BGC is part of new excellence cluster granted to FSU Jena
Interaction between bacteria (Proteus mirabilis) and yeast fungi (Candida albicans) in the intestine. Source: Sandor Nietzsche, Susanne Linde/EMZ Jena; photo edited by: Mario Kapitan
The Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Germany) was granted funding for one Cluster of Excellence. As the Excellence Commission announced at 27 September in Bonn, Jena's proposal for the cluster 'Balance of the Microverse' is among the 57 selected consortia which will be funded by the German Excellence Strategy for the following seven years. In the Cluster of Excellence 'Balance of the Microverse', the University cooperates with its University Hospital and external research institutions. After having been among the winners with its Graduate School 'Jena School for Microbial Communication' in 2007, this is the first Cluster of Excellence for Jena.
"That is great news for the University, for the research location Jena, and the Free State of Thuringia," the President of the University, Walter Rosenthal, is thrilled with the decision. "It proves that middle-sized universities may also belong to the most outstanding German institutions of higher education." According to him, the decision acknowledges the profile that the University has developed over the past few years - with the motto 'Light, Life, Liberty'. The President is certain this success ultimately puts the scientific and economic region Jena on the global map. "Firstly, I would like to thank my colleagues for the strong commitment on which this very success is based. Secondly, I also thank the Free State of Thuringia for its intensive support."
"This is the major breakthrough for Jena as an internationally significant scientific centre," says the Thuringian Minister of Science Wolfgang Tiefensee. "Jena is now part of the 'Champions League' of the German research centres."