News
New Research Training Group for Biomolecular Condensates
The German Research Foundation (DFG) has awarded funding for a new Research Training Group (RTG 3120) at TU Dresden. Starting in 2026, the RTG—titled “Biomolecular Condensates: From Physics to Biological Functions”—will receive approximately €7 million over five years. Professor Jens-Uwe Sommer, Director of the Division Theory of Polymers at the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, serves as the group’s spokesperson.
The new Research Training Group will focus on biomolecular condensates—membrane-less structures within living cells that play a central role in the spatial and temporal organization of biological processes. By integrating diverse experimental and theoretical methods, the group aims to unravel, predict, and precisely control the physics and biological functions of these condensates. A particular emphasis will be placed on exploring how phase transitions and collective behaviors among biopolymers drive their formation and function. Beyond foundational research, RTG 3120 will investigate the role of biomolecular condensates in diseases—especially neurodegenerative disorders—potentially paving the way for new therapeutic strategies.
RTG 3120 is designed to train and support doctoral researchers in an interdisciplinary setting that bridges biology, physics, and polymer science. "By investigating collective phenomena at the interface of biology, biological physics, and polymer physics, we aim to contribute to a new foundation for understanding living matter while fostering an inspiring interdisciplinary environment for the next generation of excellent researchers," explains Professor Sommer.
To achieve its ambitious goals, RTG 3120 brings together a consortium of renowned research institutions. In addition to TU Dresden and IPF, key partners include the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) and the Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR). Dresden offers a strong scientific foundation for the new group, as it was here that Anthony A. Hyman (MPI-CBG) and Clifford Brangwynne (Princeton University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute) first uncovered the physical principles underlying biomolecular condensates. Their pioneering work has since led to the emergence of a vibrant, multidisciplinary scientific community spanning cell biology, biochemistry, polymer science, and physics.
19.06.2025