Skip to main content
News Icon

Important visit from Melbourne

A high-profile delegation of the University of Melbourne visited the University of Bonn in order to discuss a closer cooperation in research and training of early-career researchers. The Australian university is one of three strategic partnerships the University of Bonn maintains. Close links already exist especially in the areas of Food and Nutrition Sciences and Agricultural Sciences.

The Australian delegation of five was led by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Duncan Maskell. The position of Vice-Chancellor is equivalent to the position of a Rector in the German higher education system. Prof. Dr. Andreas Zimmer, Vice Rector for Research and Innovation, and Prof. Dr. Klaus Sandmann, Vice Rector for University Development and Equal Opportunity provided a warm welcome to the honorable guest. Rector Prof Dr Dr hc Michael Hoch met the Vice-Chancellor the following day at the reception of the University of Melbourne at the Australian Embassy in Berlin.

The Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation and the University of Melbourne have been working together closely since 2016: Under the name ”Bonn & Melbourne Research and Graduate School‟, the two partners launched an International Research Training Group with by now over 30 jointly mentored doctorates. The exchange of doctoral students, young academics and researchers is promoted by the ”Bonn & Melbourne Academy for Excellence in ImmunoSciences/Infection‟ (BM-AXIS).

Find the press release here.

Related news

Tracking glioblastoma cell spread in human brain tissue

Publication

Core2Edge: How tumor cells conquer the brain

—Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain tumor that infiltrates deep into the surrounding brain tissue. Even after surgery, tumor cells remain in the brain and the tumor recurs. Bonn researchers have now developed Core2Edge, a model based entirely on human tissue that captures these hard-to-access infiltration zones at the tumor margin. The model enables investigation of the invasive front and direct assessment of new drug candidates in human tissue - without the need for animal testing. The study of the Brain Tumor Translational Research Group has now been published in Nature Protocols.
View entry
Mikrochip zur Wiederherstellung zentralen Sehvermögens bei fortgeschrittener Makuladegeneration.

Publication

Approval of a Novel Retinal Implant Technology

—A novel retinal implant is offering people with geographic atrophy the opportunity to regain part of their central vision for the first time. Geographic atrophy is a severe late stage of age-related macular degeneration. An international research team led by Prof. Frank G. Holz of the UKB and the University of Bonn demonstrated in an international clinical trial that the majority of participants experienced significant improvements in visual acuity. The novel retinal implant technology has now received approval for routine clinical use in Europe, making it available beyond clinical trials.
View entry
Prof. Dr. Frank G. Holz – Director of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and Professor at the University of Bonn.

Honors & Funding

Frank Holz Nominated for the Science Breakthrough of the Year 2026

—A remarkable achievement for the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Bonn: Prof. Dr. Frank G. Holz, Director of the Department of Ophthalmology at the UKB and Professor at the University of Bonn, has been shortlisted for the Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of the Year 2026 in the Life Sciences category. His project is now among the 30 most outstanding scientific innovations worldwide in this category, recognized by the prestigious Falling Walls Science Summit. Being shortlisted alone represents a significant international distinction.
View entry

Back to the news overview