Two New Buildings Opened on Hubland Campus

Innovative plastics for medical applications are developed and investigated at the "Centre of Polymers for Life" (CPL). Among other things, artificial tissue models are produced there that could one day be used as customised implants to rebuild destroyed cartilage or bone. In pharmaceutical and cancer research, these tissues could also replace animal experiments.

The disciplines of chemistry, medicine, materials science, biology, computer science and engineering work closely together at the CPL. The new building provides workplaces for around 60 people. It is home to a large part of the newly founded Institute for Functional Materials and Biofabrication under the direction of Professors Jürgen Groll and Lutz Nuhn.

The construction costs for the CPL totalled 29.6 million euros, including initial furnishings and major equipment. The federal government covered 11.4 million euros of this, with the remainder financed by the Free State of Bavaria. The ground-breaking ceremony for the building was in October 2021; construction took a good three years.

Chemistry Building: 500 Places for Students

The new internship building for the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy offers space for up to 500 students from many different scientific subjects. The young people are trained here in inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, food chemistry, medicinal chemistry and physical chemistry during the first three semesters of their studies.

The construction costs of almost 58.8 million euros were borne by the Free State of Bavaria. The new building is a project of the Hightech Agenda Bayern: in this research and investment programme of the Free State of Bavaria, urgently needed renovations and new buildings are financed at an accelerated rate in addition to cutting-edge technologies. It took a good three and a half years to construct the internship building.

Why the Practical Centre Building was Necessary

The Chemistry Centre at Hubland was built in 1965 and consists of a central building with satellite-like institute and research buildings. All of these satellites have since been completely renovated or replaced by new buildings - only the central building is still in its original state. It is home to practical rooms, lecture theatres and central facilities.

In order for the central building to be renovated or newly built, alternative space must be created. The newly opened practical building contains part of this. The rest will be provided by another laboratory building, the planning of which is to be initiated shortly. Only when this new building is also ready for occupancy can the refurbishment of the central building begin.

Opening with Science Minister Markus Blume

Bavaria's Science Minister Markus Blume also attended the opening of the new buildings on 8 May 2025. He presented the Hightech Agenda plaque for the chemistry practical building on site:

"Double pack in Würzburg! We are opening the new internship building and the CPL research building for chemistry at JMU. A total of around 95 million euros has been invested - and this is only the preliminary highlight of a whole series of construction measures for Würzburg's excellent chemistry. The JMU has developed an extremely strong profile in chemistry and pharmacy - in both disciplines it radiates far beyond Bavaria. This is particularly evident in the research building for the CPL. You don't get it for free, you have to work hard to earn it - proof of the great work of our perceived university of excellence."

University President Paul Pauli: "Excellent research and excellent teaching are at the heart of our university. I am therefore delighted that we are inaugurating the Centre of Polymers for Life for cutting-edge research and the practical building for cutting-edge teaching today. This will consolidate our already outstanding position in the field of chemistry and pharmacy."

In this context, Pauli referred to the latest "World University Ranking by Subjects" by Times Higher Education (THE): In the field of life sciences, which includes biochemistry and biotechnology, JMU is among the top eleven per cent of universities worldwide; in Bavaria it ranks third. In the "research quality" performance indicator, JMU is ranked 16th worldwide and first in Germany with 96.1 out of a possible 100 points. "The pioneering research that has found an excellent home at the CPL has made a decisive contribution to this rating," said the President.

Symbolic Keys Handed Over

The symbolic keys for the new buildings were handed over by Grit Liebau, Deputy Head of the Würzburg State Building Authority (Staatliches Bauamt): "With the construction of these two highly equipped laboratory buildings, we are demonstrating that state construction supports research and teaching in a forward-looking and sustainable way."

Würzburg's Lord Mayor Christian Schuchardt: "The new buildings will help to further strengthen the university site and make the region an even more attractive location for research and teaching. The close cooperation between the university and the city is an important factor for a liveable and successful Würzburg."

Leane Lehmann, Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy: "With the new buildings, we are setting an example for the scientific innovation of our faculty." In her speech, she presented the impressive track record of the Würzburg faculty. The heads of the CPL, Lutz Nuhn and Jürgen Groll, then presented the research work being carried out at the CPL.

Scaffolding for Heart Patches and Artificial Blood Vessels

After the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, the prominent guests were given a short tour of the CPL. They were shown state-of-the-art 3D printers and polymer scaffolds for heart patches, artificial blood vessels and other applications. After a lunchtime snack, the other guests were also able to familiarise themselves with the new building and the research during guided tours.