News

The Technical University of Munich (TUM) and its affiliated institute UnternehmerTUM are launching an initiative – unique in Europe – to support start-ups rooted in top-level research: In key technological fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum engineering and healthcare, TUM Venture Labs will work with promising start-up teams, providing them with tailor-made support concepts, incubation spaces, training and venturing programs and access to global networks of companies and investors. The goal of the new innovation centers is to make Munich the leading European hub for technology start-ups.

The protein neuropilin-1 facilitates SARS CoV-2 cell entry. A research team including Prof. Mikael Simons of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) recently published these findings in the journal "Science". Because neuropilin-1 is expressed in the mucous membranes of the olfactory and respiratory tract, the findings may be important for understanding the spreading of SARS CoV-2.

The use of e-government in the German speaking region continues to increase. In Germany, 54 percent of Internet users used digital administrative services for the first time in 2020, making up more than half of all Internet users; in Austria the figure is 72 percent and in Switzerland 60 percent. This is the conclusion reached by the eGovernment MONITOR 2020, a representative study conducted by the Initiative D21 and the Technical University of Munich (TUM), carried out by Kantar.

How have the eating, drinking, and exercise habits of children changed since the beginning of the Corona pandemic? Experts from the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Center for Nutritional Medicine (EKFZ) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have devoted themselves to this topic. According to their research, approximately half of the children between 10 and 14 years old are less active than before the pandemic. Furthermore, especially among the older children, the eating of sweets and salty foods has escalated since the lockdown. The study marks the starting point for the new thematic focus “Nutrition in Childhood” at the EKFZ.

The Technical University of Munich (TUM) is starting five new research projects that focus on the coronavirus and the search for new active ingredients. For example, the use of algorithms could ensure a more precise classification of the illness in the future. New therapeutic methods and the targeted prevention of the long-term effects will also be researched in other projects. The Bavarian Research Foundation (BFS) is funding the projects with around € 1.5 million.

Researchers of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have cultured so-called intestinal organoids from human intestinal tissue, which is a common byproduct when performing bowel surgery. These small “miniature intestines” can be used for molecular biological examinations and allow for a direct application of research results to humans, thereby making animal experiments redundant.

The Technical University of Munich (TUM) is intensifying its partnership with Tsinghua University in China. Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann and Prof. Qiu Yong, the presidents of the two universities, signed an agreement today for a strategic partnership in research, teaching and innovation. Tsinghua University, which ranks among the world's most prestigious academic institutions, is one of TUM's oldest partners.

Modern hydroelectric power plants do not always protect fish better than conventional ones. In addition to the technologies employed, the specific location of the plant and the fish species being present at that location also play a role in fish protection. A research team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has systematically studied how different types of power plants affect various fish species and their habitats. Detailed findings can improve future planning as well as retrofitting of existing plants.

Under the motto "TUM. Think – Understand – Manage", the Technical University of Munich has launched a new debate series with high-profile guests from the worlds of business, science and society at large. At the TUM Talk premiere, with TUM President Thomas F. Hofmann acting as moderator, they debated pressing issues related to the digital transformation and new leadership.

Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Berchtesgaden National Park have commenced a project for the permanent monitoring of biodiversity. At 50 locations in the National Park, the research team is going to gather information about the state of species and analyze the effects of climate change. It is the first large-scale project as part of the cooperation between TUM and the National Park, a cooperation facilitated by the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment.