• TU Munich: TT Professorship Digital Fabrication (DF), Chair of Architectural Informatics (AI), Chair for Computation in Engineering (CiE), The Chair of Computational Modeling and Simulation (CMS), Chair of Materials Handling, Material Flow, Logistics (fml), Chair of Building Technology and Climate Responsive Design (BT), Chair of Timber Structures and Building Construction (HBB), Chair of Metal Structures (MB), Chair of Structural Analysis (st), Chair of Materials Science and Testing (cbm), Institute for Machine Tools and Industrial Management (iwb), Professur für Technikdidaktik (edu)
• Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut (WKI): Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research
• Leibniz University Hannover: Institute for Assembly Technology (match)

To the research project

With the major goal of climate-neutral flying, we are conducting research on potentials and synergies through highly integrated aircraft development in numerous sub-projects at TU Braunschweig, University of Stuttgart, LUH Hannover and DLR Braunschweig in the new transregio SynTrac collaborative research centre. We use interactions of the disciplines aerodynamics, acoustics, flight physics, structural mechanics and thermodynamics through a multidisciplinary, cross-system view of the aircraft development process to develop future highly efficient aircraft through innovative approaches.

Contact:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sabine C. Langer – Institute for Acoustics, TU Braunschweig
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stephan Staudacher – Institute of Aircraft Propulsion Systems, University of Stuttgart

Involved Project Partner:

• TU Braunschweig: Institute for Acoustics (InA), Institute of Jet propulsion and Turbomachinery (IFAS), Institute of Flight Guidance (IFF), Institute of Aircraft Design and Lightweight Structures (IFL), Institute of Mechanics and Adaptronics (IMA), Institute of Fluid Mechanics (ISM)
• University of Stuttgart: Institute of  Aerodynamics and Gas Dynamics (IAG), Institute of Flight Mechanics and Control (IFR), Institute of Aircraft Design (IFB), Institute of Aircraft Propulsion Systems (ILA), Institute of Structural Mechanics and Dynamics in Aerospace Engineering (ISD), Institute of Aerospace Thermodynamics (ITLR)
• Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt / German Aerospace Center (DLR): Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology (AS)
• Leibniz University Hannover: Institute of Electric Power Systems (IfES)

To the research project

In the CRC 298, a fundamentally new approach to implant research is being pursued via the synergistic and integrative collaboration of scientists from a wide range of disciplines. Through the scientific use of safety-relevant concepts from the engineering sciences, smart implant systems will be developed which for the first time enable continuous monitoring for the early detection of implant complications and, accordingly, allow a response to restore the initial status. By developing chemical, biological or physical detection systems, early detection of technical or biological complications will be facilitated and transmitted, either externally to the physician or internally to autonomous implant-associated systems. Following detection, reactions are triggered, which promote technical or biological regeneration. The new detection and reac-tion systems and the co-generated data will converge into an implant lifecycle management system and lead to increased implant and patient safety in the long term. As physician-patient interactions will be crucial for improving implant safety and sustainable treatment success, communication research will provide an innovative contribution to this process.

Contact at TU Braunschweig: Prof. Henning Menzel – Institute of Technical Chemistry

Participating Institutes of TU Braunschweig: Institute of Technical Chemistry

The SFB is coordinated by the Hannover Medical School.

The CRC 1454 brings together the transdisciplinary expertise from three faculties of the University of Bonn (Medicine, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and Philosophy), the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, the Max-Planck-Institute for Metabolism Research in Cologne, and the Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology to collaboratively address the unmet need to understand the mechanisms leading to metaflammation and to translate these findings into novel therapeutic and preventative strategies. The CRC aims to i. study how the triggers associated with a Western lifestyle lead to immune cell programming and cause metaflammation, ii. investigate the crosstalk between reprogrammed immune cells and the inflamed tissues, iii. address the role of specific pathways activated in metaflammation for disease pathogenesis, iv. perform bi-directional translational research between murine and human studies by investigating the discovered mechanisms in patient populations as well as in the longitudinal population ‘Rhineland Study’. 

