Regensburg Research Training Group receives new research funding!

Regensburg Research Training Group receives new research funding!

On June 16, 2025, the German Research Foundation (DFG) announced the extension of the funding for the Research Training Group (GRK) 2620 “Ion Pairs in ReAction: Ion Pair Effects in Molecular Reactivity”. This decision is an important step for chemical research at the University of Regensburg and the scientists involved at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU).

The GRK 2620 was positively assessed in its first funding phase and is now starting its second funding period of four and a half years. University President Prof. Dr. Udo Hebel emphasized the importance of graduate colleges for the development of young scientists. The speaker of the college, Prof. Dr. Ruth Gschwind was pleased about the continuation of ion pair research, which is combined with machine learning and high-pressure analysis.

Interdisciplinarity and research priorities

The GRK 2620 includes renowned scientists such as Prof. Dr. Robert Wolf, Prof. Dr. Julia Rehbein and Prof. Dr. Patrick Nürnberger active. The interdisciplinary training program offers doctoral students a structured research environment. The aim is to develop transferable ion pair concepts to predict and control structures, reactivities and stereoselectivities.

Ion pairs play a crucial role in chemistry, particularly in heterolytic reactions and many single-electron transfers. While the first phase of the GRK focused on the formation of ion pairs and their aggregated structures, the focus in the new funding period is on their reactivities and selectivities. In addition, the transfer of the findings to synthesis and catalysis processes will play a central role.

• Neue Forschungstechniken: Hochdrucktechniken, Kryo-MS und maschinelles Lernen werden zur Analyse von Ionenaggregaten eingesetzt.
• Komplementäre Perspektiven: Das GRK vereint verschiedene chemische Disziplinen, um umfassende Forschungsansätze bereitzustellen.
• Zukunftsvision: Verbesserung der Anwendung von Ionenpaar-Aggregaten in Synthese und Katalyse sowie eine exzellente interdisziplinäre Doktorandenausbildung.

Framework conditions for graduate colleges

The DFG supports graduate scientists in early career phases with its graduate colleges. An application can be submitted by universities and technical colleges with the right to award doctorates. The requirements include a high level of scientific quality and originality, ideally in an interdisciplinary context.

The funding includes positions for graduate students and postdocs as well as funding for various research activities, including travel expenses and workshops. The maximum duration of funding for graduate colleges is up to nine years, although the first funding period can last five years and the second four years under certain conditions.

Overall, the GRK 2620 “Ion Pairs in ReAction” exemplifies the dynamic development of interdisciplinary research projects in Germany and the potential that ion pair research offers in conjunction with modern technologies. It is a significant step towards innovative chemical research and an excellent starting point for future scientific careers.

For more information about the DFG and its funding opportunities, visit dfg.de.

You can also find details about other graduate colleges such as GRK 2243 at the University of Würzburg for the analysis of biochemical mechanisms of the ubiquitin system and the associated research goals.

Overall, all of these projects show the diversity and wealth of the research landscape in Germany and underline the importance of GRK 2620 for chemical research.