Annual Report 2004 - Profil - Max-Planck-Gesellschaft

I NTERVIEWINTERVIEW WITH THE PRESDIENT“Research must not be allowed tobecome a political football!”In early 2005 the Max Planck Society presentedits research perspectives. To whatextent do your research interests reflect issuesand problems in society as a whole?Essentially, any research activity is embeddedin the society that supports it. Ofcourse, by its very nature, basic research isinitially more removed from practical considerations.Yet without a fundamentalunderstanding of the laws of the organic andinorganic worlds, there would be no basisat all for application-oriented research. Andin many cases our research is very muchconcerned with putting knowledge intopractice – such as in materials science orbiotechnology.What are the key research questions that MaxPlanck researchers intend to address in theyears to come?Our “Research Perspectives” identify a totalof twelve major areas. Let me pick out just afew examples. One of the biggest challengesfor the future will be preventing diseases,with the ultimate aim of allowing humans tolive as long and as healthy a life as possible.This is a field where infection biology playsa vital role, as do studies of cardio-vasculardiseases, a discipline we hope to expand.Another issue of global importance is earthsystems research. In the long term we willneed to devise strategies that enable us tomake optimum use of natural resources andto develop technological alternatives thatensure sustainable energy supplies. Furthermore,one of the issues law and the socialsciences will have to deal with in future ishow to stem international terrorism. Inmaterials science we plan to develop newfunctional materials based on nanostructures.And maybe one day quantum physicistswill present us with the quantum computer,which would allow us to understandcomplex systems that cannot be simulatedusing classical computers.The problem in Germany is that too fewresearch insights are being translated intomarketable products. Yet in the field ofbiotechnology alone, we register 1369 patentsa year, making us second only to the USA.The relationship between research andbusiness in Germany is not satisfactory. Forthis reason, we have started thinking abouthow technology transfer in our countrycould be improved. Our idea is to establishan Innovation Fund for German Research,whose task would be to provide both thefunding and expertise that is needed to turnthe results of scientific research into practicalapplications. It remains to be seenwhether German politicians will adopt thisidea – but a model of this kind could openup new opportunities for the German economy.Prof. Peter Gruss,President of the Max Planck Society3

Streptogramins induce structural changes that makethe form of the binding cleft in the ribosome completelymatch the structure of the streptogramins.Ribosomes interpret the genetic code and the corresponding production of functional proteins.Crystallography tests have shown that ribosomes do not actively catalyze the formationof peptide bonds, but instead precisely position the substrates in order to accelerate athermodynamically favorable reaction. The key to this mechanism is the internal symmetryof the catalytic center, which precisely reflects the substrates’ symmetry. Its universalnature also makes the ribosome a welcome target for a range of antibiotic drugs. The scientistsof the Research Group on Structural Molecular Biology are studying the specificinteraction between antibiotics and ribosomes, thus speeding up the development of urgentlyneeded new medicines.http://www.mpg.de/forschungsgebiete/BM/SZB/taetigkeitsberichte/index.html

P OLITICAL G UIDELINESCOOPERATION ABROAD40 th anniversary of the partnershipwith IsraelMinerva, the goddess of wisdom in ancient Rome, not only adorns the emblem of the MaxPlanck Society, but is also the symbol of a long-standing scientific partnership with Israel.Forty years ago – before the Jewish state and the Federal Republic of Germany had evenestablished diplomatic relations – the Israeli Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot andthe Max Planck Society, represented by its subsidiary, the Minerva Foundation, signed thefirst cooperation agreement. Its aim has since been to initiate and support joint research programs.“Breaking the ice” was how the then Presidentof the Max Planck Society, Otto Hahn,referred to the first attempts made after theHolocaust by German and Israeli researchersto find some common ground, at least inthe field of science. Together with FeodorLynen and Wolfgang Gentner, he acceptedan official invitation to the Weizmann Institutein 1959. Only two years later, the firstGerman Max Planck scientist went to Israelfor an extended research visit. Then, in1964, the two institutions formally ratifiedtheir cooperation in the form of the firstMinerva Agreement. Israeli scientists firstvisited Max Planck institutes in 1967.These steps toward rapprochement tookplace at a time when Germany and Israelwere understandably finding it difficult toestablish contacts on a broad basis. Sciencewas more easily able to attempt to buildbridges between the two countries, as basicresearch, in its endeavor to understandnature’s fundamental principles, provided afield that was unaffected by the turmoil ofhistory and was of equal interest to bothparties. Thus science played a key role inovercoming a tragedy that seemed to haveinsurmountably separated the Israeli andGerman people. German Chancellor WillyBrandt paid tribute to this fact during hisvisit to the Weizmann Institute in 1973with the words: “We started to be like othernations again when professors came to us,not only from America and Russia, not onlyfrom France and Poland, but also from yourcountry, in order to work together with us.”Today the Minerva Foundation is the flagshipof German-Israeli economic joint ventures.It is financed by the Federal Ministryfor Education and Research and works inclose cooperation with major universitiesand research institutions in Israel. Its activitiesinclude scientific exchange programs,the establishment of Minerva JuniorResearch Groups and Minerva ResearchCenters, and project funding. The originalMinerva project funding program togetherwith the Weizmann Institute has grownimpressively over the years: 80 projects arenow funded to the tune of N3.6m annually,to the particular benefit of young, highlyqualified scientists working in internationalprojects.On 3 March 2004, Israeli and Germanscientists celebrated the 40th anniversaryof their partnership with a special ceremonyin the Harnack House in Berlin. Thecenterpieces of the ceremony were theaddresses by the two Presidents, Prof. PeterGruss and Prof. Ilan Chet, and by the Fed-The first MPS delegation leaving forIsrael in 1959 (from l. to r.):Feodor Lynen, Wolfgang Gentner andhis wife Alice, Otto Hahn and JosefCohn of the Weizmann Institute7

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004eral Minister of Education and Research,Edelgard Bulmahn. In his address, the Presidentof the Max Planck Society emphasizedthe challenges posed by ongoing globalizationand the creation of a Europeanresearch region. “This is a process,” PeterGruss said, “where the Weizmann Instituteand the Max Planck Society are pursuingcommon aims: to ensure the excellence andcompetitiveness of our institutes, departmentsand researchers at an internationallevel.”The Minerva Fellowship ProgramIn 1973 the Minerva Fellowship Program was established in an expanded form covering all Israeliand German research institutions. Within this framework the Minerva Foundation currently providesan annual €1.2m of funding for around 50 Israeli and German fellowship holders for a period up tothree years, allowing them to conduct research in the host country. The targeted funding of juniorresearchers is increasingly becoming a priority in order to encourage support for German-Israelicooperation among the upcoming generation of young scientists. In addition to Minerva Seed Grantsand Short-Term Research Grants for stays of around three months, both countries also host so-calledMinerva Schools or Gentner Symposiums, named after one of their founders. These events providelarge groups from both countries the opportunity to exchange ideas on scientific matters and tomake initial contacts for subsequent cooperation agreements. Until the year 2003, a total of €31mwas provided for this purpose, funding which was used by around 700 Israeli and more than 800 Germanscientists for extended research visits in either country.The Minerva Junior Research GroupsBy establishing a current total of five Minerva Junior Research Groups at a number of Israeli universitiesand research institutions from 2001 onwards, the Minerva Foundation has closed a gap inthe German-Israeli research support program. The foundation provides these Junior ResearchGroups with around €100,000 annually. The work of the Israeli Junior Research Groups is also limitedto five years, based on the model of the Independent Junior Research Groups in the Max PlanckSociety. During this time, outstanding young scientists have the chance to gain qualifications forfuture senior research positions and to strengthen German-Israeli scientific cooperation at an earlystage in their careers. The appointments procedure for a further two Minerva Junior ResearchGroups at the Weizmann Institute of Science is now underway.8

P OLITICAL G UIDELINESThe Minerva Research CentersA further new source of funding was founded in 1975 in the form of Minerva Research Centers. Thebasis for the project was provided by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in the formof an endowment of €65m. The annual budgets of the Minerva Centers are financed from the yieldon the endowment, and an equivalent sum provided by Israel. An advisory board, consisting ofequal numbers of Israeli and German scientists, evaluates the centers’ scientific work and decideson new research proposals and the use of funding. All 41 Minerva Research Centers at seven Israeliscientific institutions are conceived as centers of excellence, with the aim of supporting cuttingedgescience in close cooperation with German research institutions. The research fields includeGerman history, human rights, German-Jewish literature, the potential agricultural applications ofgenetics and bio-technology, the transformation of light energy, marine biogeochemistry, and computerscience.Independent Junior Research GroupsIn this scheme involving the mutual establishmentof Junior Research Groups withforeign partner organizations, Germanjunior scientists head a Junior ResearchGroup at a foreign research institute, whilea foreign scientist is made the head of aJunior Research Group at a Max Planckinstitute. This is intended to give youngjunior scientists the chance to gain experiencein dealing with different languages,cultures, and mentalities at an early stage intheir careers.Host research institutionLaboratoire Lorrain de Recherche enInformatique et ses Applications, NancyInternational Institute of Molecular andCell Biology, WarsawMPI for Developmental Biology,TübingenMPI for Cognitive NeurosciencePsychology Department, MunichInstitut de Génétique et de Biologie Molé-culaire et Cellulaire, Straßburg (CNRS)MPI for Biophysical Chemistry,GöttingenPôle de Biotechnologie Végétale,Toulouse (CNRS)Head of Junior Research GroupErnst AlthausMPI for Computer Science, SaarbrückenMatthias BochtlerMPI for Molecular Cell Biology &Genetics, DresdenNicholas FoulkesInstitut de Génétique et de BiologieMoleculaire et Cellulaire, StraßburgRafael LaboissièreInstitut de la Communication Parlèe, GrenobleFrank PfriegerMax Delbrück Center, Berlin;previously MPI for Neurobiology, MartinsriedErez RazWeizmann Institute, RehovotJulia Vorholt-ZambelliMPI for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg9

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004COOPERATION ABROAD30 years of cooperation with ChinaThe mood in China is one of unbounded optimism. The economy is booming and science is“in”. Thus it is no wonder that both German politicians at both federal and state levels, andthe German business community are doing everything possible to ensure that Germany alsobenefits from the enormous opportunities opening up in the world’s biggest economy. Yetthirty years ago, when the Max Planck Society and the Chinese Academy of Sciences firstdrew up an agreement outlining their mutual relations, a development of this kind wouldhave been utterly unimaginable.Prof. Reimar Lüst, President of theMax Planck Society, with the Vice-President of the Chinese Academyof Sciences, Prof. Wu Youxun, inApril 1974In April 1974, when the Cold War was at itsheight and China was in the grip of the CulturalRevolution, a delegation from the MaxPlanck Society headed by the then PresidentReimar Lüst ventured on a journeyinto the unknown. They returned with amutual pledge to exchange scientists – apurely verbal agreement made in view of thefact that numerous Chinese scientists hadalready studied and conducted research inGermany before the Second World War. Inthe 1970s the two organizations succeededin reviving this link, leading to the first officialvisit by a party from the Chinese Academyof Sciences to Germany, headed byProf. Zhou Peiyuan, who had studied underAlbert Einstein in Berlin.What seemed to be a hazardous undertakingat the time soon developed an astonishingdynamism of its own. The relationsbetween the Max Planck Society and theChinese Academy of Sciences are closerthan any with other scientific organizationoutside Europe. In the 30 years of theircooperation, over 1500 Chinese scientistshave made extended research visits to MaxPlanck institutes, and just as many Germanscientists have carried out work in China.Today around ten percent of all foreignjunior and visiting scientists at the MaxPlanck institutes are from China, a figurethat has more than doubled since 1998.The success of the partnership can be seenin the fact that around one third of all seniorand director’s posts at the Chinese Academyare held by scientists trained in Germany.The first years of the partnership weremarked by a focus on providing furthertraining for fellowship holders. In the early1980s a laboratory especially for guestresearchers was built at the Institute forCell Biology at the Chinese Academy ofSciences (CAS) in Shanghai. There Germanscientists still continue to conduct10

P OLITICAL G UIDELINESresearch together with their Chinese counterpartsand to train Chinese junior scientists.The cooperation project was given anew boost in the mid-1990s by the jointestablishment of Independent JuniorResearch Groups. These give selected Chinesescientists the opportunity to conductindependent research on their own initiativefor up to five years, and to qualify forleading scientific posts. The first two groupswere founded at the Shanghai Institute forCell Biology, and a further four have sincebeen established in Shanghai and Kunming.The two organizations later agreed to establishPartner Groups with the aim ofstrengthening the partnership and above allof bringing about sustainable changes in theChinese research system. These groups areheaded by young talented Chineseresearchers who have previously worked ata Max Planck institute. They are thus giventhe opportunity to continue the projectsthey started in Germany at home in China,while remaining in close contact with a MaxPlanck institute with the aim of strengtheningthe networks between the two countries.The groups work in fields such as cosmology,materials and plant research,chemistry, and mathematics.On the occasion of their 30th anniversary,the two organizations succeeded in creatingeven closer mutual ties. Last year an agreementwas signed founding a jointly runinstitute in the field of Computational Biology.The partner institute will be establishedon the campus of the CAS’s ShanghaiInstitutes of Biological Sciences (SIBS), amulti- and interdisciplinary research centerin the field of life sciences. It is legally andadministratively part of the Chinese Academy,but is designed along the lines of theMax Planck institutes and closely linked tothe Max Planck Society. The directorsworking at the institute in Shanghai will beMax Planck institutes with partner groups in China• MPI for Metals Research• MPI for Astrophysics• MPI for Molecular Plant Physiology• Fritz Haber Institute• MPI for Colloid and Interface Research• MPI for Radio Astronomy• MPI for the History of Science• MPI for Mathematics in the Natural Sciences• MPI for Biophysical Chemistry• MPI for Nuclear PhysicsProf. Rühle/Prof. Lu KeProf. Börner/Dr. Jing YipengProf. Willmitzer/Dr. Xue HongweiProf. Ertl/Prof. Bao XinheProf. Möhwald/Dr. Li JunbaiProf. Wielebinski/Dr. Han Jin LinProf. Renn/Dr. Zhang BaichunProf. Jost/Dr. Li JiayuProf. Neher/Prof. Dr. Xu TaoDr. Joachim Ullrich/Dr. Zou Yaming11

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004made External Scientific Members, thusintegrating them directly into a Max PlanckInstitute. During the five-year developmentphase, the CAS will assume two thirds ofthe necessary costs, whereas one third (atotal of N2.5m) will be provided by projectfunding from the German Federal Ministryof Education and Research. The newresearch institution will support both thehighly experimental profile of the SIBS inShanghai and a range of projects at MaxPlanck institutes in Germany by focusingon areas in the field of theoretical biology.This gives the partnership with China acompletely new quality – despite the fiercecompetition for the best staff and researchresults, both scientific organizations continueto place great emphasis on the need tohave common aims, regardless of the bordersbetween countries and continents.The Partner Institute for Computational BiologyThis new institute is intended to foster the two partner organizations’ experimental activities inthe field of molecular biology. It will thus deal particularly with those theoretical aspects of thebiosciences covered by the term of computational biology. The development of theoretical methodsand the modeling of systems in molecular biology play a major role in understanding experimentalfindings and in predicting test outcomes. The currentfocus of interest is primarily on reconstructing complexprocesses in molecular networks and cell systems with the aidof computer-supported mathematical methods. In this way thesimulation of complex cellular processes may also lead to adeeper understanding of processes in human organs and ultimatelyeven to the development of new drugs. The partnerinstitute’s work will be of an interdisciplinary nature, as onlythrough the combination of various disciplines in the biosciences,physics, and information science will it be possibleto understand complex biological systems better and to devisesystem biological approaches that can be combined withempirical methods.12

P OLITICAL G UIDELINESCOOPERATION ABROADPartnership with India“One in ten at Harvard is an Indian” was emblazoned on the cover of MANAGER MAGAZINEin May 2004, charting a shift in perspective that has been visible in the media, politics, andbusiness. India is showing the world a new face – that of a country with huge economic andscientific potential. This also makes it an attractive partner for the Max Planck Society. Infall 2004 the President of the Max Planck Society thus signed a memorandum of understandingtogether with a representative of the Indian government, forming the basis forfuture scientific cooperation.Currently Max Planck researchers are cooperatingwith Indian partners in 13 projects,and a further three are planned. In 2002around 300 Indian visiting scientists wereworking at Max Planck institutes, and 63PhD students were conducting research atthe International Max Planck ResearchSchools, with India thus constituting themajority of foreign PhD students. Between1998 and 2002 alone, the percentage ofIndians among all foreign PhD studentsfinanced by funds for the support of juniorscientists rose from 2.2 to 11.0 percent.Since the ratification of the agreement inNew Delhi by Secretary of State V.S. Ramamurthyand Max Planck President PeterGruss in the presence of the German ChancellorGerhard Schröder, the Max PlanckSociety’s cooperation with India has takenon a brand new quality: by establishing upto 15 fellowships, it will be funding fouryearvisits to its institutes by postdoctoralIndian junior scientists. Links with the MaxPlanck Society will also be strengthened byestablishment of partner groups at Indianresearch institutions. These groups will beheaded by Indian researchers who haveworked as guest scientists at a Max Planckinstitute and have since returned to theirhome institutions.Interest is focused on the three big Indianresearch centers: the Indian Institute ofScience and the National Center for BiologicalSciences, both located in Bangalore,as well as the Indian Institute of Technologyin Delhi. Even though India has alreadybeen able to present major research findingsin areas such as biotechnology andenvironmental and health research, thecountry is primarily of interest as a longtermpartner – these institutions are hometo a large number of ambitious young scientistswith excellent training. If the MaxPlanck Society succeeds in kindling theirinterest in Germany, both sides are set tobenefit as a result. Harvard will hopefullynot remain the only attractive location forIndia’s up-and-coming scientists.President Peter Gruss and Secretaryof State V. S. Ramamurthysigning the agreement in the presenceof the German ChancellorGerhard Schröder and the IndianMinister of Science Kapil Sibal13

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004COOPERATION ABROADBasic research – a new focus of theEuropean research support programsThe Max Planck Society has been calling on European institutions to implement key policies:to foster excellence in European grant programs, to give particular support to basic research,to establish an autonomous European Research Council for Basic Research, to expand theEU fellowship programs, and to considerably reduce EU bureaucracy at all levels.The head of the Research Directorate General,Dr. Achilleas Mitsos, emphasized theimportance of the Max Planck Society as asource of ideas and a critical observer of theEU research framework programs. At aninaugural event for the 7th EU FrameworkProgram hosted by the Max Planck Societyon 22 November 2004 in the Representationof the Free State of Bavaria in Brussels,the President of the Max Planck Society,Prof. Peter Gruss, and numerous MaxPlanck directors presented their conceptsfor the structure and contents of EUresearch from 2007 onwards to around 400guests from European institutions and thefields of science and business. The keypoints put forward by the Max Planck Societyand the specific recommendations of theindividual institutes have been published ina booklet BUILDING EXCELLENCE – RECOM-MENDATIONS OF THE MAX PLANCK SOCIETYTOWARDS FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME 7:http://www.mpg.de/pdf/brussels/ buildingExcellence.pdfEU Funding for Max Planck institutesThe increased involvement of Max Planck institutesin Europe has led to a considerable increasein the level of acquired EU third-party funding:1995 to 1998: € 13.50m per year1999 to 2002: € 20.75m per year2003 to 2004: € 38.72m per yearThe long-standing influence of the MaxPlanck Society on European institutions isbearing fruit: the 7th EU Framework Programenvisages the foundation of a EuropeanResearch Council for Basic Research.From 2007 onwards this would allow basicresearch to be conducted for the first timevia EU research programs according to internationalstandards. Scientific excellence,the free choice of subjects and independencefrom political influence are the keyelements of the demands President PeterGruss put forward in personal consultationswith EU research commissioners, membersof the European Parliament and representativesof the member states, and of Europeanresearch funding and support organizations.The EU Research Commissioner JanezPotocnik is in favor of establishing aResearch Council where the science worldwould form a majority. Parliamentarians –including Dr. Angelika Niebler and ErikaMann – have also welcomed this proposaland wish to continue discussing this conceptwith the scientific community. Therewas agreement that the excessive bureaucracyof the EU funding programs has to be dismantled.“The Max Planck institutes canserve as models for the European Union ofhow research could be put into practice in anon-bureaucratic manner in future EU programs,”the Vice-President of the EuropeanParliament, Dr. Ingo Friedrich, said at theceremony.14

