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David MacMillan is one of the most successful researchers of our time in the field of catalysis and molecular chemistry. He is also a pioneer of photocatalysis with visible light. For his outstanding research in this field, he will receive an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy on 11 June.

There are reasons to celebrate these days – on both sides of the German-Dutch border. On 21 May 1964, representatives of the University of Münster and the Twente University of Applied Sciences met for the first time and formed a partnership that continues to this day. Rector Prof. Dr. Johannes Wessels met his Dutch colleagues to celebrate this friendship.

A team of researchers led by Prof Dr Armido Studer from the Institute of Organic Chemistry at the University of Münster presents a new strategy, with which the so-called difluoromethyl group can be precisely introduced at specific sites in pyridine derivatives. This method could potentially identify candidates for new drugs and agrochemicals.

A team led by chemist Prof Frank Glorius has developed an algorithm that identifies molecular structures that are particularly relevant to a given problem. It uses these structures to encode the properties of molecules for various machine-learning models.

In many ways, nature serves as a model for processes and functions which we use in our everyday lives. Prof. Christian Grimme from the Department of Information Systems at the University of Münster has been working for many years now on, and with, so-called evolutionary algorithms which – as the name suggests – are oriented towards the underlying thoughts contained in the theory of biological evolution. Kathrin Kottke spoke to him about the function of this informatics-based approach.

As far as scientific activities are concerned, Münster is one of the most active foreign universities in Brazil. Two Brazilian researchers who are currently guests at the University of Münster symbolise the close networks: Prof. Elaine Maria Souza Fagundes and Prof. José Carlos Vaz are the incumbents of the ‘Brazil Chair’.

The "Young African Mathematicians Fellowship Program" (YAM program) enables talented and highly motivated master's graduates from Africa to further their academic development in a stimulating, international environment and lay down a solid foundation for their own careers. Since October, for the first time, three YAM fellows have been guests at the Mathematics Münster Cluster of Excellence.

During his doctoral studies, chemist Dr Nils Flothkötter looked into the question of whether DNA could be used as a component in miniaturised electronic devices in the future. On the occasion of DNA Day on 25 April, he offers insight into his research.

In a recent study, physicists led by Prof Rudolf Bratschitsch from the University of Münster and Prof Ashish Arora from IISER in Pune, India, have demonstrated that ultra-thin two-dimensional materials such as tungsten diselenide could become the heart of optical isolators.

With an international team of researchers, cell biologist Prof. Karin Busch from the University of Münster aims to understand the significance of ion distribution in mitochondria for the formation of long-term memory.

The European Research Council has awarded an ERC Advanced Grant worth 2.5 million euros to Prof. Armido Studer. The grant will enable Studer to realise a project in the field of so-called radical water activation in the coming five years.

A team led by chemist Prof Frank Glorius from the University of Münster shows that a machine-based method prevents widespread “bias” in chemical publications.