
Photo: DESY
8 September 2026|Advanced Imaging of MatterNorth German Science Prize for cluster research
Every two years, the North German Science Prize is awarded for outstanding achievements in the context of exceptional cross-state research collaborations. This year, the focus is on the life sciences. Among the recipients is a project in which cluster spokesperson Prof. Henry Chapman has a leading role.

Photo: DESY, O. Yefanov, UHH/DESY, H. Chapman, ASU, P. Fromme (left); UHH/CUI (right)
20 August 2026|CUI in FocusExploring structure and function of materials using X-ray free-electron lasers
When a bunch of electrons travels at near the speed of light through a 100-meter long periodic array of magnets after being accelerated to giga-electron-volts in a linear particle accelerator and compressed into a pulse only femtoseconds in duration, it radiates the brightest flashes of X-rays ever made. In the magazine...

Photo: UHH/CUI
12 August 2026|Advanced Imaging of MatterWolfgang Parak honored as SPIE Fellow
Prof. Wolfgang Parak has been named a Fellow of the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE). This honor recognizes outstanding contributions to optics and photonics through technical achievements, as well as strong commitment to the community and the field of research.

Photo: European XFEL
4 August 2026|Advanced Imaging of MatterLaser for fusion
The German Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) announced funding for a hub for laser fusion, with sites in Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein and Hesse. European XFEL will be at the heart of a fusion R&D campus Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein. The campus will serve as the center of German laser fusion research...

Photo: Jörg Harms, Zhiyang Zeng (MPSD).
30 July 2026|Advanced Imaging HighlightsMechanical strain creates chirality
Mechanical strain is one of the most common tools used to tailor the properties of materials. In piezoelectric materials, stretching or compressing a crystal generates an electrical polarization. In piezomagnetic materials, it induces magnetization. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of...

Photo: Stacy Huang
29 July 2026|Advanced Imaging HighlightsUltrafast X-ray flashes heal the damage they cause
The interaction between X-rays and matter can be actively controlled: an international research team led by the University of Hamburg and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has succeeded in producing bright X-ray images that come with significantly less damage. In Nature Communications, the researchers report the use of...






