Networking and interdisciplinary knowledge transfer
Associated YR ProjectsAssociated Young Researchers Projects
Networking and interdisciplinary knowledge transfer are essential to encourage research cooperations. Besides the promotion of junior scientists within the context of their doctorate or a research project, the Hector Fellow Academy offers the opportunity to become part of the Hector Fellow Academy to doctoral students and PostDocs in the working groups of the Hector Fellows. Being part of the Associated Young Researcher Program, they can participate in numerous continuing education courses as well as at networking events, symposia or conferences. In order to be accepted as an Associated Young Researcher, they require the consent of the mentoring Hector Fellow.

Current projects
The following Associated Young Researchers projects are supported
Inferences of clonal dynamics in human hematopoiesis
Lena Nitsch – Hector RCD Awardee Leif Ludwig
The formation of cells in our blood is sustained throughout our lifetime by hematopoietic stem cells. An understanding of the output and activity of individual stem cells, however, is only emerging. In my project, I will investigate clonal reconstitution dynamics and evaluate hematopoietic regeneration utilizing somatic mutations in the mitochondrial genome as natural barcodes in matching bone marrow and peripheral blood samples from patients undergoing allogenic stem cell transplantation.
Realizing a Quantum Processor based on Strontium Rydberg Atoms
Maximilian Ammenwerth – Hector Fellow Immanuel Bloch
In this project, an innovative quantum gas microscope is developed that makes use of optical tweezers to rearrange neutral strontium atoms into configurable and defect-free patterns. This allows for rapid initialization of the system and serves as a starting point for the analog simulation of quantum many-body systems and as a qubit register for digital quantum computing. Exploiting long-range Rydberg interactions enables the simulation of spin models and the implementation of quantum logic gates.
Chiral organoboron PAHs for application in organic electronics
Felix Full – Hector RCD Awardee Agnieszka Nowak-Krol
Boron-containing polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) draw increasing interest due to their appealing optical and electronic features. They are promising candidates for applications in organic electronics, e.g. OLEDs, transistors and organic solar cells. This project is focused on the synthesis of new chiral organoboron PAHs and the investigation of the impact of their chiral geometry on the operation of such devices.
From mitochondrial genotypes to phenotypes with single-cell multi-omics
Pauline Kautz – Hector RCD Awardee Leif Ludwig
Somatic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations are associated with a wide range of human disorders, yet it has been difficult to reliably establish mitochondrial genotype-phenotype associations. Therefore, we aim to integrate metabolic profiling readouts with single-cell multi-omics sequencing techniques to characterise the consequences of pathogenic mtDNA mutations and increased mitochondrial mutational burden at the cellular and genomic level.
Novel applications with organic thermoelectric modules
Shu-Jen Wang – Hector Fellow Karl Leo
This project aims at using modulation doped organic thermoelectric modules for energy harvesting in niche areas where module flexibility is key. We will develop novel device architectures based on modulation doped organic thermoelectrics to enable innovative applications.
Alumni projects
Find here an overview of the already completed projects.