Junior Research Groups at the HZDR

Helmholtz Young Investigator Groups

With the Helmholtz Young Investigator Groups, the Helmholtz Association fosters the early academic independence of excellent young researchers and offers them secure career prospects.The young scientists receive up to €300,000 in funding per year for five years, which allows them to set up and lead their own research group.


DRESDEN-concept (DDc) Research Group

  • Inflammation and Myelopoiesis (since 2023)
    Head: Dr. Lydia Kalafati
  • Autonomous Materials Thermodynamics – AutoMaT (since 2022)
    Head: Dr. Rico Friedrich
  • Physical chemistry of biomolecular condensates (since 2022)
    Head: Dr. Ellen Adams

HZDR's Junior Research Groups

With the HZDR junior research groups we want to promote talented young scientists and give them the opportunity to lead their own research group with independent budget. The current rules for HZDR junior research groups can be found here.

Currently, there are the the following groups:


European Research Council (ERC) Grant


Young Investigator Groups funded by the DFG (Emmy Noether Program)


Young Investigator Groups funded by the BMBF


Completed Junior Research Groups

  • Advanced Modelling of Multiphase Flows (2019 - 2023)
    Head: Dr. Fabian Schlegel
  • Nano-Safety (since 2019 - 2023)
    Head: Dr. Stefan Schymura
  • Ultrafast X-ray Methods for Laboratory Astrophysics (2018 - 2023)
    Head: Dr. Katerina Falk
  • Dynamic Warm Dense Matter Research with HIBEF (2016 - 2021) - Head: Dr. Dominik Kraus
  • Spin Waves Bridging Spintronics and Photonics (2014 - 2020) - Head: Dr. Helmut Schultheiß
  • Laser-electron Acceleration (2015 - 2019) - Head: Dr. Arie Irman
  • Laser-ion Acceleration (2015 - 2019) - Head: Dr. Karl Zeil
  • Spin-torque Devices for Information-Communication Technology (2014 - 2018) - Head: Dr. Alina Maria Deac
  • MicroSalt: Microorganisms in salt formations of potential nuclear waste repositories and their interactions with actinides (2014 - 2018) - Head: Dr. Andrea Cherkouk
  • Structures and Reactivity at the Aqueous/Mineral Interface (2013 - 2018) - Head: PD Dr. Moritz Schmidt
  • Measurement Techniques for Liquid Metal Flows (2012 - 2017) - Head: Dr. Thomas Wondrak
  • Magnetization Dynamics and Magnetostatic (2010 - 2016) - Head: Dr. Kilian Lenz
  • Ion Beam Processed Functional Materials for Spintronics and Photovoltaics (2011 - 2016) - Head of the Helmholtz Young Investigator Group: Dr. Shengqiang Zhou
  • Computational Radiation Physics (2010 - 2016) - Head: Dr. Michael Bussmann
  • Tumor Specific PET Tracers (2009 - 2015) - Head: Dr. Reik Löser
  • Reactor Physics (2012 - 2015) - Head: Dr. Emil Fridman
  • Transport Phenomena in Nanostructures (2009 - 2012) - Head: Dr. Artur Erbe
  • Terahertz Quantum Dynamics (2009 - 2011) - Head: Dr. Dominik Stehr
  • Nanoscale Organic Composite Materials/NanoBio (2008 - 2011) - Head: Dr. Katrin Pollmann
  • Nano Spintronics (2007 - 2011) - Head: Dr. Heidemarie Schmidt
  • Neutron-induced Processes (2005 - 2009) - Head: Dr. Arnd Junghans
  • Material Physics with Highly Charged Ions (2005 - 2009) - Head: Dr. Stefan Facsko
  • Nanoscale Magnetism (2004 - 2005) - Head: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Fassbender
  • Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry (2002 - 2007) - Head: Prof. Dr. Frank Wüst
  • Radiation-induced Cell Damage (2002 - 2007) - Head: Dr. Jörg Pawelke
  • CFD Development (2002 - 2005 and 2006 - 2011 ) - Head: Dr. Dirk Lucas and Dr. Thomas Höhne
  • Semiconductor Spectroscopy (2002 - 2004) - Head: Prof. Dr. Thomas Dekorsy