Research Infrastructure and Core Facilities

Specialised research infrastructure and core facilities combine scientific expertise, technologies and resources and strengthen excellent research across disciplines.

Two researchers in a laboratory.

Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)

Research infrastructure comprises the resources, technologies and scientific expertise that enable and support research. Core facilities form an important part of this infrastructure by providing specialised access to methods, instrumentation, data and scientific services.

Research Infrastructure and Core Facilities...

...enable excellent research

Specialised technologies, scientific infrastructure and technical expertise create the requirements for innovative research and new scientific questions.
Research
...strengthen interdisciplinary cooperation

Shared resources and methodological competences promote exchange and cooperation across institutes, faculties and research focal areas.
Interdisciplinarity
...make expertise visible and usable

Research infrastructure encompasses more than just equipment: advisory consultations, methodological knowledge and scientific support make specialised expertise accessible.
Expertise
...promote innovation and competitiveness

Robust research infrastructure strengthens coordinated research, fosters innovation and supports the translation of research into societal and economic impact.
Innovation
...network existing competences

The joint use of existing infrastructure creates synergies, increases visibility and strengthens the exchange between research areas.
Networking

OpenIRIS: Sharing Research Infrastructure

OpenIRIS increases the visibility of research infrastructure and supports its shared use. The platform brings together information on technologies, scientific resources and expertise from the University of Jena, non-university research institutions and other partners across the Jena research landscape.

More about OpenIRISIn the context of JenaVersumExternal link, OpenIRIS promotes the visibility, connectivity and shared use of research infrastructure across the Jena research ecosystem.The OpenIRIS portalExternal link

Sharing research infrastructure via OpenIRIS.
Image: Katharina Wölfl

Exemplary Insights into Research Infrastructure and Core Facilities

At Friedrich Schiller University Jena, research infrastructure contributes to research in the university's seven research focal areas in a variety of ways - from scientific collections and specialised technologies to data and information-based platforms. The following examples provide exemplary insights into this diversity and show how research infrastructure enables research in different scientific fields.

Microverse Imaging Centre
External link
The Microverse Imaging Center enables high-resolution imaging of biological processes and supports researchers in the analysis of complex microbial and cellular systems. It makes a significant contribution to research within the focal area Microbiome and Infection Biology.

Image: Aurélie Jost @Balance of the Microverse
Core Unit Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
External link de
The MRI Core Unit at the Werner Kaiser Research Center provides specialised infrastructure and expertise for biomedical imaging. As a non-invasive imaging technology, it supports research in medicine, neuroscience and psychology and contributes in particular to the focal area Aging and Health.

Image: Oleksandr Marchenko
Jena Experiment
External link
The Jena Experiment provides a globally unique research infrastructure for long-term studies on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The platform makes a major contribution to research within the focal area Biodiversity and Bio-Geo Interactions and enables long-term investigations of ecological processes under controlled conditions.

Image: Anne Günther (University of Jena)
NMR Platform
External link
The NMR Platform enables high-resolution molecular analyses and supports research in chemistry, materials science and the life sciences. It contributes in particular to the focal area Materials of the Future and supports the characterisation of functional materials and molecular systems.

Image: NMR-Plattform
Collection Portal
External link
The University Collection Portal provides a shared point of access to the University of Jena’s scientific collections.
It supports research and teaching by increasing the visibility and accessibility of diverse collections and contributes to the focal area Cultures of Imagination.

Image: Nicole Nerger (University of Jena)
NANO-TeCh Core Facility

The NANO-TeCh Core Facility provides access to infrastructure and expertise for nano-technology and characterisation at the micro- and nanoscale.
It supports researchers in the fabrication, analysis and characterisation of functional structures and contributes in particular to the focal area Photonics and Quantum Technologies.

Image: Jan-Peter Kasper (University of Jena)
Bioinformatics Core Facility
External link
The Bioinformatics Core Facility supports data-intensive research through bioinformatic and statistical analysis, scientific consulting and methodological expertise.
It accompanies research projects from study design and data analysis to interpretation and contributes, among others, to the focal area Ageing and Health as well as to a wide range of data-driven questions in the life sciences.

Illustration: AI-generated
CATI Facility
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The CATI Faciliy supports the analysis of social dynamics, communication and processes of transformation through data-based methods and scientific expertise. It contributes to the focal area Democracy under Stress and strengthens interdisciplinary perspectives on social change.

Image: Pixabay
High-Performance Computing (URZ)

The University Computer Center’s Scientific Computing and High-Performance Computing services support data- and simulation-intensive research through powerful computing infrastructure, specialised software and scientific consulting. As a cross-cutting infrastructure, they contribute to a wide range of the university’s research focal areas and support complex analyses, modelling and data-driven approaches.

Image: AI-generated

Research Infrastructure and Core Facilities

Research Infrastructure and Core Facilities...

...enable excellent research

...strengthen interdisciplinary cooperation

...make expertise visible and usable

...promote innovation and competitiveness

...network existing competences

OpenIRIS: Sharing Research Infrastructure

Exemplary Insights into Research Infrastructure and Core Facilities

Microverse Imaging Centre

Core Unit Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Jena Experiment

NMR Platform

Collection Portal

NANO-TeCh Core Facility

Bioinformatics Core Facility

CATI Facility

High-Performance Computing (URZ)

Explore our Research Profile

Contact

Vice-Presidency Research and Innovation