Infrastructure for Research
Excellent research thrives in optimal conditions. At the Ruhr Innovation Lab, the research focal areas benefit from six state-of-the-art research buildings and two high-performance computing clusters that provide the necessary power to solve big-data challenges of our time. In our commitment to sustainable resource management, we have set up an efficient booking system that allows sharing equipment and instruments across working groups and cities.
An excellent setting for innovation
Research Buildings: Where Ideas Take Shape
With six successful applications to the competitive federal and state Research Building Program, Ruhr University Bochum and TU Dortmund University demonstrate their commitment to advancing research infrastructure. Each proposal was meticulously reviewed by the German Science and Humanities Council (WR) for its excellent scientific quality and national significance. Equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories and instruments, these buildings provide the ideal environment for groundbreaking discoveries.
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Established at Ruhr University Bochum in 2016, ZEMOS (Center for Molecular Spectroscopy and Simulation of Solvent-Controlled Processes) is a 3,900 sqm hub for interdisciplinary research focused on solvation science. Funded with €44 million, ZEMOS provides a fruitful environment for research into understanding and exploiting solvation in chemical processes, connecting solvation dynamics with biomolecular function, and investigating ion solvation and charge transfer at interfaces. It aims to establish solvation science as a new discipline and provide society with valuable knowledge for future applications. -
Inaugurated in 2025, the Center for Advanced Liquid-Phase Engineering Dortmund (CALEDO) at TU Dortmund University provides optimal conditions for researching the design and innovative application of liquid phases for environmentally friendly and novel processes in chemistry, biotechnology and pharmaceutical products. Funded with €72 million, the 3,600 sqm building offers modern equipment and large-scale scientific instruments that enable the analysis of all aspects of complex liquid phase design. -
Opened in 2022, the Center for Interface-Dominated High Performance Materials (ZGH) at Ruhr University Bochum focuses on developing new metallic, semiconducting, and dielectric materials through the design of material interfaces. This strategy leverages unique combinations of structural and functional properties to advance material science and drive discoveries that meet the demands of future technologies. Funded with more than €40 million, ZGH provides over 2700 sqm of office and lab space for 80 researchers. -
Established in 2021 in Bochum, ZESS (Research Centre for the Engineering of Smart Product Service Systems) combines expertise from engineering and social sciences to explore Industry 4.0. Covering a space of 5,000 sqm and supported by €50 million in funding, ZESS aims to generate new insights about smart systems, their implementation, and necessary transformation processes while also promoting knowledge and technology transfer. -
ProDi (Centre for Protein Diagnostics), established in 2019 at Ruhr University Bochum, engages in interdisciplinary and trans-faculty research in protein sciences across four key areas: Biospectroscopy, Experimental Medicine, Medical Proteome Analysis, and Bioinformatics. In the building researchers and clinicians collaborate to develop innovative methods for diagnosing and predicting therapies for oncological and neurological diseases. Funded with €48 million, ProDi strengthens the research consortium Protein Research Unit Ruhr within Europe (PURE). -
Currently under construction, THINK (Center for Theoretical and Integrative Neuroscience and Cognitive Science) will explore the interdisciplinary neuronal mechanisms of cognition. This innovative center aims to develop artificial and hybrid cognitive systems while investigating human-technical system interactions in future work environments and neurorehabilitation. Covering nearly 4,000 sqm, THINK is funded with approximately €89 million.
HPC Clusters: Accelerating Research and Development
In the Ruhr Innovation lab two high-performance computing (HPC) clusters are powering innovation by processing complex problems and large amounts of data. Researchers can use Elysium in Bochum or LiDO3 in Dortmund for scientific computing and conducting advanced data analyses.
Sharing Infrastructure With the Calira Booking System
Ruhr University Bochum and TU Dortmund University have both purchased the Calira (former Clustermarket) booking system, which enables them to share their research infrastructure. This platform is essential for improving access to methods and instruments, as well as ensuring the sustainable use of resources.
MERCUR Funding: Strengthening Research Collaboration
Researchers at Ruhr University Bochum and TU Dortmund University are eligible for MERCUR project funding, provided by the UA Ruhr. Established 2010, MERCUR focuses on fostering sustainable research partnerships among the member universities of the UA Ruhr. It provides essential seed funding for high-quality collaborative projects, helping researchers secure larger grants. The initiative highlights Ruhr University Bochum’s and TU Dortmund University’s commitment to advancing innovative research collaborations across institutions.
Collaboration Through Data Management
Data Repositories: Strong Base for Breakthroughs
Both universities cooperate in their research data management. Their respective repositories ReeSeeD and TuDodata are open to members of each partner. With the UA Ruhr, both universities are also part of the cooperation network for the web-based software Research Data Management Organiser (RDMO), which offers researchers a tool to support the planning, implementation, and organization of research data management.
Joint University Bibliography: Indexing Scholarly Output
The University Bibliography indexes the scholarly output of scientists at both partner universities. It is a collaborative database developed by Bochum University Library and Dortmund University Library.
