About us

The GGNB doctoral program / International Max Planck Research School "Physics of Biological and Complex Systems" is a member of the Göttingen Graduate Center for Neurosciences, Biophysics, and Molecular Biosciences (GGNB). It is conducted jointly by the University of Göttingen, the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, and the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization.

The research-oriented program is taught in English and open to students who hold a Master's degree (or equivalent) in the physics, biophysics, chemistry, life sciences or related fields.

Building upon the increasingly strong links between physics, chemistry and the life sciences, the program aims at advancing the quantitative and molecular understanding of life processes while at the same time exploring new frontiers of physics. Research topics include biomolecular structure and dynamics, biological membranes, motor proteins and pattern formation in systems of interacting cells, neuronal information processing, and hydrodynamics and pattern formation of complex fluids.

The program offers cutting-edge advanced microscopy courses and teaches the basics of new cutting-edge techniques essential for studying life processes in combination with quantitative physical approaches and synthetic strategies. An important aim is to overcome traditional barriers between disciplines and expose graduate students to physics, chemistry and biology for a deeper understanding of all areas preparing students for increasingly interdisciplinary life sciences.