An engineering approach to biology

9/19/2025
Reading time 1 min.

In our "EXplained" video series, we introduce the seven Clusters of Excellence with which our university will enter the next funding phase of the Excellence Competition. First up is the new cluster BioSysteM, represented by TUM biophysicist Prof. Friedrich Simmel.

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Biological systems are amazingly complex. Cells communicate, organize themselves, and react flexibly to their environment. Diseases such as cancer, infections, and metabolic disorders often arise when these processes become imbalanced. The new Cluster of Excellence BioSysteM — Biosystems Design Munich aims to understand how such processes work and how they can be specifically influenced.

The cluster will be funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) beginning in January 2026. In addition to the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the University of Munich (LMU), the Helmholtz Center Munich and the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry are also involved. Together, they aim to describe and redesign biological systems based on the guiding principle of viewing biology as technology.

BioSysteM takes a constructive, engineering-based approach to understanding the phenomenon of life.

Friedrich Simmel

BioSysteM will investigate how to build molecular machines, control programmable cell processes, and develop new materials and therapies. Artificial intelligence, data-driven approaches, and engineering methods will play central roles in this research. The goal is to bridge the gap between basic research and applications in medicine and biotechnology.

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