Presseamt der
Eberhard-Karls-Universität
in Tübingen

Faculty of Biology

Address:

Fakultaet fuer Biologie
Hoelderlinstr. 19
D-72074 Tuebingen
Tel. Nr.: 49-7071-729 68 53
Fax Nr.: 49-7071-55 15 67
WWW :Fakultaet fuer Biologie

History

Biological Science enjoys a long and distinguished tradition at the University of Tuebingen. Biological studies began in 1535, when Leonhart Fuchs, one of the founders of scientific botany, was appointed professor in the medical school. Fuchs founded one of the first scientific botanical gardens, and his major work, "New Book of Herbs", described the medicinal properties of numerous plants.
In 1835 Tuebingen biologist Hugo von Mohl founded the first Faculty of Science in Germany. The Faculty contained departments of Medicine, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology. Von Mohl served as first dean of the Faculty. He is renowned for his tissue and cell research, particularly for the identification of the components of protoplasm and for the discovery of the localization of chlorophyll in the chloroplasts.

In 1878 plant physiologist Wilhelm Pfeffer began work in Tuebingen. Pfeffer was the first to realize that organims are governed by a principle of self-regulation, and that rapidly reproducing organisms are particularly useful for physiological research. He investigated the structure of cell plasma, and his famous experiments on the semi-permeability of plant cell membranes were made in Tuebingen.
Pfeffer was a pioneer in research leading to fields such as microbiology, molecular biology and biological self-regulation.
In 1892 Tuebingen researcher Carl Correns published his habilitation thesis on heredity. This thesis lead to the rediscovery of the Mendelian laws and triggered the dramatic development of modern genetics.
Alfred Kuehn, professor of zoology from 1946 to 1951, did fundamental research in developmental and physiological biology. His research on the hormonal control of embryonic development and differentiation was especially significant.
Erwin Buenning, professor of plant physiology from 1946 to 1990, became the founder of Biochronology. His book ,ÒThe Physiological ClockÒ (1958), has been of major importance far beyond the field of plant physiology.

Teaching Staff and Students

The Faculty currently consists of thirty-two professors and fifty-eight research and teaching assistants.
Approximately 1,500 students are currently studying in the Faculty. About one hundred sixty students per year are accepted for Diplom studies. About forty students per year are accepted for State Examination studies.

Degrees

The Faculty of Biology awards the following degrees:

Diplom

The Diplom is comparable to the Master of Science Degree. The Diplom prepares the student for a career in research, industry or administration. Diplom students may specialize in the following areas:

Teacher Certification

Teacher certification qualifies the student to teach in German public high schools.

Dr. rer. nat.

The Dr. rer. nat. is comparable to a Ph.D. in Biology. About ninety students receive the Dr. rer. nat. each year.

Graduate Colleges in the Faculty of Biology

The Faculty of Biology contains three graduate colleges:

The graduate colleges allow students to take part in special educational and training programs, and to prepare a thesis for the Dr. rer. nat.

An Emphasis on Cooperative Research

The Faculty of Biology maintains a close research relationship with the Faculty of Medicine. Cooperative research relationships also exist with the following institutions:
These cooperative relationships produce varied and exciting opportunities for research in the life sciences. They attract a large number of foreign students and visiting research fellows. Many students and researchers do their thesis work in the off-campus research institutions.

Home Presse MAIL (michael.seifert@uni-tuebingen.de)

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