P OLITICAL G UIDELINESOverview of the Sections in the 6th EU Framework ProgramAccording to the European Commission, the success rate for applications by Max Planck institutes isparticularly high:Projects Projects Projects Projects Success Third-partysubmitted approved rejected pending rate funding in EURBMS 258 95 135 28 41.30% 39,124,453CPTS 341 114 202 25 36.08% 34,970,285GSHS 39 17 19 3 47.22% 3.,347,671MPG total 638 226 356 56 38.83% 77,442,409Selected projectsA big boost for European zebra fishresearchIn recent years, the zebra fish has becomeone of the most important model organismsfor both basic research and the biotechnologyindustry. Its genome is currently beingcompletely sequenced. In view of strongcompetition from across the Atlantic, theEuropean Commission has decided to considerablybolster European zebra fishresearch. From 2004 to 2009, a consortiumof 15 European research institutes headedby the Tübingen-based Max Planck Institutefor Developmental Biology will be givena total of N12m for further research intothe zebra fish. This is one of the most extensiveapprovals of funding for developmentaland cellular biological research that haveever been granted by Brussels. The researchconsortium, called ZF-Models, is planningto use the zebra fish to develop models forstudying important human diseases, tosearch for new and more effective drug targets,and to gain fundamental insights intothe development of the human organismfrom conception to old age.http://www.zf-models.org/The zebra fish, a popular modelorganism15

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004Reconstruction of a virtual 3D modelbased on Filippo Juvarra’s(1678 – 1736) perspective drawingof a royal palaceEuropean Cultural Heritage OnlineThe Internet has opened up completelynew dimensions for the science world: distanceis no longer a hurdle for close cooperation,and even very diverse disciplines aremoving closer together. The ECHO project,co-financed by the EU, aims to develop awork environment that allows science facilitiesto work jointly on scattered data. In apilot phase financed in the 5th EU FrameworkProgram under the scientific coordinationof Prof. Jürgen Renn, the MaxPlanck Institutes for the History of Science,for Psycholinguistics and for Art History(Bibliotheca Hertziana) and their Europeanpartners created the foundations to allowpartners at different scientific institutionsto work on data scattered throughout theinternet. The long-term aim is to establish aEuropean infrastructure for the humanitiesthat meets the demands of the internet eraand that is on a par with comparable projectsin the USA. The partnership will alsoapply for third-party funding to continueECHO in the 7th EU Framework Program.http://echo.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/homeCarbon – Assets and LiabilitiesEuropean scientists have begun the world’sbiggest project to study the global carboncycle under the scientific coordination ofProf. Ernst Detlef-Schulze of the MaxPlanck Institute for Biogeochemistry inJena. More than N16m will flow into CarboEuropefrom 2004 to 2008, together witha further N30m from national budgets. Thescheme aims to calculate the entire Europeancarbon balance and to determine theregional distribution and temporal dynam-16

P OLITICAL G UIDELINESics of its carbon sources and sinks. Morethan one hundred continental measurementstations distributed over all Europeanclimate zones and ecosystems will providedata on the carbon balance. In parallel,earth-based stations, measurement towers,and airplanes will determine the concentrationof greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.All the measurement data will then be integratedinto high-performance computermodels in order to predict the developmentof the terrestrial biosphere. The backgroundto the project are the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change andthe Kyoto Protocol, in which Europe hasundertaken to reduce carbon dioxide (CO 2 )emissions by at least 8 percent compared to1990 levels between 2008 and 2012.http://www.carboeurope.org/New technologies for proteome researchAs part of Integrated Projects, the EU providesfunding with a project volume of up toN20m for a maximum of 5 years for internationalpartnerships between research institutionsand companies that bring technologicaldevelopments from basic research tomarket maturity within that time. TheInteraction Proteome project brings togetherrenowned scientists from eleven leadingEuropean scientific institutions as well asfrom industrial companies, includingEurope’s biggest manufacturers of massspectrometers and electron microscopes.Their joint aim is to develop new technologiesfor proteome research. The project,which receives a total of N12m funding, iscoordinated by scientists from the MaxPlanck Institute for Biochemistry in Martinsried.The European consortium, withProf. Franz Hartl as its scientific director,aims to develop a new technological platformfrom a range of standardized routinetechnologies which would allow proteininteraction networks to be studied – a challengethat particularly addresses the needsof biomedical research.http://www.interaction-proteome.org/The Max Planck Society’s Brussels officeThe Max Planck Society’s Brussels office offers a platform for dialog between theMax Planck Society and its institutes, and European institutions. As part of theAdministrative Headquarters in Munich, it fulfills a wide variety of tasks, rangingfrom services for the Max Planck Institutes to providing strategic support for theheads of the Max Planck Society in their dealings with both European institutions andwith other German and European decision-making bodies.The head of the Brussels officeDr. Rüdiger Hesse (r.), talking to theEU Research CommissionerJanez Potočnik17

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004COOPERATION ABROADNew focus for Max PlanckResearch PrizeFor the very first time, the Max Planck Research Award was presented to only two winnersinstead of the previous twelve. In 2004, Prof. Martin Vingron of the Max Planck Institutefor Molecular Genetics and his colleague Prof. Eugene W. Myers of the University of Californiain Berkeley, USA, were awarded N750,000 each in prize money. The accolade isintended to give both scientists greater flexibility to initiate, consolidate, or expand internationalcooperation work.Since 1990, the Max Planck Society andthe Alexander von Humboldt Foundationhave jointly presented the Max PlanckResearch Awards, funded by the GermanMinistry of Education and Research, tohighly qualified scientists from Germanyand abroad. Recent years have seen both anincrease in worldwide competition for theworld’s scientific elite and changes in fundingpolicy. This is why the Max PlanckResearch Award has been given a newfocus: from now on the prize will be awardedto only two scientists who have alreadyattained international recognition and whoare expected to achieve further outstandingresults within international cooperationprojects.The prizes are offered annually in alternatingdisciplines of the natural sciences andengineering, life sciences and the humanities.In selecting the particular disciplines,the Max Planck Society and the Alexandervon Humboldt Foundation primarily aim toGerman Education and ResearchMinister Edelgard Bulmahn talkingto Prof. Martin Vingron18

P OLITICAL G UIDELINESgive new impetus to fields that are eithernot yet established in Germany or are set toundergo expansion. Last year’s award winnersMartin Vingron and Eugene W. Myerswork in the field of bio-informatics. Bothare numbered among the world’s leadingscientists in the discipline, which coverssuch wide-ranging research interests asmolecular biology, statistics, informationscience, and genetics. Bio-informatics allowsinsights from genome research to be used indeveloping new drugs and treatments.important clues as to the function of a specificprotein or sequence. Until 2002,Myers worked as the head of the BioinformaticsResearch Department of the USbasedCelera company, playing a key role inmany projects, including the mapping of thehuman genome. Since then he has workedat the University of Berkeley, where he isattempting to devise a temporal and spatial“atlas” of genes with the aim of unlockingthe genetic development program of multicellularorganisms.Martin Vingron’s work deals with geneexpression, the transformation of geneticinformation into proteins and the regulationof gene activity. Many diseases or evenstages of diseases can be characterized bythe specific activity pattern (gene expressionprofile) of the approximately 30,000 genesin the human organism. Using DNA microarraysor DNA chips, in future it will be possibleto detect minute changes in individualpatients’ genetic material, which can then betreated on the basis of the results – anadvance that is soon to become an everydaymedical method. Vingron’s work forms thebasis of much of these developments.Eugene W. Myers (top)Martin Vingron (bottom)At the beginning of the 1990s, Eugene W.Myers, together with other scientists, developedthe database search program BLAST,which remains one of the most importanttools in bioinformatics to this day. BLASTallows researchers to search databases forproteins or DNA sequences that are similarto the protein or DNA sequence they areinvestigating. This frequently provides19

Distribution of the matter density of the simulatedMilky Way halo on a logarithmic color scaleDark matter makes up around 80 percent of matter in the universe and around one quarter oftotal energy density. Since its discovery in 1933 by the Swiss astronomer Fritz Zwicky, oneof the greatest challenges for modern cosmology has been to reveal the secrets of dark matter.Using high-resolution cosmological simulations of the distribution of dark matter in theMilky Way, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics are attempting to predictthe expected level of annihilation radiation that is emitted from the center of our galaxyand from the satellite galaxies of the Milky Way. If dark matter turns out to consist of neutralinos,the chances are good that the next generation of gamma ray telescopes will be ableto detect it.http://www.mpg.de/forschungsgebiete/CPT/AST/taetigkeitsberichte/index.html

P OLITICAL G UIDELINESCOOPERATION IN GERMANYNew Max Planck Institute forSoftware SystemsComplex software systems play an increasingly important role in operating systems, corporatebusiness processes, telecommunications networks and in the automotive and aircraftindustry. On the basis of the recommendations of the Perspective Commission in the Chemistry,Physics & Technology Section, the Senate of the Max Planck Society decided to establisha Max Planck Institute for Software Systems in November 2004. Its purpose is to studythe science underlying the development of complex software systems and to focus on innovativeprogramming languages and data security issues.The institute will be founded in the form oftwo sub-institutes of equal scientific statusin Kaiserslautern and Saarbrücken. Theproject ultimately envisages five departmentswith a total annual budget of overN10m (incl. support of junior scientists andthird-party funding) and around 280 staff.The federal and state governments havesince followed the recommendation of theBund-Länder Commission to include theMax Planck Institute for Software Systemsin their list of supported institutions.The decision to build the new institute intwo separate locations was made after carefulconsideration of the conditions anddevelopment potential in each location. Noone site managed to cover the entire rangeof all the potential advantages. In establishinga new institute, the Max Planck Societyhopes to contribute to highlighting the profileof universities in south west Germanyand to support the federal and state InnovationOffensive, which aims to create outstandingcenters of excellence that are competitiveon the international market.Information science is already a key field atboth the Technical University of Kaiserslauternin Rhineland-Palatinate and at theSaarland University.The two host states have been cooperatingin this field for many years, including workat the German Research Center for ArtificialIntelligence (DFKI), which also hassites in both cities. The overall aim is to createa leading national and internationalresearch cluster in the field of informationscience in cooperation with the existingMax Planck Institute for Computer Sciencein Saarbrücken, the two Fraunhofer Institutesfor Experimental Software Engineeringand for Industrial Mathematics inKaiserslautern, the DFKI, and the two universitiesof the region.21

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004COOPERATION IN GERMANYInterdisciplinary approaches paydividendsIn establishing inter-institutional research initiatives, the Max Planck Society has created animportant tool that aims to reflect the increasingly interdisciplinary character of basicresearch. It allows its scientists to concentrate on new research objectives that go beyondthe focus of their own institute. In 2004, seven new inter-institutional research initiativeswere approved by the presidium, which will receive a total of N15.4m in funding over thecoming two to six years.Nanostructured carbons, here onactivated carbon, are a promisingmaterial for use in catalyticprocesses for storing hydrogen inmethanol and ammonia• Nanochemical concepts for sustainableenergy resources – ENERCHEMNinety percent of current global energyconsumption is based on fossil fuels.Three quarters of the total global energysupply is consumed by only one quarterof the world’s population – the industrializedcountries. If the immense energyneeds of the Western world were appliedto the entire world, the globe wouldrapidly collapse and its fossil energyresources would be depleted in no time atall. Thus modern energy policy is not justa technological matter, but also – in viewof the global scale of the issue and agrowing dependency on imports – one offoreign and development policy. Simplycontinuing with today’s technologies isneither appropriate nor feasible as a forward-lookingapproach to the energy crisis.By founding the Max Planck ProjectHouse, the Max Planck Institutes forColloid and Interface Research, for SolidState Research, for Polymer Research forCoal Research, and the Fritz Haber Institutehope to foster the development ofscience that could be used for newmobile energy storage systems and formore effective methods of supplyingenergy. The planned projects include producinginnovative high-porosity carbonsfor gas storage, manufacturing carbonnanofoams for isolation systems, and thedevelopment of organic solar cells. Theseprojects could lead to the creation of newand effective intelligent energy cycles.• Biomics – proteome analysis of biodiversityusing FTICR-MSThis research initiative of the two MaxPlanck Institutes for Chemical Ecologyand for Biogeochemistry focuses on theproteome-based analysis of environmentalbiodiversity. Their research work willconcentrate on special ecosystems andthe plants and insects that inhabit them.Insights into the function of these rapidlydeveloping systems can be gained bystudying the proteomes of the interactingpartners together with their genomesusing an FTICR-MS device (FourierTransform Ion Cyclotron Resonance22

P OLITICAL G UIDELINESMass Spectrometer). The analysis aims toshow which genomes play a role in understandingthe interactions between individualorganisms. The project will receivesupport from experts in the field of bioinformaticsto allow for a rapid analysis ofthe high expected yield of proteomicspectrums.• RNA Interference – high throughputscreening facilityThe complete sequencing of the genomeof a wide range of organisms, includinghumans and mice, has made it possible toscreen genomes for the first time. RNAinterference (RNAi) allows researchers tosuppress the production of a protein andthus to investigate the function it fulfills.Coordinated by the Max Planck Institutefor Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics,together with the Max Planck Institutefor Infection Biology as a partner institute,the project aims to establish anRNAi service unit to provide Max Planckinstitutes active in the field of moleculargenetics with appropriate expertise andtechnical resources. The synergy effectsresulting from a combination of varioustechnological platforms will acceleratedata collection, allowing the molecularmechanisms behind the complex biologicalprocesses to be unlocked even morequickly.chemists, biochemists, and biologistsworking in an inter-institutional andinter-sectional initiative of the MaxPlanck Institutes for Molecular Physiology,for Plant Breeding Research, forMolecular Cell Biology and Genetics, forBiochemistry, and for Coal Researchhope to develop so-called small moleculesthat function as protein ligands,which would enable them to investigatefundamental biological processes and toexplain the role of the proteins involvedin them. The biological effects of these“molecule libraries” will be investigatedin a range of test systems, enabling moleculesto be identified that are able toinfluence the function of disease-relevantproteins or that, within microorganismsand plants, are suitable for use as newplant protectants and pesticides.• Max Planck Chemical Genomics CenterWhereas genetics attempts to understandbiological processes by manipulatinggenes themselves, chemical genomicsworks toward this end by using chemicalsubstances that alter the functions ofgenetic products, i.e. of proteins. NowA comparison of protein nucleusstructures: superimposed catalyticnucleus structures of three differentenzymes (red, blue and green)23

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004Genome atlas and culture ofPirellula sp. – large numbers ofthe bacteria live in the upperoxygen-rich layers of the Baltic• Environmental genomics in microorganismsThe Max Planck Institutes for TerrestrialMicrobiology, for Marine Microbiologyand for Molecular Genetics are conductingcutting-edge research intoecosystems as part of their joint aim ofinvestigating globally important biogeochemicalprocesses down to the level ofmolecular mechanisms. The project aimsto use the latest techniques in molecularbiology such as genome sequencing, andtranscriptome and proteome analysis togain insights into new metabolic paths ofmicroorganisms. The scientists are particularlyinterested in explaining theoperon structures of the key enzymes ofmethanogenic and methanotrophicmicroorganisms that are central to theformation and decomposition of thegreenhouse gas methane in rice fieldsand boreal wet zones.• Structural-functional relationships ofplant cell wall componentsThe plant cell wall consists of a complexmatrix of polysaccharides and proteins.Yet for a long time the complex structureof these molecules hampered progress instudying the relationships between thechemical and physical structure of thecell wall and its function in the developmentand growth of plants. By combiningfunctional genomics and an analysisof the biomechanical properties of thecell wall, scientists from the Max PlanckInstitutes for Molecular Plant Physiologyand for Colloid and InterfaceResearch hope to unravel these intertwinedrelationships using technologythat provides previously unattainablespatial and temporal resolution and sensitivity.• Interdisciplinary Junior Research Groupat the interface of physics and biologyTheoretical physicists and biologists areincreasingly working together in a rangeof fields, especially in quantitative biologyor computational biology. From 2005to 2009, three junior research groupsfrom this field will thus focus onresearch questions involving genetic networks,protein networks, and intracellularsignal processing, as well as cellularbiophysics and the theory of morphogenesis.The project partners in this interinstitutionalresearch initiative are thetwo Dresden-based Max Planck Institutesfor the Physics of Complex Systemsand for Molecular Biology andGenetics.24

P OLITICAL G UIDELINESCOOPERATION IN GERMANYFocus on BerlinGood research needs a sound financial basis that is appropriate to its aims; yet this is onlyone of the preconditions that need to be fulfilled to allow scientists to take their researchinto new innovative fields. What is at least equally important for their work is the legalframework, which can either foster or impede research. Although restrictions can be usefulin reducing risks, the balance between opportunities and dangers has to be assessed inan adequate evaluation process.In Berlin in 2004 the potential opportunitiesand risks of German Genetic EngineeringAct were in the balance. This act regulatesthe cultivation of genetically modified (GM)plant crops. Although the law passed at theend of November mainly focuses on largescaleagricultural production, its regulationson the circulation of GM produce, liabilityand the registration of sites have fatal consequencesfor research, as they also affect outdoortests conducted by scientists. This isthe reason why the science community hasrepeatedly warned the government aboutthe impending emigration of researchersand junior scientists that this legislationcould cause.The German Research Foundation (DFG),together with scientists from universitiesand the institutes of the Max Planck Society,had previously issued a report pointing outthe possibility of finding a compromise thatwould respect research interests. In a jointdeclaration, this alliance of Germany’sbiggest scientific organizations also calledfor a draft of the law that would be compatiblewith research concerns. Talks were heldwith politicians, and letters were written toministries and the parliamentary Researchand Arbitration Commissions. Over 1500people accepted the invitation by the MPIfor Molecular Plant Physiology to visit outdoortests and to be given an introduction toplant research. As part of a Max PlanckForum in the Wissenschaftsforum am Gendarmenmarktin Berlin, Prof. Heinz Saedler,Director at the Cologne-based Max PlanckInstitute for Breeding Research, and BärbelHöhn, the North-Rhine Westphalian Ministerfor the Environment and Agriculture,Since 2003, the Max Planck Societyhas operated an office in theGerman capital, located in theWissenschaftsforum am Gendarmenmarkt.The Berlin officeadministers the Max Planck Society’sinterests in Berlin with theaim of intensifying relations withdecision-making bodies in politics,business, and society. Representativesof the German executiveand legislative, and of thescientific community can find contactsand information on issues ofresearch policy and strategy.The Max Planck Society’s Berlin officedebated the draft bill with experts from theinsurance industry and the Federal ResearchInstitute for Nutrition.However, even the subsequent appeal to theGerman Bundestag to reformulate the wordingof the act to enable Germany to be anattractive research location ultimately fell ondeaf ears. Nevertheless, the process doesnot seem to be over yet. The debate in theBundesrat shows that many politicians havecome to appreciate the needs of theresearch community. The state of Saxony-Anhalt has since filed a lawsuit against thelaw with the German Constitutional Court.The European Union also sees the regulationsset down in the law on the cultivationof GM plants as being too far-reaching, alsoin comparison to legislation in other EUmember states. The EU has thus madeknown its reservations about the draft of thelaw passed by the Bundestag.The head of the Berlin OfficeDr. Christine Gieraths with thePresident Peter Gruss25

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004COOPERATION IN GERMANYNew Concepts for TechnologyTransferThe ability to develop and implement new technologies – the innovative strength of anestablished economy – is one of the central pillars of sustainable economic growth. Despitehaving made some progress, especially in the second half of the 1990s, Germany clearly stillhas huge deficits in many high-tech areas. During the hype of the internet stock exchangeboom, some of these were hidden from the public eye, but are now becoming all the moreapparent.One of the reasons for these shortcomingsis the partial lack of effective technologytransfer from the internationally competitiveresearch that is conducted at Germanuniversities and non-university researchinstitutions to the small and medium-sizedcompanies that make up much of Germanbusiness world. For a time, this problemwas partially counterbalanced by extensiveinvestment of venture capital, yet thisinvestment has since been reduced to aminimum, revealing a gaping structural gapin the funding and implementation of technologytransfer both in the form of licensingagreements and spin-offs. How can thisstructural gap be closed?Last year the Max Planck Society contributedto the ongoing debate on innovationby developing a concept for establishingan Innovation Fund for GermanResearch (IDF), which it then presented tothe Federal Ministry of Education andResearch in February 2005. The aim of theInnovation Fund for German Research is tooffer all scientific institutions in Germany,both within and outside the Max PlanckSociety, the opportunity to develop researchfindings into commercial applications.Accordingly, the IDF is conceived as anindependent organization and not as part ofor associated with the Max Planck Societyitself. However, parts of the planned infrastructure(such as some of the proposed validationcenters) may be established withinexisting research facilities, such as MaxPlanck institutes.The IDF is to be wholly funded by publicbodies and to be open for all fields of innovation– from biotechnology through microandnanotechnology to information andcommunication technology. The only criterionis the economic viability of the plannedproject outcomes. No funding will be providedfor basic research. All executiveswithin the IDF must thus have sufficientindustrial experience. The aim of the IDF’swork is to generate high-quality licensingagreements and spin-offs. For licensing pur-26

