International Research Schools’ Interdisciplinary Symposium in the great area of Munich & “New Frontiers in Science” Seminar in Honor of Prof. Herbert Walther

Welcome Words

It is a pleasure for me that my Dr. Father and Teacher, Prof. Herbert Walther, is being honoured by the lectures series “New Frontiers in Science.” He was an outstanding scientist and a very successful researcher. His students continue his work throughout the world. The symposium wants to foster communication, networking and scientific information exchange between representatives from different faculties and life areas. This is of great importance, due to the increasing interdisciplinary character of research. I wish all the participants not only success, but also enjoyment in the fascinating scientific knowledge that will be presented in the lectures series.

Wolfgang Ketterle

The earliest bio-macromolecules on the young earth must have been self-replicative and enzymatically competent. In the modern world only RNA has these properties and is therefore believed to mark the origin of live. With the advent of DNA and proteins two players appeared during evolution which are much superior in one of these activities but incapable of the other. DNA is a perfect self-replicating molecule and proteins are excellent catalysts, respectively. Self-replication appears to be a relatively simple chemical process while catalysis is often extremely complex. It is not surprising therefore that biochemical research focuses on proteins with surprising discoveries made with any system and any time. I hope that proteins and their fascinating structures and properties will play an important role in the discussions during the Symposium of the stipends of the International Max-Planck Research Schools in Munich and catalyse the exchange of ideas of students from different disciplines. The input from fresh minds is essential here as in any other field of research.

Robert Huber

Representatives and students from:

Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial , Max Planck Institute of , Garching Max Planck Institute of Physics, Munich Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried

IMPRS of Astrophysics, Garching IMPRS for Advanced Photon Science, Garching IMPRS of Elementary Particle Physics, Munich IMPRS of Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences: From Biology to Medicine, Martinsried

Program proposal for the 1st IMPRS Interdisciplinary Symposium on 28th February 2008

14:00 – 14:05 Welcome by representatives from the MPI of Biochemistry, Martinsried

14:05 – 14:30 Local history of Max Planck Research in the spirit of Max Planck and by Dr. Helmut Rechenberg from the MPI of Physics (Werner-Heisenberg-Institute), Munich

14:30 – 15:30 Keynote lecture “Destiny and Mysteries of the Universe” by Prof. Günther Hasinger from the MPI for Extraterrestrial Physics, Garching

15:30 – 16:00 Coffee break

16:00 – 17:20 Interdisciplinary symposium in frame of the concept “Quantum, Cosmos, Light and Life”:

1. “Tiny particles and giant accelerators: Exploring the structure of matter and fundamental forces of nature” by Prof. Siegfried Bethke from the MPI of Physics, Munich

2. “Natural constants from the new face of quantum optics” by Prof. Theodor Hänsch / Dr. Thomas Becker or Colleagues from the MPI of Quantum Optics, Garching

3. “Why 20? Genetic code, protein evolution and origin of life” by Prof. Robert Huber / Dr. Nediljko Budisa from the MPI of Biochemistry, Martinsried

17:20 – 17:30 Concluding remarks for the symposium, by special guest Dr. Karl-Heinz Maurer (Director Enzyme Technology, Henkel KG aA)

17:30 – 18:00 Young researchers from the IMPRS “Advanced Photon Science” present contributions to chemical and biological applications of modern - and Nanotechnology:

1. “Ultrashort electron pulses: Deflectometry and Diffraction” by Peter Reckenthäler

2. “Modelling energy transport in bacteriochlorophyll molecules” by Leah Zimmerman

The program is subject to changes

Place

Big Lecture Hall, T building, MPI of Biochemistry, Martinsried near Munich (U6 Groβhadern; Bus No. 266)

Acknowledgements

I want to express my deepest gratitude to the students from Prof. Robert Huber (MPI of Biochemistry) and Prof. Herbert Walther (MPI of Quantum Optics), Dr. Nediljko Budisa and Dr. Thomas Becker, respectively, not only for their continuous support and engagement, but also for giving me the opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary environment with outstanding researchers. Likewise, I thank for the welcome words from Prof. Wolfgang Ketterle (MIT) and Prof. Robert Huber, the good wishes from Prof. Theodor Hänsch (MPI of Quantum Optics), the personal contributions from Prof. Günther Hasinger (MPI for Extraterrestrial Physics), Prof. Siegfried Bethke and Dr. Helmut Rechenberg (MPI of Physics), and the helpful proposals and support from Prof. Dr. Ferenc Krausz (MPI of Quantum Optics), Dr. Werner Becker, Dr. Matthias Kling, Dr. Frank Steffen, Dr. Hans-Joerg Schaffer (IMPRS in the great area of Munich) and Dr. Karl-Heinz Maurer (Henkel KG aA). With my teachers and colleagues I also thank Prof. Stefan Hell (MPI for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen) for his participation during the 1st PhD Symposium in Life Sciences of Munich “Interact” on 7th December 2007 in Martinsried, who showed us how Laser- and Nanotechnology can be combined to present a fascinating “Film” inside cells.

“Excellence in Munich for scientific integration in the year of Mathematics 2008” Carlos Acevedo