Associated Projects

To strengthen and broaden its research impact, the livMatS cluster of excellence strives to establish close collaborations with innovative scientists and young researchers working in related fields.

The following research projects have officially been associated to livMatS to foster knowledge sharing and scientific exchange:


  • GLYMCE - Glycan Mimetics for Cell Glycocalyx Reconstitution: a polymer chemist’s approach to fight infection
ERC Consolidator Grant
Funding period: 01/02/2024 – 31/01/2029

Project leader: Prof Dr. Laura Hartmann


Funded by the DFG within the SPP 2248 Polymer-based batteries
Funding period: 2020 – 2023 / 2024 – 2027

Project leader: PD Dr. Michael Walter



Funded by the European Research Council (ERC)
Funding period: 01/10/2022 – 30/09/2027

Project leader: Prof. Dr. Ingo Krossing


Funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
Funding period: 12/2023 – 12/2026

Project leader: PD Dr. Simon Poppinga


Funded by the Vector Stiftung
Funding period: 01/07/2022 – 30/06/2026

Project leader: Dr. Juliane Borchert


Funded by the DFG within the SPP 2256 Variational Methods for Predicting Complex Phenomena in Engineering Structures and Materials
Funding period: 07/2023 – 06/2026

Project leaders: Prof. Dr. Lars Pastewka, Prof. Dr. Patrick Dondl


  • Reduced-order topology optimisation of high-resolution microstructures with internal contact
Funded by the European Research Executive Agency (REA), delegated by the European Commission
Funding period: 01/03/2024 – 28/02/2026

Project leader: Dr. Martin Ladecky


Funded by the DFG within the SPP 2206 Cooperative Multilevel Multistable Micro Actuator Systems (KOMMMA)
Funding period: 2023 – 2025

Project leader: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rühe


Funded by the DFG
Funding period: 2022 – 2025

Project leader: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rühe


Funded by the DFG
Funding period: 2021 – 2025

Project leader: Dr. Bizan N. Balzer


Funded through the VolkswagenStiftung initiative "Momentum - Funding for Recently Tenured Professors"
Funding period: 2020 – 2025

Grant recipient and livMatS spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Anna Fischer


Funded by the DFG
Funding period: 01/2023 – 12/2025

Project leader: Prof. Dr. Daniel B. Werz


  • The functional morphology of monocotyledons and their mechanical adaptability can inspire technology
Funded through the Margarete von Wrangell- Habilitationsprogramm für Frauen
Funding period: 05/2020 – 05/2025

Project leader and associated livMatS scientist: Dr. Linnea Hesse


Funded by the ZEISS Stiftung
Funding period: 01/02/2020 – 30/01/2025

Project leaders: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rühe, Prof. Dr. Bastian Rapp


Funded by the DFG
Funding period: 2021 – 2024

Project leader: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rühe


Funded by the DFG
Funding period: 2021 – 2024

Project leader: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rühe


  • LIOREM – STAR PROJECT – F2F
Funded by the BASF within the framework of JONAS (Joint Research Network on Advanced Materials and Systems)
Funding period: 08/2022 – 12/2024

Project leader: Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck


Funded by the Carl Zeiss Stiftung
Funding period: 01/2021 – 12/2024

Project leader: Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck


Funded by the Vector Stiftung
Funding period: 01/11/2022 – 31/10/2024

Project leader: Prof. Dr. Frank Balle
Associated doctoral researcher: Karima Saddedine


Funded by the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR)
Funding period: 01/10/2021 – 31/10/2024

Project leaders: Dr. Tom Masselter, Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck
Associated doctoral researcher: Michelle Modert


Funded by the Carl Zeiss Stiftung
Funding period: 06/2018 – 06/2024

Project member and livMatS Principle Investigator: Prof. Dr. Chris Eberl
Project member and livMatS Responsible Investigator: Prof. Dr. Stefan Hiermaier
Associated livMatS postdoctoral researcher: Dr. Kaiyang Yin
Associated livMatS doctoral researcher: Nadira Grübel


  • Perowskit-Silizium-Tandemsolarzellen: Vakuumprozesse für Perowskitabsorber
Funded by the BMWi
Funding period: 01/02/2021 – 31/01/2024

Project leaders: Prof. Dr. Stefan Glunz, Dr. Saeid Rafizadeh
Associated postdoctoral researcher: Dr. Saeid Rafizadeh


  • Aluminium- and Magnesium-Organic Polymer-Based Batteries (AMPERE)
Subproject within the DFG Priority Programme SPP 2248: Polymer-based batteries.
Funded through the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation)
Funding period: 2020 – 2023

Project leaders and livMatS Principle Investigators: Prof. Dr. Birgit Esser, Prof. Dr. Ingo Krossing


  • Redox-Active Organic Subunits in Linear Amorphous Polymers Versus Highly Ordered COFs as Hierarchical Structured Battery Electrode Materials (PROMISE)
Subproject within the DFG Priority Programme SPP 2248: Polymer-based batteries.
Funded through the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation)
Funding period: 2020 – 2023

Project leader and livMatS Principle Investigator: Prof. Dr. Birgit Esser


  • Generations and functionalization of the dropled-based carries and research its antiproliferative and apoptotic effects on cancer cell lines
Funded by the Philipp Schwartz Initiative
Funding period: 01/01/2021 – 31/12/2023

Project leaders: Dr. Thomas Brandstetter, Prof. Lokman Alpsoy


Funded by the DFG
Funding period: 01/2023 – 04/2023

Project leader: Dr. Edoardo Milana


Funded under the FET-Proactive (FET: Future and Emerging Technologies) programme of the EU framework programme for research and innovation (Horizon 2020), Research and Innovation Action Grant agreement n. 824074
Funding period: 01/2019 – 12/2022

Project leader and livMatS spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck
Associated livMatS doctoral researcher: Frederike Klimm


  • Das Verhältnis von Natürlichem und Geistigem im Ausgang von Hegels Anthropologie
Funded by the Evangelisches Studienwerk Villigst
Funding period: 10/2020 – 10/2022

Project leader and livMatS Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Lore Hühn


Subproject within the DFG Priority Programme SPP 2171: Dynamic wetting of flexible, adaptive and switchable surfaces.
Funded through the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation)
Funding period: 10/2019 – 09/2022

Project leader and associated livMatS scientist: Dr. Dorothea Helmer


Subproject within the DFG Priority Programme SPP 2171: Dynamic wetting of flexible, adaptive and switchable surfaces.
Funded through the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation)
Funding period: 10/2019 – 09/2022

Project leader and livMatS Responsible Investigator: Dr. Thomas Pfohl
Associated livMatS doctoral researcher: Claas-Hendrik Stamp


Funded through the Vector Stiftung
Funding period: 01/2019 – 12/2021

Project leader and livMatS spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Anna Fischer
Project leader and associated livMatS scientist: Dr. Severin Vierrath
Associated livMatS doctoral researcher: Patrick Elsässer


  • Bio-inspirierte elastische Materialsysteme und Verbundkomponenten für nachhaltiges Bauen im 21ten Jahrhundert (BioElast)“ (the Freiburg subproject)
Funded by the MWK Baden-Württemberg, Zukunftsoffensive IV, Innovation und Exzellenz
Funding period: 07/2019 – 07/2021

Project leader and livMatS spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck
Associated livMatS doctoral researcher: Max Langer