P OLITICAL G UIDELINESposes, the projects are to be designed sothat their level of market-readiness aftercompleting the IDF program is tailored tothe needs of small and medium-sized companies.Spin-offs are expected to attain therequired level of market readiness for venturecapital funding without any furtherstate support.To ensure this, the IDF has to fulfill twomain tasks. It has to take charge of thefunding of promising validation and developmentprojects from within the sciencecommunity and actively support these projectsby providing the expertise of developmentspecialists from industry, and byensuring a comprehensive infrastructure.The project is designed so that the amountand quality of the projects creates a socalledfunnel effect. Thus, from around1000 tenders, funding could be provided foraround 300 rapid, low-cost validation projectsand around 100 cost-intensive developmentprojects. The aim would be to generatearound 200 high-quality licensing andspin-off projects from these. The IDF’splanned funding requirements, if it wereopen to all areas of innovation, would bebetween N240m and N300m a year.Putting research into practiceAs a 100% subsidiary of the Max Planck Society, Garching Innovation GmbH has taken overthe task of transforming inventions and developments from Max Planck institutes into industrialapplications. Since its reorganization in 1979, 2,443 inventions have been supported and1,472 exploitation agreements have been concluded, 650 of which were with companiesabroad. Exploitation revenue from inventions has since amounted to around N181m, with morethan half coming from abroad. In addition, between 1990 and 2004, research funding totalingaround N18m was obtained through licensing agreements with industry. Currently the MaxPlanck Society has a stock of 950 inventions and holdings in 16 companies.In 2004 Garching Innovation GmbH (GI)concluded a total of 84 exploitation agreements(2003: 84). License sales werearound N15.5m* (2003: N17.2m). The companywas allocated 140 new exploitationagreements (2003: 138). One self-fundedspin-off was founded on the basis of technologiessupported by GI (2003: 7). SomeMax Planck spin-offs succeeded in obtainingfollow-up financing. Two companieswere successfully floated on the stockexchange.* Definitive figures will not beavailable until July 2005.27

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004Positive portfolio development for MPS spin-offsIn retrospect the year 2004 was one of successfulflotations on the stock exchange,strategic alliances, follow-up financing andtenders. Alnylam Holding Inc. providedsome positive news at the very start of theyear. The company was spun off from theMPI for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen,together with the MIT and the WhiteheadInstitute, USA, with the aim of developingRNAi therapeutic drugs. As part of astrategic alliance, Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc.gained a minority holding in Alnylam withan investment of $10m.On 30 June 2004, Alnylam also reportedthat it had expanded its existing partnershipwith Merck Inc. to include a long-termcooperation agreement in the field of eyediseases. The total upfront and milestonepayments from this joint venture may reach$19.5m. In addition, Alnylam has obtaineda share of Merck’s sales and the right to carryout joint marketing activities with Merckin the USA. On 28 May 2004 the companywas successfully floated on the AmericanNASDAQ technology stock exchange at aninitial offering price of $6. Including thegreenshoe option of 750,000 shares, thisgenerated $34.185m. At the end of the year,the share price was $7.47.Although the flotation window has beenmore or less closed in Germany in recentyears, on 19 July 2004 Epigenomics AGbecame the first German biotechnologycompany for 4 years to be floated on thestock exchange. At an offering price of N9,Epigenomics succeeded in raising aroundN47.8m. At the end of the year the shareprice was N8.67. A spin-off from the MPIfor Molecular Genetics in Berlin from theyear 2000, Epigenomics AG develops andmarkets innovative products for cancerdiagnosis.Although first financing rounds were notconducted at all in 2004, MPS spin-offscontinued to generate positive headlines infollow-up financing rounds:• In summer 2004, DeveloGen AG mergedwith the Israeli biotechnology companyPeptor Ltd. This merger was accompaniedby a third and open financing roundof around N19m. DeveloGen AG wasspun off from the MPI for BiophysicalChemistry in Göttingen in 1997 andmerged with the MPS spin-off HepaVecAG, Berlin, in 1999. The company developsnew drugs for metabolic disorderssuch as diabetes and obesity. The mergerwith Peptor created a stronger productportfolio, including a potential drug at theend of Clinical Phase II.28

P OLITICAL G UIDELINES• In August 2004, Xantos Biomedicine AG,spun off in 1999 from the MPI for Biochemistryin Martinsried, succeeded inobtaining bridge financing of N4m. Thiswill be used to finance innovativeapproaches to the treatment and diagnosisof cancers and metabolic disorders.• Neuronova AG, which has since beenrenamed Affectis Pharmaceuticals AG,managed to successfully secure financingtotaling N4m in summer 2004 after completingthe first part of a financing roundin fall 2003. This funding will be used todevelop promising drugs for treating anxietyand depression.• In October 2004, Protagen AG managedto secure expansion financing totalingN500,000 from S-Venture Capital Dortmund.Protagen AG was a spin-off fromthe University of Bochum in 1999, whichwent on to merge with a project originallyconceived as a spin-off from the BerlinbasedMPI for Molecular Genetics in theyear 2000. Today it focuses on four mainareas of business: analytics, bio-IT, proteinbiochips and pharma-actives. Theanalytics division offers services for proteinanalysis (also under GMP-conformconditions) and proteome studies, anddevelops products for industrial clients.The bio-IT division has formed a strategicalliance with Bruker Daltonik GmbH,Bremen, with the aim of continuing thedevelopment of the proteomics softwareProteinScape TM, and offers services foranalyzing proteome data. In 2005, Protagenalso plans to launch a range of productsin the protein biochips division. Thepharma actives division uses Protagen’swide expertise in proteomics to developpharmaceutical agents.• Positive though the portfolio developmentof MPS spin-offs in 2004 was, it isall the more regrettable that the numberof new spin-offs has fallen drastically incomparison to previous years. The onlyspin-off was the Cologne-based companymedres GmbH, founded in May 2004 byStefan Wecker and Bernd Radermacherfrom the MPI for Neurological Researchin Cologne. The company manufacturesand sells an innovative cryo-detector andelectrophysiological measurement componentsfor medical research. The companyis financed through private capital,as well as its own sales revenue.29

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004Competition winners• At the NUK Neues UnternehmertumRheinland e.V. Businessplan Competitionin North Rhine-Westphalia, the start-upcompany medres GmbH was awarded 2ndplace out of 193 tenders, winningN10,000 in prize money. medres also wonthe 2004 Cologne Innovation Prize.• ECMTEC GmbH won 1st place and prizemoney of N10,000 at the Start-Up Competitionorganized by McKinsey, the Germansavings banks, the broadcaster ZDF,and STERN MAGAZINE in Baden-Württembergin May 2004. ECMTEC went on towin 2nd place at the nationwide GermanStart-Up Prize in June. The basis ofECMTEC GmbH’s technology – apatented electrochemical materials processingtechnique for creating threedimensionalsub-micrometer structuresin a wide range of substances – originatesfrom the Fritz Haber Institute in Berlin.In cooperation with engineers from theUniversity of Stuttgart, this technologyhas been used to produce machine tools,which ECMTEC now continues todevelop and manufacture.MPS spin-offs were successful despite thecontinuing difficulties on the financing market.The only exception was Axxima PharmaceuticalsAG, which had to file for insolvencyat the end of December 2004. In2005, the indications are that there will bean increase in the number of start-ups. Inaddition, it is highly likely that there will benew rounds of follow-up financing. Therecent upturn for biotech companies on theGerman stock exchange gives reason to hopethat the future will see yet another MPSspin-off being floated on the stock market.MPS spin-offs since 199064 MPS spin-offs including:• 44 projects actively supported by GI• 40 financed from venture capital• 7 companies listed on thestock exchange• 9 M&A deals• a total of approx. 2200 jobs• MPS equity interests including2 exits and 3 amortizations• In 2004, Scienion AG was awarded theInnovation Prize of Berlin-Brandenburgfor the second time for its sciFLEXAR-RAYER dispensing system. Scienion wasspun off from the MPI for MolecularGenetics in Berlin in 2001 on the basis ofbiochip technology.30

P OLITICAL G UIDELINESSince 1990 the following spin-offs have been founded by the Max Planck Society (selection only):Image Science Software GmbH, Berlin 1990Physiker Büro Berlin Dr. Lorenzen, Berlin 1991Sugen, Inc., USA (now Pharmacia, Inc. bzw. Pfizer, Inc.) 1991Nanofilm Technologie GmbH, Göttingen 1991MorphoSys AG, Martinsried 1992Orpegen Pharma GmbH, Heidelberg 1992Wita GmbH, Berlin 1992Evotec OAI AG, Hamburg 1993Resonic Instruments GmbH, Ditzingen (previously: UHP Corp., USA) 1993HepaVec AG, Berlin (Fusion with DeveloGen AG) 1993TopLab GmbH, Martinsried 1994Algorithmic Solutions Software GmbH, Saarbrücken 1995PlantTec Biotechnology GmbH, Potsdam (now Bayer BioScience) 1996Artemis Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Köln/Tübingen (now Exelixis, Inc.) 1997GPC Biotech AG, Martinsried 1997GreenTec Gesellschaft für Pflanzenbiotechnologie mbH, Cologne 1997Epigenomics AG, Berlin 1997MIB Munich Innovative Biomaterials GmbH, Marburg 1997PreSens Precision Sensing GmbH, Regensburg 1997DeveloGen AG, Göttingen 1997Ingenium Pharmaceuticals AG, Martinsried 1998JenaGen GmbH, Jena 1998Metanomics GmbH & Co.KGaA, Berlin 1998Proteros Biostructure GmbH, Martinsried 1998HaemoSys GmbH, Jena 1999Xantos Biomedicine AG, Martinsried 1999Protagen AG, Dortmund 1999Hte (High Throughput Experimentation) AG, Heidelberg 1999Cenix BioScience GmbH, Dresden 1999Aurigon Life Science GmbH, Tutzing 2000Capsulution Nanoscience AG, Potsdam 2000Brain Innovation B.V., Maastricht 2000Color Physics GmbH, Tübingen 2000Scienion AG, Berlin 2001iOnGen AG, Göttingen 2001Direvo Biotech AG, Cologne 2001U3 Pharma AG, Martinsried 2001JadoLabs GmbH, Dresden 2001Lumics GmbH, Berlin 2001MenloSystems GmbH, Martinsried 2002Alnylam Holding Inc., Kulmbach/USA 2002Affectis Pharmaceuticals AG (previously: Neuronova AG), Munich 2002NanoScape AG, Munich 2002nadicom – Gesellschaft f. angewandte Mikrobiologie mbH, Marburg 2002SuppreMol GmbH, Martinsried 2002RNAx GmbH, Berlin 2003Creatogen Laboratories GmbH & Co.KG, Potsdam 2003APIT Laboratories GmbH, Potsdam 2003Force Evolution LLC, USA/Saarbrücken 2003TF Instruments GmbH, Heidelberg 2003ECMTEC GmbH, Böblingen 2003Microliquids GmbH, Göttingen 2003medres GmbH, Cologne 200431

Silicon nanowires on a silicon wafer, photographedusing a scanning electron microscope. At the top ofeach nanowire there is a gold droplet, which is necessaryfor the growth of nanowires.Semiconductor nanowires are a fascinating area of research of relevance for both basicresearch and technological applications. The research conducted in this field at the MaxPlanck Institute for Microstructure Physics in Halle analyzes the growth process and theproperties and possible applications of semiconductor nanowires. Using a range of growthtechniques, the researchers have succeeded in creating semiconductor nanowires andcharacterizing them with the help of electron microscopy. Currently further research isbeing conducted on issues such as the electric and optical properties of nanowires.http://www.mpg.de/forschungsgebiete/CPT/FM/taetigkeitsberichte/index.html32

P OLITICAL G UIDELINESSUPPORT OF JUNIOR SCIENTISTSInternational Max Planck ResearchSchools set new standards inthe support of junior scientistsThe response to this cooperation scheme involving Max Planck institutes and universities hasbeen extremely positive. The project aims to provide modern and innovative training, oftenwith a broad interdisciplinary approach, for the crème-de-la-crème of junior scientists fromboth Germany and abroad within the International Max Planck Research Schools (IMPRS).This program is now the model for the Helmholtz Association in its new approach to supportfor junior scientists. Graduate schools such as the IMPRS are increasingly being seen as anexcellence criterion for a university or science site.There are no central guidelines for the structureof these graduate schools, apart fromthe concept agreed on in coordination withthe German Rectors’ Conference, whichallows the special needs of the individualdisciplines, sites, and chosen forms of cooperation(such as partnerships with foreignuniversities) to be taken into consideration.The key to every International Max PlanckResearch School is the coordination of postgraduatetraining with the partner universityand the intensive support of PhD studentsby several representatives of the particulargraduate school.An essential aspect of their success is theongoing commitment of the spokespeopleand coordinators of the Research Schools.In 2004, the coordination office of the twoscientific IMPRS based in Göttingen, whichsupervises both the PhD program and anextensive range of Masters courses at GöttingenUniversity, was awarded a prizedonated by the German Foreign Minister inrecognition of “excellent achievements,innovative solutions, and highly effectivemodels for supporting foreign undergraduateand postgraduate students.” In recent yearsthe IMPRS coordinators have established anetwork that, by passing on practical expertise,allows the new graduate schools toquickly find their bearings and rapidly establishthemselves.In 2004, the planned assessment of the firstResearch Schools established in the year2000 was conducted by an external body,modeled on the evaluation procedure for theDFG’s Graduate schools. The assessors,appointed from outside the Max PlanckSociety and the universities, gathered datathrough written material, including questionnairesfilled out by PhD students, andalso visited the Research School in questionto gain an impression of its work. Theimpression gained by the assessors hasindeed been excellent in all the institutionsevaluated so far in terms of the PhD students,their level of training, and the commitmentof both students and their supervisors.The IMPRS in Tübingen (Neural andBehavioral Sciences), in Golm-Potsdam(Biomimetic Systems), and in Mainz (PolymerMaterials Science) have already beengranted an extension of a further six years. Inaddition, in fall of 2004 the 5th round oftenders was launched, during which 15 tendersare expected.33

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004Newly founded IMPRS in 2004IMPRS for Molecular and Cellular LifeSciences: From Biology to Medicine, Martinsried/MunichThe aim of this joint facility shared by theMax Planck Institutes for Biochemistry, forNeurobiology, and for Psychiatry, as well asby the Ludwig Maximilian University ofMunich and the Technical University ofMunich, is to provide an excellent workingenvironment for highly talented up-andcomingscientists in a range of fields withinmodern cell biology, structural biology, neurobiology,biochemistry, and molecular medicine.The school’s interdisciplinary frameworkis designed to provide comprehensivetraining.Berlin is embedded in a variety of scientificresearch groups working at the interfacebetween the life sciences (molecular biologyand genome research) and the theoreticalsciences (mathematics and informationscience). The main focus of the IMPRS ison the mathematical and computationalissues involved in sequence analysis, theoreticalstructural biology, theoretical chemistryand drug design, molecular evolution,genome analysis, and methods of data analysisfor functional genome research.IMPRS for Computational Biology andScientific Computing, BerlinBuilding on the existing Masters courses inBioinformatics and Scientific Computing atthe Free University of Berlin, this joint initiativeby the Max Planck Institute for MolecularGenetics and the Free University ofIMPRS Mathematics in the Sciences, LeipzigThis graduate school, established in a jointinitiative by the Max Planck Institute forMathematics in the Sciences, as well as theMathematics and Information Science Facultyand the Physics Faculty at the Universityof Leipzig, aims to introduce studentswith an interest in the field to selectedresearch disciplines in physics and the naturalsciences. Supported by the Klaus TschiraFoundation, it offers PhD scholarships to34

P OLITICAL G UIDELINESstudents with outstanding expertise in mathematicsand related disciplines.IMPRS Human Origins, LeipzigThis joint postgraduate program offered bythe Max Planck Institute for EvolutionaryAnthropology and the University of Leipzigprovides interdisciplinary training andresearch opportunities for graduates whowish to complete a doctorate in the disciplinesof anthropology, evolutionary genetics,primatology, or paleoanthropology. The PhDstudents join a research group at either theMPI or the University of Leipzig.disciplines within astrophysics. By providingthe best possible research and trainingopportunities, the school hopes to prepareoutstanding students from all over the worldfor a successful career in astronomy, astrophysicsor space research.IMPRS for the Science and Technology ofNanostructures, HalleThis joint IMPRS resulting from a partnershipbetween the Martin Luther Universityof Halle, the Fraunhofer Institute for theMechanics of Materials, and the MaxPlanck Institute for Microstructure Physicsin Halle offers students from both Germanyand abroad comprehensive training leadingto a doctorate in the disciplines ofnanosciences and nanotechnology. Successfulapplicants will be have the opportunity tobe closely integrated into ongoing researchprojects and to become familiar with fascinatingtopics such as electronic, magneticand optical properties in the nanoworld, spinelectronics, nanocontacts, and the synthesisof nanostructures.IMPRS for Astronomy and Cosmic Physics,HeidelbergThis joint initiative by the Max Planck Institutefor Astronomy, the Astrophysics andParticle Physics Departments of the MaxPlanck Institute for Nuclear Physics, theInstitute for Theoretical Astrophysics at theUniversity of Heidelberg, the HeidelbergAstronomical Computing Institute, and theState Observatory in Heidelberg-Königstuhloffers students expert support in virtually allIMPRS: Elementary Particle Physics – Theoretical,Experimental, and CosmologicalFrontiers, MunichThis graduate school, the result of closecooperation between the Max Planck Institutefor Physics and groups working in thefields of elementary particle physics andastroparticle physics at the Ludwig MaximilianUniversity of Munich and the TechnicalUniversity of Munich, offers gifted PhD studentsexcellent opportunities to conductboth theoretical and experimental researchin the fields of high-energy physics,35

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004astroparticle physics and cosmology. ThePhD students’ own research work is supportedby an accompanying course program.IMPRS for Dynamic Processes in Atoms,Molecules, and Solids, DresdenThis IMPRS, run by the Max Planck Institutefor the Physics of Complex Systemstogether with the Faculty of Mathematicsand Natural Sciences at the Technical Universityof Dresden, the Leibniz Institute forSolid State and Materials Research, and theMax Planck Institute for the ChemicalPhysics of Solids, is also supported by theUniversity of Wroclaw (Poland) and theUniversity of Prague (Czech Republic). Itsresearch focus lies in the theoretical andexperimental study of the microscopicdynamics of matter: from finite atomic andmolecular systems to extended surfaces andsolids.Number of peopleEU countries1857Russ. FederationChina529545Eastern EuropeUSAIndiaRest of Asia437406367340South and Central America282JapanRest of EuropeAfricaAustraliaIsraelCanadaunknownNationality of foreignjunior and visiting scientists atMax Planck institutes14614412184767540 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 200036

