Starting in January 2026, the newly funded Cluster of Excellence SCALE – Subcellular Architecture of Life – brings together leading scientists from Goethe University, the Max Planck Institute for Biophysics, the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS), Saarland University, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL).
SCALE aims to decipher the fundamental principles of cellular life and to understand how the various structures in our cells emerge and carry out diverse cellular processes. By combining state-of-the-art experimental and computational approaches, SCALE develops innovative tools to explore, map, and simulate the inner architecture of cells. This interdisciplinary work expands our understanding of central biological processes and diseases – from bacterial resistance to neurodegenerative disorders.
(Planned) Support Activities for Postdocs
Project Grants Providing Salary Plus Seed Funding | Specific Workshops and Talks | Annual Retreats | Mentoring Schemes | Research Stays | Postdoc Involvement in Cluster Governance | Networking Events Such as Monthly ‘Postdoc Lunches’ for Networking and Scientific Exchange and Career Days | SCALE Grants Office Supporting Proposal Writing
Recruiting
Open positions are listed on the cluster’s job page, the job portal of Goethe University Frankfurt, the job portal of the Max Planck Institute for Biophysics, the job portal of the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, the job portal of the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS), the job portal of Saarland University, the job portal of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, and the job portal of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL).
Find out more
LinkedIn | Bluesky | X | Learn more about SCALE’s Science Lunch Seminar and other events | To be included in the Cluster’s Newsletter, send an email to: scale-office@uni-frankfurt.de.
