Metadata

Title: TRA Matter: Building Blocks of Matter and Fundamental Interactions
Category: undergraduate
UUID: ff85462abafa46a98e8edb7df22b354b

Source URL: https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplin...
Parent URL: https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile
Crawl Time: 2026-03-24T03:58:58+00:00

TRA Matter: Building Blocks of Matter and Fundamental Interactions

Source: https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile/transdisciplinary-research-areas/tra-matter Parent: https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/research-and-teaching/research-profile

In this TRA, basic research meets cutting-edge technology to study nature on differing length and time scales. Collaboration between particle physicist, molecular scientists, quantum technologists and astronomers is key to generating new insights into the structures, properties and interactions of the fundamental building blocks of the matter which our universe consists. The focus is on developing impactful new methods and systems for addressing today’s challenges, ranging from big data and information technologies to medicine and environmental sustainability.

RESEARCH

Areas, topics, collaborative research & awards

Find out more1

ABOUT US

Principles, organisation, members & network

Find out more2

SYNERGY BUBBLES

Concept and information on call(s) for proposals

Find out more3

RECAP

Highlights, videos and reports from past years

Find out more4

News from the TRA

Notifications

Stellar remnants solve the mystery of missing mass in galaxy clusters5

Under the leadership of the University of Bonn, a research team led by Prof. Dr. Pavel Kroupa from the Helmholtz Institute for Radiation and Nuclear Physics has discovered that galaxy clusters are about twice as heavy as previously assumed. The additional mass comes mainly from neutron stars and stellar black holes and also explains the observed quantities of heavy elements.

Feb 09, 2026 5

Great honor for Prof. Ulf-G. Meißner6

Prof. Dr. Dr.h.c. Ulf-G. Meißner from the Helmholtz Institute for Radiation and Nuclear Physics at the University of Bonn received the Award for International Scientific Cooperation. The Chinese Academy of Sciences honors the physicist for his outstanding contributions to scientific cooperation. During a festive ceremony in Beijing, Academy President Jianguo Hou presented the scientist with the coveted medal.

Feb 03, 2026 6

ERC Proof of Concept Grant for innovation in low-temperature microscopy7

Junior-Professor Daqing Wang from the University of Bonn has received a Proof of Concept Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) for his “MinCryo” project. With the grant of €150,000 over one year, the physicist will continue to prepare his research results for practical applications in industry. The technical solution developed by him and his team facilitates a wider and more resource-efficient access to cryogenic – extremely cold - optical imaging that combines microscopes with extremely cold temperatures.

Jan 27, 2026 7

The mystery of intermediate-mass black holes8

Galaxies contain black holes weighing between approximately five and 100 solar masses. There are also some with more than 100,000 solar masses. But do medium-mass black holes also develop in galaxies? A study by the Astronomical Institute of Charles University in Czechia, with significant participation from the University of Bonn, shows how medium-mass black holes can frequently form naturally. However, this currently only occurs in the innermost regions of star-forming galaxies similar to our Milky Way. The results have now been published in a “Letter to the Editor” in the journal “Astronomy & Astrophysics.”

Jan 14, 2026 8

All press releases9

Highlights and announcements

[### Lena Funcke from the University of Bonn Awarded the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize

Designierter Hertz-Chair für Astrochemie

Get Involved in the TRA

As a member of the TRA, you can access funding opportunities, participate in events, and build new networks.

Everything About Membership in TRA Matter

\ In TRA Matter, researchers from various fields can collaborate to explore the fundamental building blocks of matter and their interactions. Membership is open to all researchers who work independently in the field of research of the TRA and are employed at the University of Bonn or a cooperating research institution.

Become a Member!12

Directory of our members and their research focus areas

Search within our network of over 100 scientists for new cooperation partners. We are happy to support you in new joint projects or events.

Member Directory of TRA Matter13

Meet our Researchers

Inter- and transdisciplinary research actively pursued at the University of Bonn and is promoted across faculty boundaries. The faces of TRA Matter are our Clausius Professorship, the Argelander Professorship, as well as our designated Hertz Chair and many other dedicated researchers.

Computational Quantum Field Theory

Jun.-Prof. Lena Funcke

Clausius Junior-Professor

Biohybrid Research

Jun.-Prof. Patrycja Kielb

Argelander Professorship

Astrochemistry

Prof. Serena Viti

Designated Hertz-Chair

Newest Member – Welcome to TRA Matter!

Jun.-Prof. Dr. Zorah Lähner

Machine Learning and Geometric Optimization

Contact

Dr. Birgit Westernströer

bwesternstroeer@uni-bonn.de

tra2-matter@uni-bonn.de

+49 228 73 4117

Manager TRA / Strategic Development and Quality Assurance Unit