The Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres (www.helmholtz.de) is the largest scientific community in Germany. The Federation receives more than 3.4 billion euros in scientific funding each year, of which funding from government sources is equivalent to three other major research groups in Germany: Max. The Sum of the Planck Society, the Leibniz Federation and the Fraunhofer Society. Representing Germany's national image of scientific and technological research in the international academic community, the Federation hopes to be able to give answers to the decisive questions facing mankind now and in the future: safe and reliable energy supply, sustainable use of resources, the normal functioning of future societies or the treatment of previously incurable diseases.
The Helmholtz Consortium concentrates its scientific research activities in six main research areas: energy, earth and environment, life sciences, key technologies, material structure and transportation and spaceflight, and provides a reliable guarantee for the future sustainable development of human society.
The Helmholtz Consortium comprises 19 national research centres (note that the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, as we know it, is one of the 19 national centres of the Helmholtz Confederation), and more than 31,745 scientists and technicians use the most modern scientific equipment, especially large instruments and devices, to conduct research in everything from Astrophysics, Biology to Cell Research. These research facilities are also open to scholars from all over the world. As researchers representing the country, Helmholtz scientists are well aware of their mission: to contribute to solving the major problems facing social development.
- Alfred Wagner Institute for Polar and Oceanography (AWI)
Researchers at the Alfred Wegener Institute work on the polar regions, oceans and climate. They hope to reveal changes in the Earth's environmental system due to natural causes and human activities.
- Helmholtz Center for Information Security (CISPA)
The Helmholtz Information Security Center (CISPA) is a German national scientific institution affiliated with the Helmholtz Association, the largest scientific organization dedicated to information security research in Germany, and plans to become the world's largest information technology security research center. Its research covers all aspects of information security, especially on cutting-edge topics of security and privacy.
- German Electronic Synchrotron (DESY)
DESY is one of the world's leading accelerator research centers. DESY develops, constructs and operates large-scale accelerator facilities for the study of the structure of matter. DESY combines imaging science and particle physics, which is unique in Europe.
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
The German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg is dedicated to the analysis and research of the causes of cancer and the improvement of its treatment.
- German Aerospace Center (DLR)
The German Aerospace Center, headquartered in Cologne, is Germany's national research centre for research and technology research and development in the aerospace sector. At the same time, DLR is also a leader in research areas such as energy and transportation.
- German Research Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)
Since 30 April 2009, the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases research has been a new full member of the Helmholtz Federation. The center focuses on new preventive measures and treatment options for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and dementia.
- Hulich Research Center (FZJ)
The main research areas of the Jülich Research Center focus on the following five areas: material structure, energy, information, life and the environment.
- Helmholtz Center for Heavy Ion Research (GSI)
The GSI in Darmstadt uses modern accelerator devices to conduct basic research in physics, while it also conducts research in biophysics and radiation medicine.
- Helmholtzkill Marine Research Center (GEOMAR)
The Center's research includes interdisciplinary research in all relevant directions of modern marine science, from seabed geology to marine climatology.
- Helmholtz Berlin Center for Materials and Energy Research (HZB)
The Helmholtz Berlin Center for Materials and Energy Research (HZB, formerly known as HMI) conducts research on new materials and complex engineering materials. His research focuses on the relationship between the technical properties and microstructure of materials. Solar research, particularly the development of new solar cell materials, is another core area of research at the center.
- Rosendorf Research Center (HZDR) in Helmholz Dresden
How does matter move in strong field environments and at ultramicroscales? How can malignant tumors be detected at an early stage and effectively treated? How can we protect people and the environment from the negative risks posed by technological advances? The researchers at the Rosendorf Research Center in Helmholz Dresden are working to answer these questions.
- Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI)
The Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Brunswick conducts research on infectious diseases and their prevention and treatment.
- Helmholtz Environmental Research Center (UFZ)
The main object of UFZ is the interrelationship between humans and the natural environment in densely populated and environmentally damaged areas. The main purpose of the ideas and methods proposed by the UFZ is to protect the natural foundations needed for the survival of future generations of mankind.
- Helmholz Gisdacht Centre for Materials and Marine Research (HZG)
How do we get energy in the future? How do we address the threats posed by climate change? How can medicine help us cope with the impact of demographic change? Research conducted by researchers at the Helmholz Giesdacht Center for Materials and Marine Research will provide answers to these questions.
- Helmholtz Center for Munich – German Environmental Health Research Center (HMGU)
The Helmholtz Munich Research Center in Neuerberg studies complex living systems from the perspective of the interaction of environmental factors and genetic predispositions.
- Helmholtz Potsdam Research Center - German Geosciences Research Center (GFZ)
The Helmholtz Potsdam Research Center focuses on geodesy, geophysics, geology and mineralogy, and geochemistry.
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) was formed by the merger of the Karlsruhe Research Center, a member of the Helmholtz Federation, with the University of Karlsruhe. Under a bill on the merger of KIT, the Baden-Württemberg State Parliament has unanimously agreed that the merger will come into force on 1 October 2009. The merger will help to improve the School's competitiveness in international research while promoting its teaching in the fields of natural sciences and engineering technology.
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC)
The Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, located in Buch Berlin, combines basic research in microbiology with clinical research to develop new ways to diagnose and treat serious diseases.
- Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP)
The Garching-based IPP focuses primarily on nuclear fusion, with the goal of simulating and striving to achieve the way the Sun releases energy on Earth.
Since the resumption of Sino-German relations and scientific and technological exchanges in the 1970s, the subordinate centers of Helmholtz have successively accepted and trained a large number of elites in China's scientific and technological circles, and have spontaneously established various forms of cooperation with Chinese partners on the basis of each center. Today, Helmholtz's affiliated centers still recruit students from China to pursue doctoral degrees or do postdoctoral research every year, and provide various financial support.