Combining strengths in six research and competence fields
PIER research and competence fields
PIER focuses on four research fields that are of particular importance for both DESY and Universität Hamburg on Bahrenfeld campus: photon science, nanoscience, particle and astroparticle physics and infection and structural biology. They are interlinked by the two interdisciplinary PIER competence fields of theoretical physics and accelerator research. In 2023, artefact profiling was added to the portfolio as a PIER Emerging Topic. The close interplay of these fields and the mutual impulses for new and innovative research ideas arising from it are characteristic to Bahrenfeld campus and render it a unique destination for research. PIER helps to bring these new ideas to life by providing seed funding for joint DESY-Universität Hamburg research projects.
Research fields
Particle & Astroparticle Physics
Thanks to the close collaboration between Universität Hamburg and DESY in the field of particle and astroparticle physics, Hamburg is recognised internationally as one of the most powerful and highly regarded German sites for high-energy physics.
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Infection and Structural Biology
Research in infection and structural biology in Bahrenfeld converges in the Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB). It combines the expertise of the excellent Hamburg research capacities in the life sciences with the world-class research infrastructure in Bahrenfeld.
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Photon science
The research location Hamburg boasts a globally unique constellation of complementary expertise in the closely interrelated fields: laser physics, quantum optics, short-time physics, X-ray physics and atomic, molecular physics. All of these fields are heavily involved in photon research.
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Nanoscience
The research into nanomaterials in Hamburg focuses on both the synthesis and the non-destructive analysis and study of new kinds of functional materials and their molecular processes under conditions of environmental, technological and industrial relevance.
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Competence fields
The four PIER research fields are closely interlinked by two transversal competence fields: theoretical physics and accelerator research.
In both fields, DESY and Universität Hamburg have a long-standing tradition of excellent research and are able to attract the world’s most brilliant scientists in these areas.
Theoretical physics
The Wolfgang Pauli Centre (WPC) unites the various theoretical physics research groups that are working on particle and astroparticle physics, cosmology, mathematical physics, condensed matter, quantum optics and chemical physics at Universität Hamburg and DESY.
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Accelerator research
The DESY research centre is one of the world’s leading institutes when it comes to building and operating large particle accelerators. DESY and Universität Hamburg have been closely collaborating on accelerator research for decades.
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PIER Emerging Topics
The category “PIER Emerging Topics” was created to account for relatively novel fields of research cooperation between DESY and UHH with great societal relevance and an increasing number of joint research activities.
If evaluated positively by the PIER Executive Board after a trial period of two years, "PIER Emerging Topics" are turned into regular PIER Research or Competence Fields.
Artefact Profiling
Artefact profiling was added as a "PIER Emerging Topic" to the PIER portfolio in 2023 as a response to the increasing number of joint activities of UHH and DESY researchers in the field of material research on written artefacts.
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Fund your research idea
Within the scope of their strategic Partnership for Innovation, Education and Research (PIER), Universität Hamburg and DESY promote cooperation across the two institutions and between the PIER research and competence fields. For this purpose, Universität Hamburg and DESY have established the PIER Idea Fund as a seed money funding scheme. Three formats are available: PIER Seed Projects, PIER Workshops, and PIER Short Visits.
