Welcome to the International Max Planck Research School for Living Matter

The International Max Planck Research School for Living Matter: From Molecules to Dynamics (IMPRS-LM) offers an international, interdisciplinary, and modern PhD program for early-career scientists who want to explore the fundamental principles of living systems.

Building on 25 years of experience, IMPRS-LM trains doctoral researchers to investigate the molecular, chemical, and physical properties that underlie biomolecular interactions and their role in shaping life.

Our research is driven by key questions:

• How do molecules interact?
• When and where do these interactions occur within a cell or organism?
• What are the molecular consequences of these interactions?
• How can specific interactions be modulated or controlled, including for therapeutic purposes?
• How do many individual interactions come together to form dynamic, self-organized biochemical networks?

At IMPRS-LM, we recognize that cellular identity and function emerge from complex and dynamic interaction networks operating at the molecular scale. To address one of the most fundamental questions in science—What is life?—we aim to train a new generation of life scientists who are passionate about biology, curious about the chemistry that underpins living systems, and fascinated by the physical principles that govern the dynamic behavior of living matter across time and space.