P OLITICAL G UIDELINESSUPPORT OF JUNIOR SCIENTISTSSupport within the W2 SpecialProgram **formerly C3 Special ProgramThe W2 Special Program, approved by the Senate of the Max Planck Society in 1997, offershighly qualified women scientists the opportunity to gain qualifications for senior posts at universitiesor non-university research institutions within the framework of a five-year W2 contract.The candidates are proposed by the Max Planck institutes and are chosen in a strictselection procedure involving external experts. Since the year 2000 the funding program hasreceived funding from the budget of the Max Planck Society. A total of 34 female scientistshave been supported by the W2 Special Program so far, 12 of whom have since taken on a furtherpost. In 2004 the number of posts was increased from 15 to 20.Scientist Max Planck Institute Research topic As at: January 2005Biology & Medicine SectionDr. Zoe Kourtzi MPI for Biological Cybernetics Human Psychophysics/NeurophysiologyDr. Marianne Müller MPI for Psychiatry Stress regulation under physiological and pathophysiologicalconditionsDr. Jane Parker MPI for Plant Breeding Research Plant immunity reactionsDr. Anne Peters MPI for Ornithology Behavioral EcologyDr. Renate Schmidt MPI for Molecular Physiology Comparative genome analysis in plantsDr. Florentina Soto MPI for Experimental Medicine Ontogenesis of chicken embryosDr. Marie-Laure Yaspo MPI for Molecular Genetics Characterization of the molecular principles of Down syndromeChemistry, Physics & Technology SectionDr. Silke Bühler-Paschen MPI for the Chemical Physics of Solids Correlated electronic systems with low charge-carrierconcentrationDr. Johanna Erdmenger MPI for Physics Quantum field theoryDr. Ariane Frey MPI for Physics The International Linear ColliderDr. Dagmar Goll MPI for Metals Research New magnetic nanostructuresDr. Stefanie Komossa MPI for Extraterrestrial Physics A study of the growth of black holes with XXM-Newton andChandraDr. Matilde Marcolli MPI for Mathematics Mathematics and theoretical physics: Seiberg-Witten theoryDr. Tiziana di Matteo MPI for Extraterrestrial Physics A study of galaxies and active galactic coresDr. Olga Vinogradova MPI for Polymer Research Theory of hydrophobic interactionDr. Margit Zacharias MPI for Microstructure Physics The production and characterization of nanocrystalline semiconductorstructuresHuman Sciences SectionDr. Sabine Gleß MPI for Foreign and European criminal law, criminal procedure law, criminal law,International Criminal Lawand comparative lawDr. Jacqueline Knörr MPI for Social Anthropology Conflict and integration as dimensions of cultural traditionDr. Lale Yalcin-Heckmann MPI for Social Anthropology Beyond borders: citizenship and identity in the Caucasus and TurkeyDr. Letizia Paoli MPI for Foreign and Organized crimeInternational Criminal Law37

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004SUPPORT FOR JUNIOR SCIENTISTSIndependent Junior Research GroupsSince 1969, the Max Planck Society has supported particularly talented young scientistswithin the framework of fixed-term Independent Junior Research Groups. There is a greatdeal of rivalry for the position of head of these groups, as they allow young researchers selectedfrom among the international competition to lay the foundations for a successful scientificcareer on the basis of a limited but secure budget in the first phase of their independentresearch activities.There are currently 27 IndependentJunior Research Groups and 7 InternationalJunior Research Groups(see p. 9). A further two JuniorResearch Groups are located at theEuropean Neuroscience Institute(ENI) in Göttingen.The following former heads of JuniorResearch Groups who left the program lastyear have obtained a Full Professorship inGermany or a comparable post abroad:Dr. Andrea Vortkamp (University of Essen),Dr. Andreas Mayer (University of Lausanne,Switzerland), and Dr. Stefan Grimm(Imperial College, London). Four heads ofIndependent Junior Research Groups havebeen appointed to Associate Professorshipsor comparable posts: Dr. Adam Antebi (BaylorCollege of Medicine, Houston, Texas,USA), Dr. Bruno Blanchet (CNRS/ENS,Paris, France), Dr. Kai Alter (University ofNewcastle, UK), and Dr. Ann-ElizabethEhrenhofer-Murray (Justus Liebig Universityof Gießen).In September 2004, the Max Planck Societydecided to internationally advertize aninitial total of a further 20 IndependentJunior Research Groups before the end ofthe current financial year. This is the firstconcrete step toward the Pact for Researchand Innovation envisaged by the GermanFederal Government and the federal states,which provides for an increase in the numberof Independent Junior ResearchGroups as one of its measures. The groupswere advertized in October 2004 with nospecification of the thematic focus. Candidatescould put forward their own individualproject proposals and were asked to lista maximum of three Max Planck institutesthey would like to work at. The aim was toattract new innovative researchers fromoutside established research disciplinesand existing institutes. Over 700 young scientistshave applied for one of these 20posts; 16 posts are set to be filled beforethe end of 2005.38

P OLITICAL G UIDELINESAs at: January 2005Institute/Research facility Head Research topicBiology & Medicine SectionBiochemistryFriedrich Miescher LaboratoryMolecular Genetics(Otto Warburg Laboratory)Brain researchImmunobiologyInfection BiologyMedical ResearchNeurobiologyMolecular Plant PhysiologyDr. Francis BarrDr. Ludger HengstDr. Heiko HermekingDr. Gunnar RätschDr. Anne SpangDr. Michael LappeDr. Jörg GeigerDr. Robert SchneiderDr. Jörg VogelDr. Harald HutterDr. Frank BradkeDr. Valentin SteinDr. Takashi SuzukiDr. Michael UdvardiDr. Markus PaulyIntracellular protein transportRegulation of cell proliferationMolecular oncologyBioinformaticsIntracellular vesiclesNetwork analysisSynaptic regulation and functionEpigenetic regulation of gene expressionRNA BiologyDevelopmental genetics of the nervous systemAxonal growth and regenerationMolecular NeurobiologyDevelopment of neural connectionsNitrogen supply in higher plantsThe development, structure, and function of plant cell wallsChemistry, Physics &Technology SectionComputer ScienceNuclear PhysicsMathematics in theSciencesPlasma PhysicsDr. Marcus MagnorDr. Friedrich EisenbrandDr. Stefan SchönertDr. Nicolas DirrDr. Wolf-Christian MüllerGraphics-Optics-VisionIntegral or discrete optimizationSolar neutrino experimentsModels in the materials sciencesComputer-assisted studies of turbulence in magnetized plasmaHuman SciencesSectionEvolutionary AnthropologyHuman DevelopmentDemographic ResearchHuman Cognitive andBrain SciencesHistory of ScienceDr. Tricia StrianoDr. Susan PerryDr. Heike SolgaDr. Laura BernardiDr. Stefan KölschDr. Edmund WascherDr. H. Otto SibumCultural ontogenesisCultural phylogenesisPeople without professional qualificationsReproduction culture in the context of low fertilityThe neurocognition of musicCognitive psychophysiologyExperimental sciences39

A mouse embryo in which the neural stem cells andprecursor cells of the growing central nervous systemin the developing brain are marked in green (GFP).Like all other stem cells, neural stem cells divide either in order to multiply (proliferation) orto produce different cells such as nerve cells (differentiation). Both types of stem cell divisioncoexist in the developing brain of mammals. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute forMolecular Cell Biology and Genetics have now succeeded in making individual cells thatproduce nerve cells in their next division visible. To do so, researchers replaced the copy ofa mouse gene that is specifically triggered in these stem cells with the gene for green fluorescentprotein (GFP).http://www.mpg.de/forschungsgebiete/BM/EEB/taetigkeitsberichte/index.html

F ROM THE S ECTIONSFROM THE SECTIONSNew issues, new facesA research organization can only maintain its leading position among its internationalresearch competitors if it repeatedly succeeds in attracting scientists who can develop particularlyinnovative thematic and methodological approaches in their respective researchfield. Within the Max Planck Society, the three sections of the Scientific Council – the Biology& Medicine Section, the Chemistry, Physics & Technology Section, and the Human SciencesSection – all have the task of carefully selecting scientific management staff on thebasis of the scientific insights they have already achieved and are expected to achieve infuture, and, most importantly, of assessing the thematic, conceptual, and structural aspectsof an appointment for the development of the particular institute, as well as for the MaxPlanck Society as a whole.Within the regular appointments procedureof the Max Planck Society, the institutes’Boards of Directors are responsible for theinitial selection of candidates. Although thismethod has proved to be effective in thepast, there is still a risk that scientificapproaches that have great potential anddynamism might not be taken into consideration.This is especially the case if thefields concerned are not covered by theexisting institutes or if the institutes in thediscipline are not able to appoint staff for along period.Thus in 2003, the Perspective Commissionof the Biology & Medicine Section began toconduct a review of the fields of researchrepresented in the Section in the form ofmini-symposiums held together with theScientific Members working in these fields.The aim of these symposiums is to identifyparticularly dynamic fields of research andto discuss on a broad basis whether thesefields would be a suitable foundation for theestablishment of a relevant department or anew institute. In 2004, this work was continuedin the form of five further symposiumsin the field of Clinical Research, BigScience in Biology, Developmental Biology,Plants and Microorganisms, and SystemBiology. To prepare these symposiums, theScientific Members active in the field ofresearch in question were asked to presenttheir current and planned work and to givean assessment of the scientific perspectivesin the discipline.The subsequent discussionled to thefollowing insights:• Clinical research is under-representedin the Max Planck Society. The Societyshould focus more on this field – providedadditional funding is available. Yet itremains difficult for a clinical researcherto find the time to conduct high-qualityresearch work alongside their routineclinical activities. This is why the MaxPlanck Society has already devised arange of models that allow excellentresearch to be conducted in this field,and it is essential that these should bemaintained. These include the close inte-From the Biology &Medicine Section41

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004gration of a Max Planck institute into aclinic by having one sole director responsiblefor both facilities, by locating thedepartment on the clinic site, by havingresearch groups based in the clinic, or byinstigating so-called tandem projects.• Biomedical research is increasingly beinginfluenced by big science, i.e. by the useof technology platforms that allow highthroughput, the generation of very largeamounts of data in a short time, the integrationof a wide range of often elaboratetechnologies and the creation of innovativeresources such as databases. Big scienceis also of indisputable importancefor the Biology & Medicine Section. Thusthere is a clear need to support new technologieswhich are or may be of importancefor many institutes at an early stagein their development by means of anPresidential Innovation Fund.• Despite vast progress in recent years, thefield of development biology is stillmarked by an overly mechanisticapproach. Research insights are often oflimited scope due to the small number ofcells investigated or the very short durationof stages that might be of relevance.Revolutionary technology such as thevisualization of macromolecular complexesin the native environment could providenew inroads into key research questions.Thus vacant posts at institutesfocusing on developmental biology shouldpreferably be filled with researchers thatare developing technology of this kind.• The symposium on Plants and Microorganismssucceeded in identifying fieldsthat have great potential for the future,yet where the Biology & Medicine Sectionis currently conducting either verylittle work or none at all. Thus in future,candidates from these areas should begiven priority in new appointments.These disciplines include the survivalstrategies of microorganisms, ecologicalvirology, biodiversity, and evolution, aswell as the development of nanotechnologiesfor use in microbe and plant systems.• System biology uses quantitative methodsto assess a biological system in itsentirety. This is done by integrating datavia a variety of technological platformsand by generating a theoretical modelthat accounts for all the available data. Asthis is a key cutting-edge discipline, itshould also receive support within theMax Planck Society. However, systembiological research can only be conductedsuccessfully if theoretical and empiricalstudies can be brought together underone roof. The most flexible solutionwould be to advertize a research group,and then, depending on the candidates,to either add a new department to aninstitute, to establish a new facility with adirector and junior research groups, or toappoint a founding director for a newinstitute.42

F ROM THE S ECTIONSFROM THE BIOLOGY & MEDICINE SECTIONAward-winning facesThe traces of memoryRetirements in 2004Every time we remember something, it is bound to leave some form of trace behind in ourbrains. This simple idea has long since led scientists to believe that memory performance isbased on long-term changes in the synapses, the contact points between nerves cells. Thesemicroscopic excrescences on the entry structures of nerve cells, numbering 10 to 100,000,can be increased or decreased in number, and their intensity can be strengthened or weakened.This means that the interconnections between nerve cells are no longer static but flexible– a phenomenon scientists refer to as neural plasticity.Prof. Dr. Peter Berthold(b. 1939), Max Planck Institutefor Ornithology, Seewiesen/RadolfzellProf. Dr. Claus Eichmann (b.1939), Max Planck Institutefor Immunobiology, FreiburgIn 1999 Prof. Tobias Bonhoeffer, Directorat the Max Planck Institute for Neurobiologyin Martinsried, became one of the firstscientists in the world to observe how nervecells from the hippocampus, an area of thebrain that plays a key role in memoryprocesses, do indeed undergo microscopicchanges when strengthening contactsbetween each other (long-term potentiationof stimuli) – they form thorn-like structures,so-called spines. Researchers assumethat these spines are involved in buildingfurther synapses to neighboring nerve cellsand thus in increasing data transferbetween the cells. This so-called long-termpotentiation is considered to be one of thecellular preconditions for storing informationin the central nervous system and thusalso for the plasticity of the brain. Conversely,in cases of long-term depression,i.e. of stimulation with a low stimulus frequencyand hence low data transfer, thesespines atrophy, which may lead to memoryloss. Prof. Bonhoeffer and his colleaguessucceeded in demonstrating this using elaborateoptical test methods in late fall 2004.For his pioneering work on investigatingmolecular and cellular processes duringinformation storage in the brain, he wasawarded one of Europe’s most highlyendowed and coveted medical prizes, theErnst Jung Prize, in 2004.Prof. Dr. Tobias BonhoefferProf. Dr. Dieter Gallwitz (b.1937), Max Planck Institutefor Biophysical Chemistry,GöttingenProf. Dr. Jan Klein (b. 1936),Max Planck Institute forBiology, TübingenProf. Dr. Francesco Salamini(b. 1939), Max Planck Institutefor Plant BreedingResearch, CologneProf. Dr. Wolfgang Schaper(b. 1934), Max Planck Institutefor Physiological andClinical Research, Bad NauheimProf. Dr. Klaus Weber (b.1936), Max Planck Institutefor Biophysical Chemistry,Göttingen43

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004Putting cells on a chipAlthough both human brains and computers transfer and process information via electronicsignals, both realms have thus far been completely isolated from one another. One of the reasonsfor this is that the two use different charge carriers: one uses electrons, the other usesions. Could it nevertheless be possible to bring together the water-based world of the brainand the silicon-based world of the computer?Prof. Dr. Peter FromherzProf. Dr. Peter Fromherz of the Max PlanckInstitute for Biochemistry in Martinsriedhas managed to bridge the gap betweennerve cells and computers. In 1991 he wasthe first to place a nerve cell from a leech ona silicon chip and to receive the signalsemitted by the cell on a transistor. In 1995this experiment also was successfully carriedout in the reverse direction: a cell wasstimulated by electronic pulses via a chipand reacted to these with action potentials,which were detected in the form of signals.For many years Max Planck scientists havealso been working with researchers fromInfineon Technologies AG on developingand implementing highly integrated sensorfields for industrial use. They have sincebeen able to develop a biosensor chip withapproximately 16,400 sensors per squaremillimeter. This allows electronic signalsfrom both individual neurons and interconnectedneuron clusters to be captured andprocessed at a previously unknown level ofaccuracy. The neurochip thus sheds newlight on the biological function of nervecells, neural networks and brain tissue. Inaddition to providing important insights forpharmaceutical and brain research, as wellas for the development of computer-drivenartificial limbs, Prof. Fromherz also hopesthis advance will contribute to the philosophicaldebate on the parallels betweencomputers and the brain. In 2004, he wasawarded the Philip Morris Research Prizefor his innovative research work.44

F ROM THE S ECTIONSThe human genomeIn the late 1980s, international scientists joined forces to form the Human Genome Organization(HUGO). Their endeavor was to map the entire text of the human genotype, amammoth undertaking. Three billion letters, three billion dollars, 15 years’ work – that wasthe calculation at the time. From 1998 onwards, the race to sequence the human genomehad been heating up, particularly due to the work of the private biotech company CeleraGenomics, owned by Craig Venter of the USA. In April 2003, two years earlier than scheduled,researchers from the international human genome project published the correctsequence of the human genome in Washington. The results of their research are freely availableon the internet.As one of the coordinators of the GermanHuman Genome Project, a member of theinternational HUGO Committee, andChairperson of the Scientific AdvisoryBoard of the German Resource Center forGenome Research, Prof. Hans Lehrach ofthe Max Planck Institute for MolecularGenetics played a major role in sequencingthe human genome. The basis for this wasLehrach’s long-standing research activity inthe field of genome analysis, and particularlyhis work on bioinformatics and on systematicgenome analysis using innovativehigh-throughput technologies, especiallymicro-array techniques. As a microbiologist,Prof. Lehrach is regarded as one of the pioneersin the field of gene chip development.The wide range of spin-offs in which HansLehrach played a key role includes theshareholding Genome PharmaceuticalsCorporation (GPC), founded in 1997. It isone of the first spin-offs from the GermanHuman Genome Project and an impressiveexample of how newly gained basic scientificknowledge can quickly be put to commercialuse. In recognition of these outstandingachievements in the field ofgenome research, Hans Lehrach wasawarded the Karl Heinz Beckurts Prize in2004.Prof. Dr. Hans LehrachAppointments asScientific Members in 2004Prof. Dr. Ralph Bock, (b. 1967),University of Münster, to theMax Planck Institute for MolecularPlant Physiology inPotsdam. Field of research:plastidsProf. Dr. Dr. Thomas Braun(b. 1961), University of Halle-Wittenberg, to the MaxPlanck Institute for Heartand Lung Research, W.G.Kerckhoff Institute, in BadNauheim. Field of research:molecular cell and developmentalbiologyProf. Dr. Manfred Lorenz Gahr(b. 1959), Free University ofAmsterdam, to the MaxPlanck Institute for Ornithologyin Seewiesen. Field ofresearch: the neurobiologicalfoundations of behaviorProf. Dr. Maarten Koorneef (b.1950), Agricultural Universityof Wageningen, to the MaxPlanck Institute for PlantBreeding Research inCologne. Field of research:the genetics of plant breedingProf. Dr. Lotte Søgaard-Andersen (b. 1959), Universityof South Denmark in Odense,to the Max Planck Institutefor Terrestrial Microbiologyin Marburg. Field of research:eco-physiology45

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004Distribution problemsChaos reigns inside the genetic material of cancer cells. Many chromosomes have had entiresections deleted, replicated or translocated. Other chromosomes have been duplicated orhave been lost completely. Irregularities such as these accumulate during tumor growth. Thischromosomal instability is seen as the cause of the aggressive growth of tumor cells.At the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistryin Martinsried, Prof. Erich A. Nigg isstudying various vulnerable stages duringthe complex process of cell division. Malfunctionsin these mechanisms lead togenetic material not being distributed evenlyamong the two daughter cells. The correctdistribution of chromosomes is regulatedby the so-called spindle apparatus – adynamic assembly and disassembly systemmade of protein fibers. The spindle apparatusoriginates from a small cell component,the centrosome. Nigg and his colleaguessucceeded in revealing the protein componentsof this cell structure, which play a keyrole in carcinogenesis, as cells with anabnormal number of centrosomes oftenmutate into tumors.The scientists also investigated one of thecell’s control mechanisms that ensures thatcell division only continues if all the chromosomesare correctly attached to thefibers of the spindle apparatus. They successfullyidentified the molecular componentsof this security check, which oftenfails in cancer patients. Erich Nigg’s documentationof the central steps in cell divisionprovides cancer research with newapproaches for the development of cancerdrugs, and the results of his work can alsobe used in diagnosing and predicting thecourse of the illness. For his work he wasawarded the Meyenburg Prize of the Wilhelmand Maria Meyenburg Foundation inthe German Cancer Research Center in2004.Prof. Dr. Erich A. Nigg46

F ROM THE S ECTIONSFROM THE CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS & TECHNOLOGY SECTIONThe Earth System ChallengeIn recent years, the results of atmospheric research and geochemistry have shown that allthe components of the earth are in fact part of one large interactive system. To do justice tothis system’s complexity, a paradigm shift in research approaches is called for. An innovativedevelopment proposal put forward by Max Planck institutes does just this, studying the earthsystem as part of an integrated research approach involving atmospheric research, geochemistry,geophysics, and biology.Previously the individual components of theearth system were investigated within separatedisciplines – the oceans by marine scientists,the solid earth by geologists andgeophysicists, the atmosphere by meteorologistsand climate researchers. Yet as theinfluence of human activity on the environmentbegan to grow dramatically, it becameclear that our environment is not onlychanging at a global level (global change)but also throughout all the component partsof the earth system. For example, carbondioxide emissions alter the makeup of theatmosphere, and as a result the climatebecomes warmer, sea levels rise and plantsgrow faster.One central aspect of this new world view isto see the biosphere and its geophysical andgeochemical environment as a network andsystem with many complex interactions thatcan only be investigated and understoodwithin a systemic approach. Studies ofthese interactions show that the earth’sbiosphere has the potential to have a majorinfluence on the earth system.Three Max Planck institutes in the Chemistry,Physics & Technology Section havemade the study of the various componentsof the earth system the central focus of theirwork: the Max Planck Institute for Chemistryin Mainz, the Max Planck Institute forMeteorology in Hamburg, and the MaxPlanck Institute for Biogeochemistry inJena. There are also departments andresearch groups at a number of further instituteswhich are also conducting earth systemrelated research (see box on p. 48).These institutes and groups are in theprocess of closely coordinating their activitiesand of moving their work into thebroader context of earth system research.From the Chemistry, Physics& Technology SectionThe methodological approaches of earthsystem research at these Max Planck institutescan be divided into three categories.Firstly, on-site measurements and experimentsare carried out in order to studyprocesses within individual components,such as chemical reactions in the atmosphereand changes in these reactions as aresult of global change, or the exchange oftrace gases and particles between plantsand the air. Secondly, the earth has to bestudied on large temporal and spatial scales47

