The Institute of Computer Science at the University of Bonn is part of the newly established nationwide graduate program, the Max Planck School of Biomedical Artificial Intelligence. This program brings together researchers from a total of 24 universities and non-university institutions to advance AI methods for basic research in the life sciences and to open up new avenues for translational applications.
Prof. Dr. Zorah Lähner, head of the Geometry in Machine Learning research group at the Institute of Computer Science, will be actively involved as a fellow. Her expertise in machine learning and geometric optimization makes a significant contribution to methodological AI research and strengthens interdisciplinary collaboration with biomedical applications.
“I am delighted that a fourth Max Planck School is now being established, allowing us to build another nationwide graduate program—with the participation of outstanding researchers,” said Patrick Cramer, President of the Max Planck Society. “The chosen research focus addresses a particular challenge: the intersection of biomedicine and Artificial Intelligence.”
Funding is provided by the Dieter Schwarz Foundation as well as contributions from the partners, including regional institutions such as the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy in Bochum. This creates a strong network for doctoral candidates and underscores the institute’s contribution to AI research in fields such as geometric deep learning.
Following a multi-stage selection process involving three short proposals, the concept led by Karsten Borgwardt (MPI Biochemistry) was selected by experts including Prof. David Barber (Professor of Machine Learning, University College London), Prof. Michael Bronstein (DeepMind Professor of AI, University of Oxford), and Prof. Concha Bielza (Professor, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid).
The next steps include setting up an administrative office, establishing cooperation agreements, and issuing the first call for applications for PhD positions, effective September 1, 2026. The Institute of Computer Science looks forward to deepening this collaboration.