Contact at TU Braunschweig: Prof. Karsten Hiller – Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioformatics

Participating Institutes of TU Braunschweig: Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioformatics

The SFB is coordinated by the University of Bonn.

In the SFB/Transregio 150, turbulent, chemically reacting multiphase flows near walls are systematically in-vestigated in a holistic approach. These near-wall flows underlie a large number of processes in technology and nature. Examples are fires, energy conversion and process engineering processes, where heat, momentum and mass transfer as well as chemical reaction processes are massively influenced by the interaction between fluid and walls. A holistic research approach is required to better understand these complex flows near walls, to create effi-cient mathematical models, and to develop accurate validated numerical simulation tools for process prediction. This approach is characterized by complementary methods in experiment, theory, modeling, and numerical simulation. In order to ensure a coherent research program and close cooperation within the project, leading examples from energy technology and fire safety are used to select, on the one hand, applica-tion scenarios with high social, technological, economic and ecological relevance and, on the other hand, processes and material systems on which the complex transport and reaction processes near the wall are investigated as examples. The leading examples related to energy technology support developments towards greater sustainability, which is one of the most important goals of the 21st century. From a global perspective, the SFB/Transregio 150 is unique in that no other group is working on understanding the mechanisms, deriving models and methods, and testing them on the basis of leading examples in the context of chemically reacting multiphase flows that are influenced by walls, with such breadth and coherent objectives.

Contact at TU Braunschweig: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Federica Ferraro, Institute for Jet Propulsion and Turbomachinery

Participating Institutes of TU Braunschweig: Institute for Jet Propulsion and Turbomachinery

The SFB is coordinated by the Technische Universität Darmstadt.
https://www.trr150.tu-darmstadt.de/der_sonderforschungsbereich/index.en.jsp

The objective of the Collaborative Research Centre (SFB) is the investigation of physical, conceptual, and methodological foundations, based on the Digital Twin’s concept, for an integrated design and operation methodology of future offshore megastructures. Offshore megastructures are slender integral structures of offshore wind turbines (OWTs) with > 20 MW rated power. They are characterized by very large dimensions and interact strongly dynamically with their environment. Due to several reasons, they can significantly contribute to the success of the energy transition. OWTs with > 20 MW rated power generate energy more efficiently and continuously. Moreover – compared to today's wind turbines – they have shorter installation times and more cost-effective logistics and maintenance with respect to their power output. In the long term, the SFB targets at a change of paradigm in the design and operation of structures with complex load-bearing behaviour.

Contact at TU Braunschweig: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Hühne, Institute of Mechanics and Adaptronics

Participating Institutes of TU Braunschweig: Institute of Mechanics and Adaptronics

The SFB is coordinated by the Leibniz Universität Hannover.
https://www.sfb1463.uni-hannover.de/en/

FOR 2863 addresses the grand challenge of metrology in THz communication measurements systematically, and in four distinct areas: (i) Traceability to the International System of Units (SI), (ii) Characterization of the measurement system itself, (iii) Metrological characterization of the RF components and the propagation channel, (iv) Measurements required for enabling the functionality of THz communications.

Contact at TU Braunschweig: Prof. Thomas Kürner – Institute of Communications Engineering

Participating Institutes at TU Braunschweig: Institute of Communications Technology, Institute for Computer and Network Engineering, Institute for High Frequency Technology

To the research project

The continued aim of the Research Unit FOR3022 is to gain a profound understanding of an integrated semi-autonomous Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) in Fibre Metal Laminates (FML) using guided ultrasonic waves (GUW) taking into account methods of machine learning. This requires an integral view on the physical phenomena of wave propagation even under complex environmental conditions, their interaction with hidden damage, recording of these interactions using microtechnical sensors at the location of event, and a signal processing for full damage diagnostics. The findings will be useful for the consideration and comprehensive understanding of wave propagation in all layered material systems made from components of large impedance differences.

