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In the future AI will affect nearly every area of our lives. What policy developments can be expected in Germany over the next four years to lay the groundwork for these technologies? A team working with Prof. Stefan Wurster has investigated the electoral platforms of the parties represented in the Bundestag. In this interview the political scientist explains which parties emphasize the opportunities, which ones tend to see the risks, and also where the platforms have significant gaps.

A new city, new people and new challenges – arriving at university can be quite exciting. This is even more true for the many international students who come to TUM every year. To help them get started in student life in Munich, Garching, Straubing or Heilbronn, there are numerous information and support services.

The new German-language podcast series "We are TUM" meets the people who make the Technical University of Munich what it is: From top researchers to students and faculty to the "hidden champions" who usually remain behind the scenes. The episodes are introduced by President Thomas F. Hofmann.

For those looking for expert input on the English version of their bachelor’s or master’s thesis, the specialists at the English Writing Center are there to help. The service is open to students in all of the degree programs – free of charge and on a one-to-one basis.

The raw material wood has shaped the development of mankind like hardly any other natural material. For centuries, wood was one of the most important materials for satisfying people's basic material and energy needs. But how can we use this raw material today? At the TUM@Freising lecture series on Thursday, September 30, 2021, Prof. Klaus Richter from the Chair of Wood Science at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) will explain how wood can be optimized through innovative technology and what potential this offers for climate protection.

Because a plethora of flavor compounds contribute to the distinctive taste of cocoa, its composition is difficult to analyze. Now, scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Leibniz Institute of Food Systems Biology (LSB) have developed a new methodology that quickly, easily, and precisely quantifies the flavor profile of cocoa samples.

In their Covid-19 Lecture, Prof. Clarissa Prazeres da Costa and Dr. Nina Wantia of the Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene show how hospitals had to act quickly and extensively to protect patients and staff from infection with Sars-CoV2. The two also look back at past pandemics and discuss how looking back at the past helps to better master a current situation.

The proteins of SARS-CoV-2 play key roles in how the virus manages to evade immune defense and replicate itself in patients’ cells. An international research team – with significant contribution from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) – has now compiled the most detailed view of the virus' protein structures available to date. The analysis employing artificial intelligence methods has revealed surprising findings.

Where does a malignant tumor obtain the energy to keep growing? That is a key question in cancer research. If the energy source were known, the tumor could be “starved”. Researchers have now laid the foundation for this approach: For the first time, they have demonstrated a fundamental difference in the fat metabolism of healthy cells in the inner lining of the intestinal tract and colorectal cancer cells. This could point the way to new treatment options targeting the changed metabolism of the tumor.

The Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Industrieanlagen-Betriebsgesellschaft mbH (IABG) are building a new test bed for intelligent mobility concepts. With funding from the Bavarian Ministry of Transport, the facility will be used to explore the interaction of future autonomous transport systems and their safe and standardized operation.