Leipzig University’s “Leipzig Center of Metabolism” cluster succeeds in excellence competition
Excellent success for Leipzig University: its Leipzig Center of Metabolism (LeiCeM) research cluster will receive multi-million-euro funding over the coming years as part of the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments. This was announced by the Joint Commission of the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the German Council of Science and Humanities (WR).
MPI CBS is involved in the cluster alongside four other Max Planck Institutes.
“Today is a great day for our university. For the first time, we are celebrating a success in the Clusters of Excellence funding line in the national excellence competition held by the federal and state governments. The Leipzig Center of Metabolism Cluster of Excellence will be dedicated to understanding and improving the burden of disease caused by metabolic disorders. A clinical research centre will be established in cooperation with the University of Leipzig Medical Center and Leipzig Heart Center, as well as five Max Planck, Helmholtz and Fraunhofer Institutes. I extend my warmest congratulations to everyone involved.”, says Professor Eva Inés Obergfell, Rector of Leipzig University.
“When we set out on this journey nearly three years ago, we just wanted to give it our all and see if we could actually get something like this off the ground. From the earliest ideas – quite literally pencil sketches – a wonderful team emerged, along with incredibly strong ideas and brilliant connections across Leipzig’s excellently staffed research fields. Reviewers and decision-makers clearly also recognised the appeal of our concept, which offers genuine progress in clinical metabolic medicine. I am absolutely delighted for this outstanding research location and extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved. Now it’s time to get started!” says LeiCeM spokesperson Professor Michael Stumvoll.
Arno Villringer, Director of the Department of Neurology at the MPI CBS, is relieved that the hard work of all those involved has been recognised for the success of the cluster: "MPI-CBS and the Department of Cognitive Neurology are represented in the cluster by Julia Sacher, Veronica Witte and myself and we are very happy about the great joint success in the field of metabolism and obesity research. We are delighted that the collaboration with the University of Leipzig can be further intensified.
Excellence Commission announces decisions on clusters
Over the past few months, the two clusters were evaluated by international expert panels according to scientific quality criteria. Based on their assessments, the Excellence Commission – comprising the academic members of the Committee of Experts and the federal and state ministers responsible for science – has now decided which Clusters of Excellence will be established and which will continue to receive funding. Funding will run for seven years, starting on 1 January 2026.
Leipzig Center of Metabolism: Shaping the future of metabolic medicine
With the Leipzig Center of Metabolism (LeiCeM), Leipzig University is signalling a strong commitment to the future of medical science. The centre will take a clinical focus, concentrating on the research and treatment of common metabolic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver disease. These illnesses are often associated with serious secondary diseases, including heart attacks, strokes, kidney and liver failure, and neurodegenerative disorders.
LeiCeM will pursue an innovative approach: unlike conventional study models, it will take comprehensive account of the individual causes of disease, such as individual causes of disease such as genetic predispositions, early childhood influences, sex-specific differences, and mental health. These factors enable more targeted diagnostics, personalised treatment planning, and the development of tailored intervention studies for specific patient groups. A particular research focus lies on the role of sex and gender as factors influencing treatment outcomes – an aspect that is often underestimated in clinical practice.
Structurally, LeiCeM strengthens not only medical research but also academic teaching and the promotion of early-career researchers: new professorships, an innovative qualification programme, and interdisciplinary training opportunities create ideal conditions for future medical doctors and medical scientists. The expanded research infrastructure and the close integration of clinical practice, research, and teaching offer outstanding prospects for scientific careers. With LeiCeM, Leipzig University brings together decades of excellent research expertise.