Contact at TU Braunschweig: Professor Dr.-Ing. Michael Sinapius – Institute of Mechanics and Adaptronics

To the research project

FOR 5200 studies the dedicated strategies employed by newly infecting DNA viruses to disrupt, evade, or exploit nuclear gene expression networks to achieve the desired infection outcome. The central hypothesis is that such viral strategies may vary depending on the specific nuclear environment and state of the host cell.

Contact at TU Braunschweig: Prof. Dr. Melanie Brinkmann – Institute of Genetics

To the research project

FOR 3004 brings together clinician scientists in the field of antibody-mediated immunological disorders with basic scientists in the field of neurophysiology, molecular neurobiology, and neuroimmunology collectively investigating autoantibody-mediated pathology in the CNS. The aim of the Research Unit is to elucidate the pathophysiology of autoimmune encephalitis in which autoantibodies are directed at synaptic targets.

Contact at TU Braunschweig: Prof. Michael Hust – Institute of Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics

Participating Institutes at TU Braunschweig: Institute of Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics

To the research project

The project investigates adaptation and change in individual language-contact situations, i.e. bilingual language processing. It tests whether psycholinguistic adaptation to changes in input may be the seedbed of historical change, as individual adaptation translates into different output, which, in turn, provides changes in input to speakers and language learners.Specifically, the project examines (a) if bilinguals adapt in the same way as native speakers and (b) if adaptation to the L2 spills over into the L1. This project studies adaptation in the context of the dative alternation, examining adaptation to frequency biases in the input and grammatical constraints on adaptation in different groups of monolingual and bilingual native speakers as well as late L2 learners of English.

Contact at TU Braunschweig: Prof. Dr. Holger Hopp – Institute for Englisch Linguistics

Cytochalasans are natural products produced by fungi which have many potent biological activities. They bind strongly to actin and thus significantly effect eukaryotic cells. They also display remarkable bioactivities in prokaryotes and as anti-viral compounds where actin cannot be the target. They inhibit protein synthesis, sugar transport, plant growth, tumor necrosis factor and angiogenesis and are involved in immunosuppression and virulence and avirulence of fungi towards plants and insects, although most molecular mechanisms underlying these processes are unknown. Cytochalasans are constructed from amino acids and polyketides and they are often oxidatively tailored. Many hundreds of family members are known, but very few systematic investigations of structure activity relationships have been reported because very few cytochalasans are commercially available. The proposed CytoLabs Research Unit aims to address these problems through a systematic and integrated collaborative project between groups with expertise in the discovery, chemical synthesis, bioengineering, cell biology, in vivo and in vitro biochemistry, in planta and ecological bioactivity of cytochalasans. It aims to be able to apply modern synthetic chemistry (Kalesse, Klahn) and synthetic biology (Cox) to rapidly create known and new cytochalasans.

Contact at TU Braunschweig: Prof. Dr. Klemens Rottner – Zoological Institute Molecular Cell Biology

The proposed research group analyzes current urban expansion strategies comprehensively for the first time against the background of the currently changing social and planning ideals, economic requirements and individual housing preferences in interaction with the spatial-material realities. The overarching question is how "in times of reurbanization", by which actors and at which locations urban expansion is being promoted in Germany, how the tension between current models, housing desires and practical planning constraints is being dealt with, and which demands can be implemented and why. To this end, the perspectives of urban and regional planning, open space and landscape planning, and spatial social sciences are linked in an innovative way, and all spatial levels from the plot or household to the urban region are considered. The focus is on the future of housing and small-scale coexistence, which is considered in interaction with working, recreation and transport.

