Outstanding research through collaboration
PIER activities in the field of research
DESY and the University of Hamburg can already look back upon more than sixty years of successful research collaboration. During the past years, their joint activities have gained even more momentum: with two of the University of Hamburg’s four clusters of excellence located on campus and an ever-growing number of research centers being built there, Bahrenfeld research campus is rapidly evolving into a true German research powerhouse. Thus, looking ahead, there definetely is tremendous potential for groundbreaking joint research of DESY and Universität Hamburg scientists also in the future.
PIER focuses on four research fields that are of particular importance to both DESY and the University of Hamburg on Bahrenfeld research campus: photon science, nanoscience, particle and astroparticle physics and infection and structural biology.
PIER fosters collaboration between DESY and the University of Hamburg scientists in the PIER research and competence fields. Within the scope of the PIER Idea Fund, researchers can apply for funding of joint seed projects, scientific workshops and short visits of international researchers.
Research fields
PIER research fields are photon science, nanoscience, particle and astroparticle physics and infection and structural biology. They are interlinked by the two interdisciplinary competence areas theoretical physics and accelerator research. In 2023, artefact profiling was added to the portfolio as a PIER Emerging Topic.
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PIER International
PIER promotes research collaboration of Hamburg scientists with international colleagues. Activities include the support of research initiatives with selected partners abroad and the funding of short visits of international researchers in Hamburg.
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With spectacular accomplishments like the discovery of the gluon or the determination of the structure of ribosomes (to name but a few), the science campus Bahrenfeld has been the site of exciting scientific breakthroughs in the past decades and will continue to be in the future. Its world-class research facilities like DESY’s PETRA III radiation source (and its future expansion into the ultimate 3D X- ray microscope for nano resarch, PETRA IV), the free-electron laser FLASH, the cryo electron microscopes at CSSB or the European XFEL offer researchers from physics, chemistry and the life sciences excellent conditions for conducting pioneering research.
The campus will be the nucleus of Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld – one of Hamburg’s most ambitious urban planning projects. The aim is to boost Hamburg as a hub for science by offering a creative and sustainable space to learn, teach, research, innovate, live, and work.