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004• MPI for Chemistry, Mainz• MPI for Biogeochemistry, Jena• MPI for Meteorology, Hamburg• MPI for Nuclear Physics, Heidelberg• MPI for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg• MPI for Marine Microbiology, Bremento reach an understanding of regional, global,and long-term processes and changes. Itis also essential to draw on and analyze datafrom satellite experiments in order to beable to investigate global or continentalphenomena. As yet, this field of researchhas not been sufficiently focused on in theMax Planck Society and is to be extendedfurther in future.The third pillar of earth system research ismodeling. Numerical models are a theoreticaltool for studying interactions within theearth system. They are the only language inwhich the complex processes in the earthsystem and its components can be expressedin qualitative and quantitative terms. Due tothe wide range of interactions and mutuallydependent relationships in the earth system,assessing the effects of disturbances in thesystem (such as the emission of greenhousegases, large-scale changes in land use, orbush fires) often exceeds the scope of simpleintuitive analysis and frequently givesrise to paradoxical effects. Only throughmodeling can these wide-ranging interactionsbe represented and studied adequately.However, any hopes of representing theentire earth system in a supermodel in theforeseeable future are extremely premature.Institutes involved in the project:• MPI for Solar System Research, Katlenburg-Lindauwww.mpch-mainz.mpg.dewww.bgc-jena.mpg.dewww.mpimet.mpg.dewww.mpi-hd.mpg.dewww.uni-marburg.de/mpi/www.mpi-bremen.dewww.linmpi.mpg.deInstead, Max Planck institutes are developingmodels of varying complexity, as well aspartial models that can be linked together inmodular form.The following issues are the focus of currentand planned research:• Which interactions and long-distancerelations are of particular importancewithin the earth system?• Which regions and components are particularlysensitive to global change?• Are there critical thresholds which, ifexceeded, can cause abrupt changes inthe earth system?• Can the earth system be controlled in thelong term?Due to its global significance, this work isclosely integrated into large-scale internationalresearch projects, in particular theInternational Geosphere-Biosphere Program.The long-term aim of this research is todevelop an understanding of the earth systemthat would allow humankind to comprehendchanges in the world around usand to act in an informed way. Only in thisway can science assess and reasonablyanswer the questions of which political andeconomic measures are of urgent importancefor protecting the earth system, andhow the natural resources of our planet canbe used efficiently and sustainably. Withoutanswers to these questions, humankind willnot be able to tackle this problem in aresponsible way, as none of today’s modelsare able to represent the required complexityof the phenomena involved.48

F ROM THE S ECTIONSFROM THE CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS & TECHNOLOGY SECTIONAward-winning facesShaping metalFor more than 4000 years, anisotropy has been the subject of human enquiry – and the reasonsfor that are clear: it makes sense to save material, to have uniform mechanical properties,and to try to avoid fractures when working with materials of any kind.Anisotropy is the term used to refer to variationsin the physical and chemical propertiesof a material depending on the directionin which a measurement is made. It occurswhen the smallest components of a material,such as atoms or molecules, are organizedin a periodic structure. In such cases,the arrangement of the smallest componentsis periodic, but the periodicity of thestructure is dependent on the spatial directionfrom which the observation is made. AtProf. Dr. Dierk Raabethe Max Planck Institute for Iron Researchin Düsseldorf, Prof. Dierk Raabe is conductingresearch into the computer simulationof materials. In 1998 he published thefirst specialist book on this subject, thuslaunching a new key area within modernmaterials science – Computational MaterialsScience. Raabe’s fundamental workat the interdisciplinary interface betweenmaterials science, physics, and mathematicsis of great technical importance in fieldssuch as industrial manufacturing methods.One simulation method he developed usesinsights into the physics, of metals to predictcomplex deformation processes inanisotropic materials by examining theircrystalline texture, the changes it undergoesduring forming and the resultant mechanicalproperties. Being able to predict metalforming, processes on a sound scientificbasis is of great importance for areas suchas automotive engineering. His work onnanostructured composite materials providedthe groundwork for the development ofmodern materials for astronautics androbotics and for the construction of theworld’s most powerful high-field magnet –just one of many reasons why Dirk Raabewas awarded the Gottfried Wilhelm LeibnizPrize in 2004.49

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004Retirements in 2004The end of the “Iron Age”Prof. Dr. Gerhard Ertl (b. 1936),Fritz Haber Institute, BerlinProf. Dr. Ernst Dieter Gilles(b. 1935), Max Planck Institutefor the Dynamics of TechnicallyComplex Systems,MagdeburgSteel has been a universal material since the 19th century due to its good forming propertiesand high tensile strength, yet its heat resistance is relatively low. This is why combustionengines need to have cooling systems installed in them. One consequence of this is that aircraftturbines, for example, are extremely heavy, and cause environmentally harmful nitrousoxides to be formed on interior cooled surfaces during the combustion process. With the aidof a new super-light material that would be resistant to high temperatures without the needfor cooling, engines could be built that would save resources and protect the environment.Prof. Dr. Peter Neumann (b.1939), Max Planck Institutefor Iron Research, DüsseldorfProf. Dr. Helmut Rosenbauer(b. 1936), Max Planck Institutefor Aeronomics, Katlenburg-LindauProf. Dr. Richard Wielebinski(b. 1936), Max Planck Institutefor Radio Astronomy,BonnProf. Dr. Rolf Wilhelm (b.1939), Max Planck Institutefor Plasma Physics, GarchingProf. Dr. Heinrich Völk (b.1936), Max Planck Institutefor Nuclear Physics, HeidelbergDr. Arndt Oetker (l.) with the award-winner Prof. MartinJansen (r.)Prof. Martin Jansen of the Max PlanckInstitute for Solid State Research has usedan innovative concept to develop a newclass of high-performance ceramic materialswhich could soon replace metals. Jansenwas convinced that, by carefully selectingchemical elements, it must be possible toconstruct sufficiently stable networks thatwould also remain amorphous at high temperatures.Taking simple molecules whichalready contained the required bonds as abasis, he produced a polymer that decomposedon heating to form the requiredceramic material. This route from a moleculevia a polymer to a solid was not only aninnovative synthesis strategy – the intermediatepolymer stage also kicked the doorwide open to a whole range of applications.The resulting amorphous ceramic fibres areobtained through thermal corrosion bymeans of these technologies meetingresearchers’ high expectations: they not onlyremain stable up to 1900°C but can also beused in air up to 1600°C, as a thin protectivelayer protects them from oxidization. Inaddition they are also light and extremelyresistant to fluctuating temperatures. Thusthe new ceramics of the 21st century couldtake on the key role that steel played in the19th century.Martin Jansen’s work is an outstandingexample of the successful transfer of knowledgeand technology from the laboratory toindustrial applications. For this achievementhe was awarded the Science Prize ofthe Donors’ Association for the Promotionof the Sciences and Humanities in 2004.50

F ROM THE S ECTIONSCatching stardustToday’s universe is approximately 14 billion years old. It is not all that easy to catch aglimpse of its very beginnings, as almost half the stars in the universe are assumed to havebeen formed in gas giants and infrared galaxies, which are extremely difficult or evenimpossible to detect even in the best optical images taken by the Hubble space telescope.Galaxies of this kind are no longer formed in today’s universe.Appointments asScientific Members in 2004PD Dr. Christoph H. Keitel (b.1965), University of Freiburg,to the Max Planck Institutefor Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg.Field of research:the multi-particle dynamicsof atoms and moleculesHowever, scientists can observe the birthplaces of these ancient stars with the helpof bolometers – high-sensitivity radio wavereceivers that can detect radiation over awide range of frequencies. The developmentof bolometers was initiated in the1980s at the Max Planck Institute for RadioAstronomy in Bonn. A bolometer detectorconsists of a foil one millimeter acrosswhich absorbs incoming radiation. Thiscauses a small change in the temperature ofthe foil, which is in turn recorded by sensitiveelectronic thermometers. Hundreds ofsuperconducting bolometers, similar to pixelsin digital photography, compile these signalsto form a composite image.In recent years bolometers have allowed significantinsights to be made into the formationof the first galaxies in the universe.Prof. Karl M. Menten, Dr. Ernst Kreysa, andDr. Frank Bertoldi have even managed todiscover dust in the most distant knownquasar. This provides proof that stars wereformed at a time when the universe was amere 800 million years old. This year theMax Planck Society’s radio astronomerswere awarded the Philip Morris ResearchPrize for their work with bolometers.Prof. Dr. Jörg Neugebauer(b. 1963), University of Paderborn,to the Max Planck Institutefor Iron Research GmbHin Düsseldorf. Field ofresearch: computer-assistedmaterials developmentProf. Dr. Joachim P. Spatz (b.1969), University of Heidelberg,to the Max Planck Institutefor Metals Research inStuttgart. Field of research:new materials and biosystemsIn the initial phases of their development,stars are still surrounded by dense cloudsof gas from which they themselves wereborn. The microscopic dust particles inthese clouds almost completely absorb thelight of young stars. However, the dust iswarmed by the absorbed light and re-emitsthis energy as infrared-frequency radiation,which can be detected by the bolometercameras.Dr. Ernst Kreysa, Prof. Karl Menten,and Dr. Frank Bertoldi (v. li.)51

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004FROM THE HUMAN SCIENCES SECTIONJoint venture in the supportof junior scientistsOn 12 October 2004, the second year of the one-year postgraduate course at the MunichIntellectual Property Law Center (MIPLC) began for 25 students from 19 countries, withalmost twice as many participants as in its first year. The MIPLC is a training and researchfacility that is as yet unparalleled in Europe in the field of intellectual property, and wasfounded in October 2003 by the Max Planck Institute for Intellectual Property, Competitionand Tax Law, together with the Technical University of Munich, the University of Augsburg,and the George Washington University, Washington D.C., USA.From the Human Sciences SectionRetirements in 2004Prof. Dr. Hartmut Lehmann (b.1936), Max Planck Institutefor History, GöttingenProf. Dr. Otto Gerhard Oexle(b. 1939), Max Planck Institutefor History, GöttingenIn the knowledge society, intellectual property,which includes scientific innovation, isa deciding factor for companies’ economicsuccess. Today, the value of a company isvery much determined by patents, brands,and copyrights, as well as by technical andbusiness know-how. These factors are alsoof vital importance for the successful transferof technology and knowledge from academicresearch into the world of business.Yet in view of the huge economic importanceof intellectual property, the researchand training opportunities in this legal fieldare underdeveloped both in Germany andthroughout the world as a whole. With thesole exception of the Munich-based MaxPlanck Institute for Intellectual Property,Competition, and Tax Law, no otherresearch institution focuses exclusively onthis legal discipline.While a number of American Law and BusinessSchools are providing specialized trainingcourses in an attempt to cover thedemand within the world of science, politics,and business for experts in intellectualproperty law, Europe has as yet seen hardlyany comparable trainingopportunities being established.The postgraduatecourse at the MIPLC isintended to offer comprehensive trainingfor these urgently needed researchers andpractitioners in a one-year course. Theteaching staff are taken not only from thefour founding partners, but also from CornellLaw School, Stanford University, theUS Court of Appeals for the FederalCircuit, the Royal Courts of Justice in London,and the World Intellectual PropertyOrganization (WIPO) in Geneva, as well asfrom the Ludwig Maximilian University ofMunich, and the universities of Karlsruheand Bayreuth. The fee-based course offerslawyers, business administrators, engineers,and scientists with at least one year’s workexperience the opportunity to conduct anintensive and well-founded practicallybasedstudy of all aspects of intellectualproperty law and issues related to businessadministration tax law. The course is concludedwith a Masters thesis, and successfulparticipants are awarded the title ofMaster in Intellectual Property Law (LL.M. IP) by the University of Augsburg.Further information on the program is availableat: www.miplc.de.52

F ROM THE S ECTIONSResearch center on demographicchange opensLow fertility rates and increasing longevity are the key features of demographic change inEuropean countries. The consequence of this is an aging population and a long-term fall inpopulation figures. But there are significant differences in the processes of demographicchange even between countries with very similar economic development. This is true of boththe scale and pace of the falling birth rate, and of family structures and life expectancy. Thecauses of this phenomenon can be found both at an individual level and in the political frameworkand welfare traditions of the countries concerned.The task of the research carried out by theRostock-based Center for the Study of theCauses and Consequences of DemographicChange is to observe the interactionbetween individual decisions, social conditionsand economic incentive structures.The joint interdisciplinary research facilityof the University of Rostock and the MaxPlanck Institute for Demographic Researchwas opened on 1 October 2004 in the presenceof a large number of guests from scienceand politics. The two heads of the newcenter are Prof. James W. Vaupel, Directorat the Max Planck Institute for DemographicResearch, and Prof. Thusnelda Tivig, aneconomist at the University of Rostock.The Rostock center unites basic demographicresearch and applied interdisciplinarityunder one roof, and aims to highlightnew ways forward that could amalgamateinterests in fields of policy such as education,the family, health, labor market, pensions,and migration. Rostock-based scientistsfrom the disciplines of demography,economics, sociology, political science,business administration, history, mathematics,and medicine are all involved in theresearch. The Bachelor course is intendedto provide interdisciplinary training indemography, sociology, and economics. Thesubsequent Masters course allows studentsto specialize in one of these three disciplines.Particularly talented students havethe opportunity to apply to be admitteddirectly to the PhD course in DemographicChange after the first year of the Masterscourse.The center starts work with seven professorsand readers, one junior professor, threepostdoctoral staff members, and around tenPhD students. By the start of the 2005summer term, a further chair will be establishedand five junior professors will beappointed. Four of the junior professors arefunded by the Max Planck Society; onejunior professor is provided by the university.The research fields include the connectionbetween education-dependent fertility,distribution of income and economicgrowth; prospects for innovation and growthin an aging society; the characteristics ofwork processes and knowledge retention inaging working populations; issues arisingfrom the coupling of wages to productivityprofiles during the life cycle; and the safeguardingof company pensions.Appointments asScientific Members in 2004Prof. Dr. Martin F. Hellwig(b. 1949), University of Mannheim,to the Max PlanckInstitute for Research on CollectiveGoods in Bonn. Fieldof research: topics in economictheoryProf. Dr. Jean-Jacques Hublin(b. 1953), University of Bordeaux,to the Max PlanckInstitute for EvolutionaryAnthropology in Leipzig. Fieldof research: paleoanthropologyand human evolutionProf. James W. Vaupel andProf. Thusnelda Tivig53

The writing system of the Batak, native to northernSumatraOnly humans are capable of using language. Yet we do not have just one universal language,but five to six thousand. These languages are also highly different from each other and forma vivid kaleidoscope of linguistic diversity through their manifold sound patterns, words,sentences, and meanings. However, human languages also share fundamental structuralproperties, which go together to make the human race so unique, setting it apart from all otherliving creatures. These features are a mirror of linguistic universality. The LinguisticsDepartment of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology conducts researchinto the differences between and shared properties of human language.http://www.mpg.de/forschungsgebiete/GW/SVW/taetigkeitsberichte/index.html

F ROM THE S ECTIONSFROM THE SECTIONSScience auditThe Max Planck Society presents its science audit on the research conducted in its institutesin the form of a yearbook on CD-ROM. Those interested can gain an insight into theongoing research work conducted at the institutes and other facilities of the Max PlanckSociety at www.mpg.de/bilderBerichteDokumente/dokumentation/jahrbuch/index.htmlWe have presented some excerpts in words and pictures from the yearbook on the pages separatingthe sections of this Annual Report.Science audits of the Max Planck Institutes in 2004InstituteMPI for Evolutionary Anthropology,LeipzigMPI for Social Anthropology,Halle/SaaleMPI for Social Anthropology,Halle/SaaleMPI for Art History,Rom, ItalyMPI for Astronomy, HeidelbergMPI for Astrophysics, GarchingMPI for Astrophysics, GarchingBibliotheca Hertziana –MPI for Art History, Rome, ItalyMPI for Biochemistry, MartinsriedMPI for Biochemistry, MartinsriedMPI for Biogeochemistry, JenaTitle | Author(s)Diversity and universality of human language: The Jakartafield stationAuthor: Gil, DavidProperty relations: Open access to land, knowledge andculture?Author: Hann, ChristopherIntegration through conflict: intergroup relations andresource management in sub-SaharanAuthor: Dafinger, AndreasPolitical iconography in the Italian city-states: The caseof LuccaAuthor: Seidel, MaxMIDI – Infrared-Interferometry at large TelescopesAuthors: Bührke, Thomas; Staude, JakobShort Gamma-Ray Bursts– New Models Shed Light onEnigmatic ExplosionsAuthor: Janka, Hans-Thomas, Aloy, Miguel, Mueller EwaldAnnihilation of dark matter in the halo of the Milky WayAuthors: Stoehr, Felix; Springel, VolkerConstruction Knowledge in Italy 1600-1750. Architects –Engineers – MathematiciansAuthor: Schlimme, HermannRegulation of cell growth and divisionAuthor: Barr, FrancisMolecular MedicineAutor: Fässler, ReinhardDynamic Green Ocean ModellingAuthor: Le Quéré, Corinne55

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004InstituteMPI for Bioinorganic Chemistry,Mülheim an der RuhrMPI of Molecular Biomedicine,MünsterMP Research Unit for StructuralMolecular Biology at DESY, HamburgMPI for Biophysical Chemistry,GöttingenMPI for Biophysical Chemistry,GöttingenMPI of Biophysics, Frankfurt am MainMPI for Brain Research,Frankfurt/MainMPI of Molecular Cell Biology andGenetics, DresdenMPI of Molecular Cell Biology andGenetics, DresdenMPI for Chemistry, MainzMPI of Coal Research,Mülheim an der RuhrMPI of Coal Research,Mülheim an der RuhrMPI Collective Goods, BonnMPI of Colloids and Interfaces,PotsdamTitle | Author(s)Photosynthetic water oxidationAuthor: Messinger, JohannesGene Expression and Function in the Mammalian GermlineAuthor: Schöler, Hans R.Structure of the RibosomesAuthors: Schlünzen, Frank; Harms, Jörg M.; Yonath, AdaMolecular and cellular mechanisms of synaptic developmentand plasticityAuthor: Sigrist, StephanVibrational energy transfer through molecular chainsAuthor: Schwarzer, DirkStructure and molecular mechanisms of membrane transportproteinsAuthors: Collinson, Ian; Kühlbrandt, Werner; Model,Kirstin; Parcej, David; Standfuss, Jörg; Terwisscha vanScheltinga, Anke; Ziegler, ChristineMolecular analysis of synaptic inhibitionAuthors: Betz, Heinrich; Müller, UlrikeThe role of APPL and Rab5 in signallingAuthors: Zerial, Marino; Miaczynska, Marta; Christoforidis,Savvas; Giner, Angelika; Shevchenko, Anna; Uttenweiler-Joseph, Sandrine; Habermann, Bianca; Wilm, Matthias;Parton, Robert G.The division of neuroepithelial cells in the mammalian brainAuthors: Huttner, Wieland; Haubensak, Wulf; Attardo,AlessioAPXS results reveal traces of the water-rich past of planetMarsAuthor: Zipfel, JuttaA “Quiet Revolution” – Metathesis of Alkenes and AlkinesAuthor: Fürstner, AloisOrganocatalysis: A New and Broadly Applicable Methodfor Organic SynthesisAuthor: List, BenjaminFramework conditions within constitutional law forcontractual cooperation between state and society in thearea of parliamentary legislationAuthor: Becker, FlorianFrom Molecular Modules to Modular MaterialsAuthor: Kurth, Dirk G.56