Contact at TU Braunschweig: Prof. Dr. Henriette Bertram, Institute for Building Climatology and Energy of Architecture

Global skeletal muscle hypertrophy is associated with a loss of fat mass, improved glucose homeostasis, higher bone mineral density and may improve cancer outcomes. In contrast, skeletal muscle atrophy e.g., because of ageing (sarcopenia), immobilisation, cancer cachexia or critical illness has opposite effects. Most current research focuses on the DNA-RNA-protein system e.g., by identifying myokines such as myostatin or FGF21. However, there is little research that seeks to elucidate metabolic mechanisms using metabolic research methods. The aim of the HyperMet research unit is to use advanced methods of metabolic research to study how muscle hypertrophy and atrophy affect metabolic health.

Contact at TU Braunschweig: Professor Dr. Karsten Hiller, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik

Ultrafast control of macroscopic properties of quantum materials through light-matter interaction is a promising avenue for condensed-matter research. The tremendous progress in the past decade brought key challenges that require collaborative efforts and new assets to face them. The research group’s key goal is to advance experimental driving and probing schemes in combination with state-of-the-art theory to push forward principal paradigms in the field. Central questions of OPTIMAL are: How can we steer the nonequilibrium trajectory of a quantum material in its complex energy landscape and reach metastable hidden states? What is the best route to induce new states of matter via Floquet driving and phonon pumping, either avoiding dissipation effects in Mott insulators, or even utilizing it to establish dissipative Floquet states? Can we leverage strong light-matter coupling in cavities to control fluctuations of light for materials control?

Contact at TU Braunschweig: Professor Dr. Christoph Karrasch, Institut für Mathematische Physik

CircularLIB is a training group on the circular production and usage of lithium-ion batteries. The three universities, TU Braunschweig, TU Clausthal and the Leibnitz University of Hannover together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST cooperate in this program.

Contact: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Arno Kwade, Institute of Biochemical Engineering

https://www.tu-braunschweig.de/en/circularlib

Severe illness caused by viral pathogens constitutes a constant threat to the human society, either as acute epidemics with dramatic consequences or as chronic viral infections in individuals with an increased susceptibility, e.g., due to a compromised immune system. The development of efficient antiviral intervention strategies can be reduced to two steps: 1) a profound understanding of an essential process within the viral life cycle and 2) the capitalization on this knowledge to devise novel antiviral strategies. Recent virology research has revealed the urgent need to extend our understanding to the mechanistic level, i.e., how viral proteins and protein complexes exert their functions within the host cell.

We therefore propose a cross-disciplinary research training group with three key aims:

1. To instruct a new generation of scientists in how to address future challenges in virology research at the interface between virology and structural biology by applying cross-disciplinary, multi-resolution techniques.
2. To further develop integrative methods that bridge different resolution scales in virology.
3. To apply these interdisciplinary approaches to challenging virological questions that pave the way for the development of novel antiviral intervention strategies

Contact at TU Braunschweig: Prof. Dr. Melanie Brinkmann – Institute of Genetics

In the Research Training Group “RNApp - Application research for RNA-based active substances in medicine and pharmaceutical technology”, universities, clinics and Fraunhofer Institutes are developing groundbreaking innovations in the basic research of RNA-based therapeutics and therapies and opening up their translation into clinical practice in a total of 12 doctoral projects. The challenges of therapeutic RNA variants include production, formulation and storage stability as well as transport to their sites of action in the body.

At the Centre for Pharmaceutical Process Engineering (PVZ) at TU Braunschweig, four doctoral projects are developing process engineering approaches to stabilize RNA-based therapeutics through adapted formulation and packaging so that they can be gently dried in order to continue to be available in an active function as a therapeutic agent. One of these sub-projects also focuses on the simulation of the drying process. In addition to this, another doctoral project at TU Braunschweig is working on in-vivo investigations into the tracking of inhaled RNA-based model systems using magnetic particle imaging (MPI). Closely linked to the five projects of the TU Braunschweig in the PVZ is the sub-project of the Fraunhofer IST, in which primary packaging materials for RNA therapeutics are being developed for improved storage stability.

Contact at TU Braunschweig: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christoph Herrmann - Institute of Machine Tools and Production Technology