F ROM THE S ECTIONSInstituteMPI of Colloids and Interfaces,PotsdamMPI for Computer Science,SaarbrückenMPI for Computer Science,SaarbrückenMPI for Biological Cybernetics,TübingenMPI for Demographic Research,RostockMPI for Developmental Biology,TübingenMPI for Developmental Biology,TübingenMPI for Dynamics and Self-Organization, GöttingenMPI for Dynamics of ComplexTechnical Systems, MagdeburgMPI for Chemical Ecology, JenaMPI for Research into EconomicSystems, JenaMPI für Eisenforschung GmbH,DüsseldorfMPI für Eisenforschung GmbH,DüsseldorfMPI of Experimental Endocrinology,HannoverMP Research Unit for Enzymology ofProtein Folding, Halle/SaaleTitle | Author(s)Non-Classical CrystallizationAuthor: Cölfen, HelmutCombinatorical optimizationAuthors: Friedrich Eisenbrand; Markus BehleEfficient information search in the World Wide Web offutureAuthor: Weikum GerhardStatistical Learning Theorie and Empirical InferenceAuthor: Schölkopf, BernhardFertility dynamics and family forms after the GermanreunificationAuthors: Konietzka, Dirk; Kreyenfeld, MichaelaGenome evolution in host-adapted bacteriaAuthor: Schuster, Stephan C.The genome as key to understanding how plants adapt totheir environmentAuthor: Weigel, DetlefHamiltonian ratchets: propulsion by chaosAuthor: Schanz, HolgerNonlinear Wave Propagation in Chemical ProcessesAuthor: Kienle, AchimThe biochemistry of glucosinolate hydrolysis: How insectsdeactivate mustard oil bombs in plants?Authors: Wittstock, Ute; Falk, Kimberly; Burow, Meike;Reichelt, Michael; Gershenzon, JonathanA contest in the German weekly "Die Zeit" as a scientificexperiment on bargaining behaviorAuthors: Güth, Werner; Schmidt, Carsten; Sutter, MatthiasDevelopment of novel iron-chromium and iron-aluminiumalloys for applications at high temperaturesAuthor: Sauthoff, GerhardStudy of heat transfer between steel melt and metallisubstrate in a twin roll casterAuthor: Büchner, Achim R.Molecular Mechanisms of Circadian ClocksAuthor: Oster, HenrikFunctional control of folding helper enzymes by a secondarymessengerAuthors: Fischer, Gunter; Bordusa, Frank57

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004InstituteThe Friedrich-Miescher-Laboratory ofthe Max Planck Society,TübingenThe Friedrich-Miescher-Laboratory ofthe Max Planck Society, TübingenFritz Haber Institute of the MP Society,BerlinMPI for Molecular Genetics, BerlinMPI for Molecular Genetics, BerlinMPI for Gravitational Physics, PotsdamMPI for Gravitational Physics, PotsdamMPI for Heart and Lung Research,Bad NauheimMPI of History, GöttingenMPI for the History of Science,BerlinMPI for Human Cognitive and BrainSciences, Dept. Psychol., MünchenMPI for Human Development, BerlinMPI for Human Development, BerlinMPI of Immunobiology, FreiburgMPI of Immunobiology, FreiburgTitle | Author(s)Regulation of retrogade transport vesicles budding inyeast S. cerevisiaeAuthor: Spang, AnneFace Processing in Infancy, Development of Intuitiv PhysicsAuthor: Schwarzer, GudrunNew Methods and Perspectives in Molecular PhysicsAuthor: Meijer, GerardMolecular basis of hereditary cognitive disordersAuthor: Ropers, Hans-HilgerRegulatory networks during embryogenesis of vertebratesAuthor: Herrmann, Bernhard G.First Upper Limits for Gravitational Waves from RotatingNeutron Stars - Analysis of the First Scientific Data Runfrom GEO600Author: Aulbert, CarstenIntegrable Super-Spinchains and Rotating SuperstringsAuthor: Staudacher, MatthiasArteriogenesis - A New Concept for Adaptive VesselGrowth After Vascular OcclusionsAuthors: Heil, Matthias; Schaper, WolfgangPlaces of powerAuthor: Ehlers, CasparYesterday's newsclippingsAuthor: te Heesen, AnkeEffects of social context on action planning and controlAuthors: Sebanz, Natalie; Knoblich, Günther; Prinz, WolfgangLearning is the most powerful mechanism of cognitivedevelopment: Acquiring mathematical competenciesAuthor: Stern, ElsbethTransformation of the secondary school system and academiccareers: The success of the vocational gymnasium inBaden-WürttembergAuthors: Trautwein, Ulrich; Watermann, Rainer; Nagy,Gabriel; Luedtke, OliverZebrafish as a model for immunological researchAuthor: Schorpp, MichaelEmbryonic patterning via gradients of BMP signalingAuthor: Oelgeschläger, Michael58

F ROM THE S ECTIONSInstituteMPI of Immunobiology, FreiburgMPI for Infection Biology, BerlinMPI for Intellectual Property, MünchenMPI for Intellectual Property, MünchenMPI for Intellectual Property, MünchenMPI for Intellectual Property, MünchenMPI for Foreign Private and PrivateInternational Law, HamburgMPI for Foreign Private and PrivateInternational Law, HamburgMPI for Foreign and InternationalCriminal Law, FreiburgMPI for Comparative Public Law andInternational Law, HeidelbergMPI for European Legal History,Frankfurt/MainMPI of Limnology, PlönMPI for Mathematics in the Sciences,LeipzigMPI for Mathematics, BonnMPI for Mathematics, BonnMPI for Medical Research, HeidelbergTitle | Author(s)The adapter protein SLP65 functions as tumour suppressorof childhood leukaemiaAuthors: Reth, Michael; Jumaa, HassanNovel helper molecules and pathways of antigen presentationin tuberculosisAuthors Schaible, Ulrich; Winau, FlorianInternational and foreign competition lawAuthors: Drexl, Josef; Mackenrodt, Mark-OliverLinkage between commercial and tax accounting underGerman and European lawAuthor: Schön, WolfgangUnfair competition law at a crossroadsAuthors: Hilty, Reto M.; Henning-Bodewig, FraukeRecent patent law development in EuropeAuthors: Straus, Joseph; Schneider, MichaelJurists uprooted: German-speaking emigré lawyers intwentieth century BritainAuthor: Zimmermann, ReinhardProspectus and information liability in the EC, Switzerlandand the United StatesAuthors: Hopt, Klaus J.; Voigt, Hans-ChristophCriminal law comparison as the driving force in criminallaw developmentAuthors: Sieber, Ulrich; Kreicker, HelmutEuropean identity and the European constitutionAuthor: von Bogdandy, ArminThe alphabet of lawAuthor: Kiesow, Rainer MariaReputation both pays off and solves social dilemmasAuthor: Milinski, ManfredWavelets in Quantum ChemistryAuthors: Flad, Heinz-Jürgen; Hackbusch, WolfgangNoncommutative geometry and number theoryAuthor: Marcolli, MatildeMaps between spheresAuthors: Baues, Hans-Joachim; Jibladze, MamukaHigh-Resolution Microscopy in the BrainAuthors: Denk, Winfried; Euler, Thomas; Friedrich, Rainer59

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004InstituteMPI for Experimental Medicine,GöttingenMPI for Metals Research,StuttgartMPI for Metals Research,StuttgartMPI for Meteorology,HamburgMPI for Terrestrial Microbiology,MarburgMPI for Marine Microbiology, BremenMPI of Microstructure Physics,Halle (Saale)MPI of Neurobiology, MartinsriedMPI of Neurobiology, MartinsriedMPI for Neurological Research, KölnMPI for Human Cognitive and BrainSciences, LeipzigMPI for Ornithology, StarnbergMPI for Chemical Physics of Solids,DresdenTitle | Author(s)The venoms of cone snails – learning from 50 million yearsof neuropharmacologyAuthor: Terlau, HeinrichMicro-/nanomechanics of biological materials and systemsAuthors: Arzt, Eduard; Gorb, Stanislav; Huber, Gerrit; Niederegger,Senta; Pfaff, Holger; Spolenak, Ralph; Vötsch, WalterStructure and Chemical Composition of Internal Interfacesin Different MaterialsAuthor: Rühle, ManfredThe simulation of glacial cycles with a complex Earthsystem modelAuthors: Mikolajewicz, Uwe; Gröger, Matthias; Marotzke,Jochem; Schurgers, Guillaume; Vizcaíno, MirenMicrobial Ecology of Termite GutsAuthor: Brune, AndreasExploring the diversity of marine microbial processes andenvironmentsAuthor: Jørgensen, Bo BarkerSemiconductor NanowiresAuthors: Kolb, Florian M.; Breitenstein, Otwin; Erfurth,Wilfried; Hofmeister, Herbert; Schmidt, Volker; Scholz,Roland; Schubert, Luise; Senz, Stephan; Werner, Peter;Zacharias, Margit; Zakharov, Nikolai; Gösele, UlrichCellular principles of learning and memoryAuthor: Korte, MartinEndocytosis - an important mechanism for path finding ofcells during development of the nervous systemAuthor: Rüdiger KleinEarly diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Diseases to PreventDementiaAuthors: Herholz, Karl; Heiss, Wolf-DieterMusic, Language and Meaning: Brain Signatures ofSemantic ProcessingAuthor: Koelsch, StefanCompeting females and caring males – Sex-role reversalin the African black coucalAuthor: Goymann, WolfgangQuantumphenomena and SuperconductivityAuthors: Sparn, Günter; Gegenwart Philipp; Sichelschmidt,Jörg; Coleman, Piers; Custers Jeroen; Deppe, Micha;Ferstl Julia; Geibel, Christoph; Grosche, Friedrich Malte;Neumaier, Karl; Pépin, Catherine; Steglich, Frank; Tokiwa,Yoshifumi; Trovarelli, OCtavio; Voevodin ...60

F ROM THE S ECTIONSInstituteMPI for Nuclear Physics,HeidelbergMPI for Nuclear Physics,HeidelbergMPI for Extraterrestrial Physics,GarchingMPI for Extraterrestrial Physics,GarchingMPI for Extraterrestrial Physics,GarchingMPI for Extraterrestrial Physics,GarchingMPI of Physics, MünchenMPI for the Physics of ComplexSystems, DresdenMPI for Behavioral Physiology,Starnberg-SeewiesenMPI of Molecular Physiology,DortmundMPI of Molecular Physiology,DortmundMPI of Molecular Plant Physiology,PotsdamMPI for Plant Breeding Research, KölnMPI for Plant Breeding Research, KölnTitle | Author(s)Solving the Solar Neutrino Problem: The Achievement ofthe GALLEX-GNO ExperimentAuthor: Hampel, WolfgangFirst Evidence for Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay ofAtomic Nuclei, and Physics Beyond the Standard Model ofParticle PhysicsAuthor: Klapdor-Kleingrothaus, Hans VolkerFirst Results of the Gamma-Ray Mission INTEGRALAuthor: Schönfelder, VolkerComplex Plasmas as Model Systems for Kinetic InvestigationsAuthors: Ivlev, A.V.; Khrapak, S.A.; Fink, M.A.; Morfill, G.E.Giant X-Ray Flash: A massive Black Hole disrupts a StarAuthor: Komossa, StefanieAnalysis of bone structure for an improved diagnosis ofosteoporosisAuthors: Räth, Christoph; Bunk, Wolfram; Monetti, Roberto;Morfill, Gregor; Böhm, Holger; Müller, Dirk; Rummeny,Ernst; Majumdar, Sharmila; Newitt, David; Link, ThomasElectroweak Symmetry Breaking and Precision TestsAuthors: Hollik, Wolfgang; Dittmaier, Stefan; Hahn, ThomasPropagation of Laser PulsesAuthor: Becker, AndreasBird song tradition and human languageAuthor: Salwiczek, Lucie H.New Methods for the Combinatorial Solid Phase Synthesisof Compound LibrariesAuthors: Breinbauer, Rolf; Gonthier, Elisabeth; Nad,Sukanya; Köhn, Maja; Niemeyer, Christof; Peters, Carsten;Waldmann, HerbertStructural and mechanistic aspects of intracellularvesicular transport regulationAuthors: Alexandrov, Kirill; Durek, Thomas; Goody, RogerS.; Niculae, Anca; Pylypenko, Olena; Rak, Alexey;Schlichting, Ilme; Reents, Reinhard (Abt. 4); Waldmann,Herbert (Abt. 4); Watzke, Anja (Abt. 4)Bioinformatics methods for the combined analysis oftranscriptome, proteome, and metabolome dataAuthor: Selbig, JoachimMolecular diagnosis of complex traits in crop plantsAuthor: Gebhardt, ChristianeFlowering and Fertility: beyond the MADS-box genesAuthor: Huijser, Peter61

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004InstituteMPI of Plasma Physics, GarchingMPI of Plasma Physics, GarchingMPI of Plasma Physics, GarchingMPI for Polymer Research, MainzMPI for Polymer Research, MainzMPI of Psychiatry, MünchenMPI for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen,NetherlandsMPI for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen,NetherlandsMPI of Quantum Optics, GarchingMPI of Quantum Optics, GarchingMPI for Radio Astronomy, BonnMPI for Radio Astronomy, BonnMPI Social Law, MünchenMPI Social Law, MünchenMPI for the Study of Societies, KölnTitle | Author(s)Data analysis via Bayesian probability theoryAuthor: Dose, VolkerTungsten as plasma facing material in the ASDEX UpgradetokamakAuthor: Neu, RudolfFirst Components for Wendelstein 7-XAuthor: Wanner, ManfredImages of GasesAuthors: Blümler, Peter; Spiess, Hans-WolfgangPolymer Theory: From Specific Properties near a MetalInterface to ChromatinAuthor: Kremer, KurtProtein marker for psychiatric and neurological diseasesAuthor: Turck, Christoph W.The Production of Single- and Multiple-Word-UtterancesAuthors: Roelofs, Ardi; Schiller, NielsPutting Things in Places: Developmental Consequences ofLingusitic TheoryAuthors: Narasimhan, Bhuvana; Bowerman, Melissa;Brown, Penny; Eisenbeiss, Sonja; Slobin, DanFrom experiments with single atoms to sources of quantumlightAuthor: Walther, HerbertAttosecond physics: motion inside atomsAuthors: Drescher, Markus; Goulielmakis, Eleftherios; Uiberacker,Matthias; Krausz, FerencThe search for biomolecules in the interstellar mediumAuthor: Menten, KarlHigh resolution studies of active galactic nucleiAuthors: Hüge, Tim; Kadler, Matthias; Ros, Eduardo;Witzel, Arno; Zensus, AntonIntegrative schooling of children with disabilitiesAuthor: Graser, UlrichCore labour standards in development cooperation agreementsAuthor: Becker, UlrichThe role of federalism in Germany todayAuthor: Manow, Philip62

F ROM THE S ECTIONSInstituteMPI for Solar System Research,Katlenburg-LindauMPI for Solid State Research,StuttgartMPI for Solid State Research, StuttgartTitle | Author(s)SMART-1 – Europe’s Mission to the MoonAuthor: Mall, UrsIon Transport and electrical storage in small systems(“Nano-ionics”)Authors: Balaya, Palani; Bhattacharyya, Aninda; Fleig,Jürgen; Kim, Sangtae; De Souza, Roger; Sata, Noriko;Maier, JoachimStrained semiconductor nanostructuresAuthors: Heidemeyer, Henry; Kiravittaya, Suwit; Deneke,Christoph; Jin-Phillipp, Neng Yun; Stoffel, Mathieu; Schmidt,Oliver G.Activity reports of other facilities in 2004InstituteArchives for the History of the MaxPlanck Society, Berlin-DahlemGerman Climate Computing Centre,HamburgGesellschaft für wissenschaftlicheDatenverarbeitung mbH Göttingen,GöttingenGesellschaft für wissenschaftlicheDatenverarbeitung mbH Göttingen,GöttingenGarching Innovation GmbH – Technologiesfrom the Max Planck Society,MünchenPresidential Commission "History ofthe Kaiser Wilhelm Society in theNational Socialist Era", BerlinTitle | Author(s)Adolf Butenandt and his SchoolAuthor: Kinas, SvenModelling the Earth System using High PerformanceComputers – Climate ProjectionsAuthor: Böttinger, MichaelGWDG’s grid projectsAuthors: Haan, Oswald; Boehme, ChristianDigital Long-Term PreservationAuthor: Ullrich, DagmarNew technologies for the markets of tomorrowAuthors: Kaiser, Evelin; Giegold, AstridBiochemistry during Wartime. Adolf Butenandt and hisinstitute 1939 – 1945Author: Achim Trunk63

Frozen cross-section of the rectum of a wood-eatingtermite, the wall of which is covered with a biofilm ofbacteria (fluorescent red). The nuclei of the epithelialcells and the protozoa in the rectum are shown in blue.The common features of insects and microorganisms are often connected with their diet ofnutrient-poor or hard-to-digest food. There are many indications that symbionts providemetabolic processes that are not available to the host. In the termite gut, for example, theyare involved in the degradation of cellulose and play a vital role in the subsequent digestionprocess and in maintaining nitrogen levels. The microbially catalyzed processes in the termitegut form the basis for biogeochemical cycles in tropical ecosystems, which makesthem particularly interesting for the scientists at the Max Planck Institute for TerrestrialMicrobiology.http://www.mpg.de/forschungsgebiete/BM/MOE/taetigkeitsberichte/index.html

C ENTRAL M ATTERSFinancesGermany’s federal government and its constituentstates each provide half of the fundingfor the Max Planck Society's budget(Budget A). The financial contributions providedby the states are determined by a distributionformula, which is re-calculatedeach year, and by the “home state formula”,which has been maintained at 50 percentsince 2000. Furthermore, all partners mayagree to provide extra funding in addition tothe specified levels, provided all contractualparties agree to this. The exception to thissystem is the Max Planck Institute for PlasmaPhysics, which is funded by the Germangovernment and the home states of Bavariaand Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in aratio of 90:10 (Budget B). This institute alsoreceives subsidies from EURATOM for a jointresearch program as part of associationagreements.In addition to the subsidies for institutionalsupport from the German federal governmentand its states, the Max Planck Societyand its institutes receive project fundingfrom the ministries of the federal and stategovernments, and from the EuropeanUnion, private contributions, membershipdues, donations, and remuneration for servicesrendered.Component budgetsComposition of the total budgetRevenueExpenditureBudget A(Budgets of all MPIs, including thelegally independent MPIs for IronResearch and Coal Research – excludingthe budget of the MPI for PlasmaPhysics)Own incomeJoint funding fromthe federal and stategovernmentsPersonnelcostsTotal operatingcostsSpecial funding fromthe federal and stategovernmentsProject funding fromthe federal and stategovernments, otherpublic subsidies,non-public subsidies,and subsidies fromMPI sourcesOtheroperatingcostsSubsidiesBudget B(Max Planck Institute forPlasma Physics)Funding from thefederal governmentand home states, subsidiesfrom EURATOM,project funding, ownincomeConstructioninvestmentsOtherinvestmentsInvestments65

A NNUAL R EPORT 20042005 BudgetTotal budgetThe total budget of the Max Planck Society covers Budget A – the budgets of theinstitutes including the legally independent MPIs for Iron Research GmbH andfor Coal Research (independent foundation) – and Budget B – the budget of theMax Planck Institute for Plasma Physics.Total budget 2005RevenueOwn incomeInstitutional funding from the federaland state governmentsProject fundingOther fundingExpenditurePersonnel costsOther operating costsAllocationsTotal operating expenditureConstruction expenditureOther investmentsTotal investment expenditureProject fundingSpecial fundingBudget A Budget (MPI for Total Budget€1000 Plasma Physics) €1000 €10001,207,202 124,457 1,331,65948,855 17,800 66,655992,090 106,096 1,098,186163,435 ,561 163,9962,822 , 0 2,8221,207,202 124,457 1,331,659,504,278 55,780 560,058,265,574 29,283 294,85791,339 4,472 95,811861,191 89,535 950,72680,708 1,945 82,65399,046 32,416 131,462179,754 34,361 214,115163,435 ,561 163,9962,822 , 0 2,822Fields of researchBiology436PhysicsChemistry111352Astronomy, Astrophysics101History, Social Sciences99MedicineJurisprudenceAtmospheric sciences and geoscienceMathematics, Computer Science,Engineering67595347Economics7Expenditure in 2005 according tofields of research (in €m)0 10020030040050066

C ENTRAL M ATTERS42,06 %7,19 %6,21 %9,87%22,14 %12,32%Personnel costsOther operating costsProject fundingOther investmentsConstruction workSubsidiesBudget A0,21 %Special fundingIn its session of 19 November 2004, theSenate of the Max Planck Society approvedthe 2005 budget on the basis of the resolutionpassed by the Bund-Länder Commissionfor Educational Planning and ResearchPromotion on 5 July 2004, whereby theMax Planck Society was granted a 3%increase in funding by the federal and stategovernments.Institutional funding (proportionatefinancing) by the federaland state governments amountsto P992.09m. The Max PlanckSociety’s need for additional susidies thusincreases by P28.9m over 2004.The employment plan contains a total of8,217.0 jobs and employment opportunities.In view of expected subsidies, projectfunding amounts to P163.4m.Budget ABudget AProportionate fundingSubsidies for operating expenditureSubsidies for investmentSpecial fundingProject funding2004 budget 2005 budget Changesin €1000 in %963,194 992,090 3.00786,202 822,006 4.55176,992 170,084 -3.903,265 2,822 -13.57173,104 163,435 -5.59Budget BMax Planck Institute for Plasma PhysicsSince 1997, the budget of the Max PlanckInstitute for Plasma Physics has covered thetwo sub-institutes in Garching and Greifswald.The long-term funding and staffingsituation at all institute sites has beensecured as a result of an administrationagreement ratified by the German federalgovernment, the Free State ofBavaria and the state of Mecklenburg-WesternPomeraniaon 24 May 1996.The 2005 budget envisages expenditure ofaround P124.5m. This amounts to adecrease of around P6m or approximately4.6% compared to the previous year.Budget B

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004StaffOverall developmentThe Max Planck Society had a total of12,153 employees on 1 January 2005 (previousyear: 12,261), of which 4,113 werescientists (previous year: 4,206), or 33.8%of the total number of employees. Furthermore,10,421 student assistants, fellows ofthe International Max Planck ResearchSchools, Ph.D. students, postdoctoral students,research fellows, and visiting scientistsworked for the Max Planck Society in2004 (previous year: 9,598). 10,740employees (including 2,987 scientists)were paid from institutional funds, while1,413 (including 1,126 scientists) werepaid from project funds.The proportion of women amounted to43.0% (previous year: 43.3%), or 22.3% ofscientific employees (previous year:23.3%), 59.7% of non-scientific employees(previous year: 59.5%) and 35.2% of wageearners (previous year: 35.5%).Employees of the Max Planck Society on 1 January 2005Directors and Scientific MembersSenior research scientistsHeads of IndependentJunior Research GroupsAcademic staffTotal number of scientists 1)Technical staffAdministrative staffHealth care staffOther servicesTotal number of non-scientific staffWage earnersTotal (scientists + non-scient. staff +wage earners)TraineesInternsTotal number of employeesTotal Percentage of Institutional Projectwomen (in %) funding funding269 4,5 269 –158 21.5 156 234 17.6 33 13,652 23.7 2,529 1,1234,113 22.3 2,987 1,1263,405 44.8 3,177 2281,556 73.7 1,531 25123 72.4 122 1924 89.4 908 166,008 59.7 5,738 2701,483 35.2 1,470 1311,604 43.3 10,195 1,409526 35.2 526 –23 34.8 19 412,153 43.0 10,740 1,41368

C ENTRAL M ATTERSMPS employees from 1996 to 2005 1)The average age of the employees of theMax Planck Society as per the deadline was41.6 years (previous year: 41.4 years). Theaverage age of scientists was 41.1 years(previous year: 41.0 years). The proportionof part-time workers was 24.7% (previousyear: 24.3%), of which 67.4% were women(previous year: 69.2%). The proportion ofemployees with a limited contract paid frominstitutional funds (not including traineesand interns) was 28.5% as per the deadline(previous year: 27.7%). 50.7% of scientistspaid from institutional funds were on limitedcontracts (previous year: 48.5%). As inthe previous year, 13% of the total numberof employees were from abroad. Among scientiststhe percentage of foreign workerswas 26.4% (previous year: 25.8%). 51.9% ofjunior and visiting scientists came fromabroad (previous year: 48.8%).1) Until the end of 2003, part-timeemployees were listed as a separategroup; from 2004 they will be includedin the relevant staff categories.Trainee positionsWithin the Max Planck Society, 67 institutionscurrently offer trainee positions in 37different fields. At the beginning of the2004/05 training year, 547 young peoplewere in the process of completing a professionalcourse of training (previous year:511). Women account for 38.6% of alltrainees (previous year: 34.8%). A total of170 new trainee positions are planned so farfor 2005 (previous year: 150).Employment of severely disabled personsIn 2004 the Max Planck Society employed atotal of 537 (previous year: 563) severely disabledpersons, amounting to 4.26% of totalpersonnel (previous year: 4.65%).Scientific employeesNon-scientific employeesWage earnersPart-time staff and traineesTrainees and interns 1)10641439562710351378559811281354567412571353577412961307538514641318532015661313550416281341557150614476102549148360081200090006000290627242880313730583116322935094206411330001996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 20022003 2004 2005069

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004Investment | BuildingsMajor construction projects completed in 2004InstituteMPI for Biochemistry, MartinsriedMPI for Plant Breeding Research, CologneMPI for Experimental Medicine, GöttingenConstruction projectcosts in € 1000 (without fittings)Reconstruction and renovation work, Building C 3,300Reconstruction and renovation work, Pavilions F and G 3,900Reconstruction and renovation work, Blocks B and E 7,533MPI for Biochemistry, MartinsriedMPI for Biological Cybernetics, TübingenMPI for Dynamics and Self-Organization, GöttingenMPI for Neurobiology, MartinsriedMPI for Biophysical Chemistry, GöttingenMPI for Molecular Biomedicine, MünsterMPI for the Physics of Complex Systems, DresdenNew construction and extension work begun in 2004Institute Construction project Estimated total construction costsin € 1000 (without furnishings/fittings)Reconstruction and renovation work, Building E 3,200Construction of New MR Center 22,000New institute building, Phase 1 9,000Reconstruction and renovation work, Building P, second floor 1,900Reconstruction of Tower II, 2nd and 3rd floor 4,200New institute building 41,800Extension building 2,885Expenditure from the 2003 construction budgetBuilding maintenance*)Minor construction projects *)Major construction projectsConstruction funds approved in trust(Budgets A + B) 16,655,571 €(Budgets A + B) 30,416,951 €(Budgets A + B) 51,768,206 €5,657,165 €Expenditure from the construction budget compared to previous years2002 2003 2004Building maintenance *)Minor construction projects *)Major construction projectsConstruction funds approved in trust16,396,900 € 15,576,001 € 16,655,571 €21,108,441 € 17,490,401 € 30,416,951 €93,699,589 € 65,890,892 € 51,768,206 €364,931 € 1,132,769 € 5,657,165 €*) Figures for the MPI for IronResearch were not available atthe time of going to press.70

C ENTRAL M ATTERSSupporting MembersThe organizational form of the Max Planck Society as a registered association under privatelaw is of great importance for its statutory duty, as its organizational structure has a majorinfluence on its scientific autonomy. Thus its involvement in all areas of society and the supportprovided by Supporting Members are essential for the Max Planck Society. The sumsdonated by Supporting Members allow the Society to react quickly and flexibly to unexpecteddevelopments, thus maintaining the high level of competitiveness of basic researchin Germany.There were a total of 817 Supporting Membersin the Max Planck Society at the end of2004 (previous year: 843), including 336Corporate Supporting Members (previousyear: 351) and 481 Private SupportingMembers (previous year: 492). A total of 24new members (3 companies and 21 privatemembers) were acquired in 2004.New Corporate Supporting MembersEURASIA GmbH, GießenInfineon Technologies AG, MunichSchill + Seilacher Aktiengesellschaft, BöblingenRepresentative of the Member:Peter CorneliusDr. Wolfgang ZiebartIngeborg GrossNew Private Supporting MembersTatjana AndererDr. Dirk BastingDr. Beate BrandDr. Bernhard CeveyProf. Dr. Konrad DilgerJohannes FeldmayerDipl.-Ing. Thomas GanswindtMaria HarrerDr. Klaus KleinfeldDr. Gisbert KleyMunichFort Lauderdale,FL/USASankt AugustinTübingenHamburgMunichMunichWolnzachMunichLippstadtDr. Jürgen KölkerPeter Wilhelm KuferMarc LaudienDr. Ulrich MarschDr. Horst MückeHeinz-Joachim NeubürgerAndreas Petters, MdLDipl.-Kfm. Jürgen RadomskiDr. H.-R. SalamonDr. Luc St-OngeProf. Dr. Erwin F. WagnerEssenMunichBerlinMunichBad NauheimMunichHagenowMunichEssenNeuriedVienna/Austria71

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004As at: 31 December 2004Subsidiaries, Equity Interests, andOther InstitutionsSubsidiariesGarching Innovation GmbH,MunichThe company administers thepatents of the Max Planck Society. It concludeslicense and option agreements onMPI inventions and advises the Max PlanckSociety on scientific cooperation agreements.It offers all members of the MPSadvice and assistance in founding companiesbased on technologies developed in theinstitutes. It independently negotiates equityinterests of the Max Planck Society inthese companies and conducts ongoingequity management as a trustee of the MaxPlanck Society. CEO: Dr. Bernhard Hertel.MINERVA Foundation – Gesellschaft für dieForschung mbH, MunichThe objective of the company is to supportscientific research by maintaining a widerange of research institutions and facilities,to assist research projects – especially inIsrael – and to utilize the results ofresearch. CEOs: Prof. Rüdiger Wolfrum(Vice President of the Max Planck Societyand Director at the MPI for Foreign PublicLaw and International Law) and Dr.Berthold Neizert (head of the InternationalRelations Section at the AdministrativeHeadquarters of the MPS).Equity InterestsIn addition to its subsidiaries, the MaxPlanck Society also holds various equityinterests in other companies and majorinternational projects in order to make thebest possible use of synergy effects in its scientificendeavors.Berliner Elektronenspeicherring-Gesellschaftfür SynchrotronstrahlungmbH (BESSY), BerlinThe partners in this company are the MaxPlanck Society, the Fraunhofer Society,Munich, Hahn-Meitner-Institut BerlinGmbH, the German Synchrotron ResearchCenter (DESY), Hamburg, ForschungszentrumJülich GmbH, and ForschungszentrumKarlsruhe GmbH. The corporate objective isto establish, operate, and develop a storagering as a synchrotron radiation source for thepurposes of basic and applied research. In acooperation agreement, BESSY and the MaxPlanck Society have undertaken to provide aservice contingent subject to remunerationuntil the end of 2007.The main users within the MPS are the FritzHaber Institute in Berlin, the Max PlanckInstitute for Microstructure Physics inHalle, and the Max Planck Institutes forMetals Research and for Solid StateResearch in Stuttgart.72

C ENTRAL M ATTERSCentro Astronómico Hispano Alemán,Agrupación de Interés Económico (CAHA,A.I.E.), Almería/SpainThe Centro Astronómico Hispano Alemán isjointly financed by the Max Planck Societyand the Consejo Superior de InvestigacionesCientíficas (CSIC), with each institutionproviding half the funding. The companyoperates the Calar Alto Observatory. Itsdirector is Dr. Roland Gredel. The partnerwithin the Max Planck Society is the MaxPlanck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg.German Climate Computing Center,HamburgThe partners are the Max PlanckSociety, the Free and Hanseatic City ofHamburg (represented by the University ofHamburg), GKSS ForschungszentrumGeesthacht GmbH, and the Alfred WegenerInstitute for Polar and Marine Research,Bremerhaven. As a national service institution,the DKRZ provides computer time andtechnical support for conducting simulationsusing elaborate numerical models forclimate research and related disciplines.Since spring 2003, users at the DKRZ havebeen able to use a new ultra-high-performancecomputer system (HLRE), which is100 times faster than the previous computersystem and is at the leading edge of theworld's high-performance computers. Themain users within the MPS are the MPI forMeteorology in Hamburg, the MPI forChemistry in Mainz, and the MPI for Biogeochemistryin Jena.German ResourceCenter for GenomeResearch, BerlinThe partners are the Max Planck Society,the German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg,and the Max Delbrück Center forMolecular Medicine, Berlin. The aim of thecompany, which was spun off from the GermanHuman Genome Project, is to providereference material in its capacity as a centralinfrastructure institution, and to establish,update, and provide access to genome analysisdata in its primary database, which canbe used by scientists both in Germany andabroad. As a national service facility, theRZPD also develops new tools and applicationsfor scientific questions in genomeresearch to encourage progress in the workof research groups.European Incoherent Scatter ScientificAssociation (EISCAT), Kiruna, SwedenThe EISCAT (European Incoherent ScatterFacility) is operated and financed jointly bynational research councils, academies andscientific societies in the Federal Republicof Germany (Max Planck Society), Finland(Suomen Akatemia), France (Centre Nationalde la Recherche Scientifique), the UK(Particle Physics and Astronomy ResearchCouncil), Norway (Norges Forskningsrad),and Sweden (Naturvetenskapliga Forskningsradet).Its purpose is to conductresearch on the ionosphere. Japan’s NationalInstitute of Polar Research has also beeninvolved in EISCAT since April 1996. Theprivate-law funding body for the researchproject – a foundation according to Swedishlaw – is based in Sweden. EISCAT has atransmission and reception station in Tromsöand has operated a further station on73

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004Svalbard since 1996, and has reception stationsnear Kiruna and Sodankylä. The partnerin the Max Planck Society is the MPI forSolar System Research in Katlenburg-Lindau.The Max Planck Society has since givennotice to cancel its involvement and willno longer be participating as a shareholderin EISCAT as of 31.12.2006.Large Binocular Telescope-Corporation(LBTC), Tucson, Arizona/USAThe LBTC is building the northern hemisphere’slargest astronomical telescope onMount Graham, which it is also to operateupon its completion. It will allowresearchers to observe both the birth ofplanetary systems as well as the most remotequasars and galaxies. The investment costsfor the project are estimated to total aroundUS$120m. Alongside American and Italianparticipants, the German partners – thePotsdam Astrophysical Institute, the HeidelbergState Observatory, and the Max PlanckSociety, on behalf of the MPIs for Astronomy,for Extraterrestrial Physics and for RadioAstronomy – are represented within theLBTC in the form of a joint non-tradingpartnership under the name of “LBT-Beteiligungsgesellschaft”(LBTB) with an equityinterest of 25%. The Max Planck Societywill have be able to use 80% of the observationtime allotted to Germany.Institut de Radio Astronomie Millimétrique(IRAM), Grenoble/FranceThe Institute for Radio Astronomy at MillimeterWavelengths is operated jointly bythe Max Planck Society, the French CentreNational de la Recherche Scientifique, andthe Spanish Instituto Geographico Nacional.It consists of a central laboratory in Grenoblewith observation stations on the Lomade Dilar (30-meter telescope) in Spain andon the Plateau de Bure (interferometer withsix 15-meter telescopes) in France, andallows scientists to conduct observations ofInauguration of the Large Binocular TelescopeOn 16 October 2004, the world’s biggest individual telescope waspresented to the public. The Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) wasbuilt over eight years on Mount Graham (3180 meters), which is anideal setting for astronomers: there are no city lights or water vaporand dust in the atmosphere to hamper astronomical observations.The observatory was planned and built at a cost of 120 million dollarsby an international consortium headed by the USA. Germany’scontribution to constructing the LBT – coordinated by the MaxPlanck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg – consisted of providingthe cutting-edge technology that forms the basis of the telescope’snew measurement equipment. This has allowed Germanresearchers to obtain one quarter of the total observation time. Theunique facility has two gigantic concave mirrors installed on a jointplatform, each of which is 8.4 meters in diameter, which can be simultaneously directed at distant objectsin space. This principle is similar to using binoculars, hence the name Large Binocular Telescope. Togetherthe mirror area amounts to 110 square meters, giving it the performance of a single 12-meter mirror andthe image definition of a single 23-meter mirror. The LBT could detect the light of a burning candle up to2.5 million kilometers away.74

C ENTRAL M ATTERScosmic radio signals at wavelengths of lessthan a millimeter. The partner within theMPS is the MPI for Radio Astronomy inBonn.Gesellschaft für wissenschaftliche DatenverarbeitungmbH GöttingenThe Max Planck Society and the state ofLower Saxony each provide half of the fundingfor this company. The company’s objectiveis to serve the sciences by solving problemsusing computer systems. In view of thisaim, it conducts scientific research in thefield of information technology and supportsthe training of computer systems specialists.The range of facilities it provides for theMPS has shifted away from simply providinghardware to creating and maintaining networksand other services. CEO: Dr. BernhardNeumair.Submillimeter Telescope Observatory (SMTO)The observatory is operated jointly with theUniversity of Arizona. The partner in theMax Planck Society is the Max Planck Institutefor Radio Astronomy in Bonn.Fachinformationszentrum Karlsruhe, Gesellschaftfür wissenschaftlich-technische InformationGmbH, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (FIZ)The company’s task is to provide scientificand information technology services in thefields of astronomy and astrophysics, energy,nuclear research and nuclear engineering,aeronautics and astronautics, space research,mathematics, information technology, andphysics, as well as to carry out all the activitiesthis task entails. The partners are theMax Planck Society, the Fraunhofer Society,the German Physics Society (DPG), theAssociation of German Engineers (VDI), theGerman Informatics Society (GI), the GermanAssociation of Mathematicians, theGerman federal government, the Free Stateof Bavaria, the Free and Hanseatic City ofBremen, the Free and Hanseatic City ofBremen, the states of Berlin, Baden-Württemberg,Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony-Anhalt, Saarland, Schleswig-Holstein, theFree State of Saxony, and the Free State ofThuringia.wissenschaftim dialogWissenschaft im Dialog gGmbH, Berlin (WID)The purpose of the company is to promotedialog between science and society, givingparticular consideration to current publicforms of communication; to promote mutualunderstanding between science, researchand the public; to provide information onthe methods and processes of scientificresearch; and to highlight the interactionand interdependencies between science,business and society. The partners are theMax Planck Society, the “Otto von Guericke”Federation of German Industrial CooperativeResearch Associations, ForschungszentrumJülich GmbH, the Foundation forthe Support of the Association of Universitiesand Other Higher Education Institutionsin Germany, the German Associationof Technical and Scientific Associations, theSociety of German Natural Scientists andDoctors, the Leibniz Association, theDonors’Association for the Promotion of theSciences and the Humanities, the GermanResearch Council (DFG), and the FraunhoferSociety.Other institutionsArchive for the History ofthe Max Planck Society,BerlinHarnack House ConferenceCenter, BerlinMax Planck House ConferenceCenter, HeidelbergMax Planck House ConferenceCenter and GuestHouse, TübingenRingberg Castle ConferenceCenter, Rottach-Egern75

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004Presidentrepresents the Society and drafts the foundations of its science policies; ensures trust and cooperationwithin the Society; is Chairperson of the Executive Committee, Senate, and General Meeting; is supportedby four Vice-PresidentsExecutive Committee(consisting of the President, the four Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer and two other Senators) advises thePresident and prepares important Society decisions; drafts the total budget, the annual report, and theannual financial statement; supervises the Administrative Headquarters on behalf of the President; formsthe Management Board in the spirit of the law with the Secretary GeneralSecretary Generalsupports the Presidentand manages the Administrative HeadquartersAdministrative Headquarterselectsruns the Society's ongoing business;supports the Society's bodies and institutesSenate(up to 32 Senators and 15 Official Senators appointed by the General Meeting)appoints the President and the other members of the Executive Committee, and decides on the appointmentof the Secretary General; decides on the foundation and closure of institutes, the appointment ofScientific Members and the statutes of institutes; decides on equity interests in other institutions, theacceptance of Supporting Members and honors awarded by the Society; approves the total budget andthe annual report statement and passes the annual financial statementelectsGeneral Meeting(consisting of members of the Society)elects the members of the Senate; decides on changes tothe Statutes of the Society; accepts the annual report;reviews and approves the annual financial statement, andratifies the actions of the Management BoardSupporting Honorary Ex officioScientificMembers Members Members MembersScientific Council(consisting of the Scientific Membersand one staff member fromeach institute)Biology &MedicineSectionChemistry,Physics &TechnologySectionHumanSciencesSectiondebates inter-institutional matters;advises the Senate on the foundingand closure of institutes, andappointmentsmanageBoards of Trusteessupport contactsbetween theinstitutes and thepublicScientificAdvisory Boardsconsult on andevaluate scientificissuesMax Planck Institutesconduct scientific research freely and autonomously76

C ENTRAL M ATTERSStaff of the Governing BodiesPresidentPeter Gruss, Prof. Dr., Munich, ScientificMember of the Max Planck Institute forBiophysical Chemistry (Karl Friedrich BonhoefferInstitute), GöttingenExecutive CommitteePresident – ChairpersonPeter Gruss, Prof. Dr., Munich, ScientificMember of the Max Planck Institute forBiophysical Chemistry (Karl Friedrich BonhoefferInstitute), GöttingenVice-PresidentsHerbert Jäckle, Prof. Dr., ScientificMember and Director at the Max PlanckInstitute for Biophysical Chemistry (KarlFriedrich Bonhoeffer Institute), GöttingenKurt Mehlhorn, Prof. Dr., ScientificMember and Director at the Max PlanckInstitute for Computer Science,SaarbrückenGünter Stock, Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c.,Member of the Board of Schering AG,BerlinRüdiger Wolfrum, Prof. Dr., ScientificMember and Director at the Max PlanckInstitute for Comparative Public Law andInternational Law, HeidelbergTreasurerHans-Jürgen Schinzler, Dr., Chairpersonof the Board of the Münchener Rückversicherungs-Gesellschaft,MunichOther membersStefan Marcinowski, Dr., Member of theBoard of BASF AG, LudwigshafenJoachim Milberg, Prof. Dr.-Ing., Chairpersonof the Supervisory Board of BMW AG,MunichManagement BoardThe Executive Committee together withthe Secretary General, Dr. Barbara Bludau,Munich, form the Management Board inthe spirit of the law.SenateChairpersonPeter Gruss, Prof. Dr., Munich, ScientificMember of the Max Planck Institute forBiophysical Chemistry (Karl FriedrichBonhoeffer Institute), GöttingenElected SenatorsKurt Biedenkopf, Prof. Dr., former PrimeMinster of the Free State of Saxony,DresdenSir Richard John Brook, Prof., Director ofthe Leverhulme Trust, London, UKAs at: March 2005Gerhard Cromme, Dr., Chairperson of theSupervisory Board of ThyssenKrupp AG,Düsseldorf77

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004Angela D. Friederici, Prof., Vice-Chairpersonof the Scientific Council of theMax Planck Society, Scientific Memberand Director at the Max Planck Institutefor Cognitive Neuroscience, LeipzigPeter H. Grassmann, Dr.-Ing., formerSpokesperson of the Board of the CarlZeiss company, HerrschingHerbert Jäckle, Prof. Dr., Vice-Presidentof the Max Planck Society, Scientific Member,and Director at the Max Planck Institutefor Biophysical Chemistry (KarlFriedrich Bonhoeffer Institute), GöttingenKlaus von Klitzing, Prof. Dr., ScientificMember and Director at the Max PlanckInstitute for Solid State Research, StuttgartOlaf Kübler, Prof. Dr., President of theSwiss Federal Institute of Technology,Zurich, SwitzerlandKarl Kardinal Lehmann, Prof. Dr. Dr.,Chairperson of the German Bishops’Conference, MainzJutta Limbach, Prof. Dr., President of theGoethe Institute, MunichErika Mann, Member of the EuropeanParliament, Brussels, BelgiumStefan Marcinowski, Dr., Member of theExecutive Committee of the Max PlanckSociety, Member of the Board of BASFAG, LudwigshafenKurt Mehlhorn, Prof. Dr., Vice-Presidentof the Max Planck Society, ScientificMember and Director at the Max PlanckInstitute for Computer Science,SaarbrückenHartmut Michel, Prof. Dr., ScientificMember and Director at the Max PlanckInstitute for Biophysics, Frankfurt/MainJoachim Milberg, Prof. Dr.-Ing., Memberof the Executive Committee of the MaxPlanck Society, Chairperson of the SupervisoryBoard of BMW AG, MunichChristiane Nüsslein-Volhard, Prof. Dr.,Scientific Member and Director at the MaxPlanck Institute for Developmental Biology,TübingenArend Oetker, Dr., President of theDonors' Association for the Promotion ofthe Sciences and the Humanities, Essen,and Managing Partner of Dr. Arend OetkerHolding GmbH & Co. KG, BerlinHeinrich v. Pierer, Dr., Chairperson of theBoard of Siemens AG, MunichFritz F. Pleitgen, Director of the WestdeutscherRundfunk, CologneWolfgang Schäuble, Dr., Member of theGerman Parliament, BerlinHans-Jürgen Schinzler, Dr., Treasurer ofthe Max Planck Society, and Member ofthe Board of the Münchener Rückversicherungs-Gesellschaft,MunichDagmar Schipanski, Prof.-Ing., Presidentof the State Parliament of Thuringia, ErfurtAlbrecht Schmidt, Dr. Dr. h. c.,Chairperson of the Supervisory Board ofthe Bayerische Hypo- und Vereinsbank AG,MunichHubertus Schmoldt, Chairperson of theMining, Chemistry and Energy IndustryTrade Union, Hanover78

C ENTRAL M ATTERSGünter Stock, Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c., Vice-President of the Max Planck Society, Memberof the Board of Schering AG, BerlinKlaus Tschira, Dr. h. c., Managing Partnerof the Klaus Tschira Foundation, HeidelbergGerhard Wegner, Prof. Dr., ScientificMember and Director at the Max PlanckInstitute for Polymer Research, MainzHans-Dietrich Winkhaus, Dr., Memberof the Shareholders’ Committee of HenkelKGaA, DüsseldorfRüdiger Wolfrum, Prof. Dr., Vice-Presidentof the Max Planck Society, ScientificMember and Director at the Max PlanckInstitute for Comparative Public Law andInternational Law, HeidelbergEberhart Zrenner, Prof. Dr., ManagingDirector of the University Eye Clinic,TübingenOfficial SenatorsBarbara Bludau, Dr., as Secretary Generalof the Max Planck Society, MunichEdelgard Bulmahn, German FederalMinister for Education and Research,Bonn, as a representative of the FederalGovernmentGerd Ehlers, State Secretary in theFederal Ministry of Finance, Berlin, as arepresentative of the Federal GovernmentKurt Faltlhauser, Prof., Bavarian StateMinister of Finances, Munich, as arepresentative of the federal statesThomas Goppel, Dr., Bavarian State Ministerfor Science, Research, and the Arts,Munich, as a representative of the federalstatesDirk Hartung, Dr., as Chairperson of theGeneral Works Council of the Max PlanckSociety, BerlinKlaus J. Hopt, Prof. Dr. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult.,Scientific Member and Director at theMax Planck Institute for Foreign and InternationalPrivate Law, as Chairperson ofthe Scientific Council of the Max PlanckSocietyGottfried Mieskes, Prof. Dr.,staff member of the Max Planck Institutefor Biophysical Chemistry (Karl FriedrichBonhoeffer Institute), Göttingen, as amember elected by the Biology & MedicineSection of the Scientific Council of theMax Planck SocietyMichael Panter, Dr., staff member of theMax Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics,Heidelberg, as a member elected by theChemistry, Physics & Technology Sectionof the Scientific Council of the Max PlanckSocietyRobert Schlögl, Prof., Scientific Memberand Director at the Fritz Haber Institute ofthe Max Planck Society, Berlin, as Chairpersonof the Chemistry, Physics & TechnologySection of the Scientific Council ofthe Max Planck SocietyWolfgang Streeck, Prof. Dr. h. c.,Scientific Member and Director at the MaxPlanck Institute for Social Research,Cologne, as Chairperson of the HumanSciences Section of the Scientific Councilof the Max Planck Society79

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004Lothar Willmitzer, Prof. Dr., ScientificMember and Director at the Max PlanckInstitute for Molecular Plant Physiology,Potsdam, as Chairperson of the Biology &Medicine Section of the Scientific Councilof the Max Planck SocietyE. Jürgen Zöllner, Prof. Dr., State Ministerfor Science, Training, Research and Cultureof Rhineland-Palatinate, as a representativeof the federal statesHonorary Members of the SenateReimar Lüst, Prof., Hamburg, President ofthe Max Planck Society from 1972 to1984, Emeritus Scientific Member of theMax Planck Institute for ExtraterrestrialPhysics, HamburgHeinz A. Staab, Prof. Dr. Dr., President ofthe Max Planck Society from 1984 to1990, Emeritus Scientific Member of theMax Planck Institute for Medical Research,HeidelbergHans F. Zacher, Prof. Dr., President of theMax Planck Society from 1990 to 1996,Emeritus Scientific Member of the MaxPlanck Institute for Foreign and InternationalSocial Law, MunichHonorary SenatorsHans Leussink, Prof. Dr.-Ing., former FederalMinister of Research, KarlsruheErnst-Joachim Mestmäcker, Prof. Dr.,Emeritus Scientific Member of the MaxPlanck Institute for Foreign and InternationalPrivate Law, HamburgHelmut Schmidt, Dr. h. c. mult., formerGerman Chancellor, HamburgGünther Wilke, Prof. Dr., Emeritus ScientificMember of the Max Planck Institutefor Coal Research (independent foundation),Mülheim/RuhrPermanent Guests of the SenateHans-Jörg Bullinger, Prof. Dr.-Ing., Presidentof the Fraunhofer Society, MunichKarl Max Einhäupl, Prof. Dr., Chairpersonof the Scientific Council, ColognePeter Frankenberg, Prof. Dr., Minister forScience, Research and the Arts of the Stateof Baden-Württemberg, StuttgartPeter Gaehtgens, Prof. Dr., President ofthe German Rectors’ Conference, BonnHans-Olaf Henkel, Prof. Dr.-Ing. e. h.,President of the Leibniz Association, BonnHannelore Kraft, Minister for Science andResearch of North Rhine-Westphalia,DüsseldorfWalter Kröll, Prof. Dr., President of theHelmholtz Association of German ResearchCenters, BonnFrieder Meyer-Krahmer, Prof. Dr., StateSecretary in the Federal Ministry for Educationand Research, BonnErnst-Ludwig Winnacker, Prof. Dr.,President of German Research Council(DFG), Bonn80

C ENTRAL M ATTERSSenate Committee for Research PlanningChairpersonPeter Gruss, Prof. Dr., President of theMax Planck Society, Munich, ScientificMember of the Max Planck Institute forBiophysical Chemistry (Karl Friedrich BonhoefferInstitute), GöttingenEx officio membersBarbara Bludau, Dr., Secretary General ofthe Max Planck Society, MunichKlaus J. Hopt, Prof. Dr. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult.,Chairperson of the Scientific Committee ofthe Max Planck Society, Scientific Memberand Director at the Max Planck Institutefor Foreign and International Private Law,HamburgHerbert Jäckle, Prof. Dr., Vice-Presidentof the Max Planck Society, Scientific Memberand Director at the Max Planck Institutefor Biophysical Chemistry (KarlFriedrich Bonhoeffer Institute), GöttingenKurt Mehlhorn, Prof. Dr., Vice-Presidentof the Max Planck Society, Scientific Memberand Director at the Max Planck Institutefor Computer Science, SaarbrückenGottfried Mieskes, Prof. Dr., staffmember of the Max Planck Institute forBiophysical Chemistry (Karl FriedrichBonhoeffer Institute), GöttingenMichael Panter, Dr., staff member of theMax Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics,HeidelbergRobert Schlögl, Prof. Dr., Chairperson ofthe Chemistry, Physics & Technology Sectionof the Scientific Council of the MaxPlanck Society, Scientific Member andDirector at the Fritz Haber Institute of theMax Planck Society, BerlinGünter Stock, Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c.,Vice-President of the Max Planck Society,Member of the Board of Schering AG,BerlinWolfgang Streeck, Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c.,Chairperson of the Human SciencesSection of the Scientific Council of theMax Planck Society, Scientific Memberand Director at the Max Planck Institutefor Social Research, CologneLothar Willmitzer, Prof. Dr., Chairpersonof the Biology & Medicine Section of theScientific Council of the Max Planck Society,Scientific Member and Director at theMax Planck Institute for Molecular PlantPhysiology, PotsdamRüdiger Wolfrum, Prof. Dr., Vice-Presidentof the Max Planck Society, ScientificMember and Director at the Max PlanckInstitute for Comparative Public Law andInternational Law, HeidelbergElected membersSir Richard John Brook, Prof., Director ofthe Leverhulme Trust, London, UKPeter H. Grassmann, Dr.-Ing., formerSpokesperson of the Board of the CarlZeiss company, HerrschingOlaf Kübler, Prof. Dr., President of theSwiss Federal Institute of Technology,Zurich, Switzerland81

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004General MeetingChairpersonPeter Gruss, Prof. Dr., President of theMax Planck Society, Munich, ScientificMember of the Max Planck Institute forBiophysical Chemistry (Karl Friedrich BonhoefferInstitute), GöttingenMembersSee list of members of the Max PlanckSocietyBIOLOGY & MEDICINE SECTIONChairpersonLothar Willmitzer, Prof. Dr., ScientificMember and Director at the Max PlanckInstitute for Molecular Plant Physiology,PotsdamDeputy ChairpersonFranz-Ulrich Hartl, Prof. Dr., ScientificMember and Director at the Max PlanckInstitute for Biochemistry, MartinsriedScientific CouncilChairpersonKlaus J. Hopt, Dr. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult.,Scientific Member and Director at the MaxPlanck Institute for Foreign and InternationalPrivate Law, HamburgDeputy ChairpersonAngela D. Friederici, Prof. Dr., ScientificMember and Director at the Max PlanckInstitute for Cognitive Neuroscience,LeipzigMediatorsHerbert Biebach, Priv.-Doz. Dr.,Staff member of the Max Planck Institutefor Ornithology, SeewiesenGeorg W. Kreutzberg, Prof. Dr.,Emeritus Scientific Member of the MaxPlanck Institute for Neurobiology, MartinsriedDieter Oesterhelt, Prof. Dr., ScientificMember and Director at the Max PlanckInstitute for Biochemistry, MartinsriedMembers and GuestsSee list of the governing bodies andinstitutes of the Max Planck Society82

C ENTRAL M ATTERSCHEMISTRY, PHYSICS &TECHNOLOGY SECTIONChairpersonRobert Schlögl, Prof. Dr., Scientific Memberand Director at the Fritz Haber Instituteof the Max Planck Society, BerlinDeputy ChairpersonMartin Stratmann, Prof. Dr., ScientificMember and Director at the Max PlanckInstitute for Iron Research GmbH,DüsseldorfHUMAN SCIENCES SECTIONChairpersonWolfgang Streeck, Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c.,Scientific Member and Director at theMax Planck Institute for Social Research,CologneDeputy ChairpersonJürgen Basedow, Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c.,Scientific Member and Director at theMax Planck Institute for Foreign andInternational Private Law, HamburgMediatorsKarsten Horn, Dr., staff member of theFritz Haber Institute of the Max PlanckSociety, BerlinHans A. Weidenmüller, Prof. Dr., EmeritusScientific Member of the Max PlanckInstitute for Nuclear Physics, HeidelbergRolf Wilhelm, Prof. Dr., Scientific Memberand Director at the Max Planck Institutefor Plasma Physics, GarchingMediatorsHans-Jörg Albrecht, Prof. Dr., ScientificMember and Director at the Max PlanckInstitute for Foreign and InternationalCriminal Law, FreiburgJulian Kliemann, Prof. Dr., staff memberat the Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max PlanckInstitute for Art History, Rome, ItalyOtto Gerhard Oexle, Prof. Dr. Dres. h. c.,Emeritus Scientific Member of the MaxPlanck Institute for History, Göttingen83

A NNUAL R EPORT 2004Sites of the research institutionswithin the Max Planck SocietyInstitute / Research centerSubinstitutes/branchesOther research institutionsSchleswig-HolsteinHamburgBremenLower SaxonyMecklenburg-VorpommernBerlinMünsterNorth Rhine-WestphaliaSaxony-AnhaltBrandenburgCologneHesseThuringiaSaxonyRhinelandPalatinateKaiserslauternSaarlandDarmstadtErlangenBavariaBaden-WürttembergSeewiesenMunichAs at: 1. April 200484

C ENTRAL M ATTERSBad MünstereifelEffelsberg Radio Observatory(sub-institute of the MPI for Radio Astronomy,Bonn)Bad Nauheim● MPI for Heart and Lung ResearchBerlin● MPI for Human Development● Fritz Haber Institute of the MPS● MPI for Molecular Genetics● MPI for Infection Biology● MPI for the History of ScienceBonn● MPI for Research on Collective Goods● MPI for Mathematics● MPI for Radio Astronomy(for sub-institute see Bad Münstereifel)Bremen● MPI for Marine MicrobiologyCologne● MPI for the Studies of Societies● MPI for Neurological Research● MPI for Plant Breeding ResearchDarmstadtMPRG Mechanics of Polymersat Darmstadt Technical UniversityDortmund● MPI for Molecular PhysiologyDresden● MPI for the Physics of Complex Systems● MPI for the Chemical Physics of Solids● MPI for Molecular Cell Biologyand GeneticsDüsseldorf● MPI für Eisenforschung GmbHErlangenMPRG Optics, Information and Photonicsat the University of Erlangen-NürnbergFrankfurt am Main● MPI for Biophysics● MPI for Brain Research● MPI for European Legal HistoryFreiburg● MPI for Immunobiology● MPI for Foreign and InternationalCriminal LawGarching● MPI for Astrophysics● MPI for Extraterrestrial Physics● MPI for Plasma Physics(see also Greifswald)● MPI for Quantum OpticsGöttingen● MPI for Biophysical Chemistry● MPI for Dynamics and Self-Organization● MPI for History● MPI for Experimental MedicineGreifswaldGreifswald branch of theMPI for Plasma Physics, GarchingHalle an der Saale● MPI for Social Anthropology● MPI for Microstructure Physics● MPRU for Enzymology of Protein FoldingHamburg● MPI for Meteorology● MPI for Foreign andInternational Private LawMPWG for Structural Molecular Biologyat DESY (Protein Dynamics, Cyto-Skeleton)Hanover● MPI for Experimental EndocrinologyHanover branch of the MPI forGravitational Physics, PotsdamHeidelberg● MPI for Astronomy● MPI for Nuclear Physics● MPI for Medical Research● MPI for Comparative PublicLaw and International LawJena● MPI for Biogeochemistry● MPI for Chemical Ecology● MPI for Research into Economic Systems(from 1.07.05 MPI for Economics)KaiserslauternBranch of the MPI for Software Systemsin the process of being established (seeSaarbrücken)Katlenburg-Lindau● MPI for Solar System ResearchLeipzig● MPI for Evolutionary Anthropology● MPI for Human Cognitive and BrainSciences (for Department of Psychology,see Munich)● MPI for Mathematics in the SciencesMagdeburg● MPI for the Dynamics of ComplexTechnical SystemsMainz● MPI for Chemistry● MPI for Polymer ResearchMarburg● MPI for Terrestrial MicrobiologyMartinsried nr. Munich● MPI for Biochemistry● MPI for NeurobiologyMülheim an der Ruhr● MPI for Bioinorganic Chemistry● MPI for Coal Research(independent foundation)München● MPI for Intellectual Property, Competitionand Tax Law● MPI for Physics● MPI for PsychiatryPsychology Department of the MPI forHuman Cognitive and Brain Sciences,Leipzig● MPI for Foreign and InternationalSocial LawMünster● MPI for Molecular Biomedicine(in the process of being established)Plön● MPI of Limnology(for branches see Schlitz and Manaus, Brazil)Potsdam● MPI for Gravitational Physics(for branch see Hanover)● MPI for Colloid and Interface Research● MPI for Molecular Plant PhysiologyRadolfzellRadolfzell Ornithological Station,Branch of the MPI for Ornithology,SeewiesenRostock● MPI for Demographic ResearchSaarbrücken● MPI for Computer ScienceBranch of the MPI for Software Systemsin the process of being established (seeKaiserslautern)SchlitzStream Research Station Schlitz(Branch of the MPI for Limnology, Plön)Seewiesen● MPI for Ornithology(for branch see Radolfzell)Stuttgart● MPI for Solid State Research● MPI for Metals ResearchTübingen● MPI for Developmental Biology● MPI for Biological CyberneticsFriedrich Miescher Laboratory forBiological Research Groups in the MPSSites abroadFlorence, Italy● MPI for the History of ArtsNijmegen, Netherlands● MPI for PsycholinguisticsRome, Italy● Bibliotheca Hertziana –MPI for Art HistoryManaus, BrazilBranch of the MPI for Limnology, PlönManaus/Amazonas85