Home

Staff photo taken from above in the institute's entrance area on the occasion of the institute's Diversity Day

Welcome to the Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen

Learn more about us and our organisation.

Close-up of a researcher in blue gloves using tweezers and thread to adjust samples under a microscope.

Research overview

Find out more about the scientific research areas.

Researchers in lab coats examine plant specimens on display at the MPI for Biology's Diversity Day

Interested in joining us?

Plan your career at the Institute.

Director Andrei Lupas in a lab meeting with department colleagues

Latest Research News and Events

Stay up to date on all scientific seminars, lectures, and news.

Female doctoral researcher working at a microscope, surrounded by green lighting and lab equipment

Scientific Facilities and Services

The Institute has a wide range of specialized high-end instrumentation in our dedicated research facilities.

News

A colourful collage of different images all focusing on the term genetics

Beyond Mendel: Researchers call for a new understanding of genetics

February 18, 2026

A perspective article in a leading journal argues for an experimental paradigm change to capture complex gene effects in combination with environment and genetic background.

One single protein, one big decision: how brown algae know when to reproduce

January 29, 2026

Researchers discover an unexpectedly simple mechanism that controls life cycle in algae

Adult bee foraging on a yellow flowering plant.

A conserved genetic switch for sex determination across 150 million years of evolution

January 20, 2026

A deeply conserved mechanism drives sex determination in one of Earth’s most diverse insect lineages.

More news

Talks and Events

DSSS - Building 3D apical matrix structures in the extracellular environment

Mar 12, 2026 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Local Time Germany)

MPH lecture hall, Max-Planck-Ring 6

DSSS - Competition and warfare in bacteria and the human microbiome

Mar 19, 2026 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Local Time Germany)

MPH lecture hall, Max-Planck-Ring 6

DSSS - Origins and evolution of cell fusion: from the discovery of EFF-1 to mechanisms of egg-sperm fusion

Mar 26, 2026 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Local Time Germany)

MPH lecture hall, Max-Planck-Ring 6

March 2026

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
						1
2	3	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
30	31

Prof. Dr. Henrik Krehenwinkel

Mar 5, 2026 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM (Local Time Germany)

Prof. Dr. Meera Sundaram

Mar 12, 2026 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM (Local Time Germany)

Prof. Dr. Kevin Foster

Mar 19, 2026 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM (Local Time Germany)

Dr. Benjamin Podbilewicz

Mar 26, 2026 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM (Local Time Germany)

More events

Videos

Photo of Director Andrei Lupas talking about the research undertaken in his department

The Origin of Life

Youtube-Video

Introduction into the key research fields of the Department of Protein Evolution, led by Andrei Lupas.

Photo of Director Ruth Ley in the laboratory

On the Trail of Gut Microbes

Youtube-Video

Get to know the Department of Microbiome Science which is headed by Ruth Ley.

Photo of Director Susana Coelho in the laboratory

The Evolution of Sexual Systems

Youtube-Video

Dive into algal research and the science behind the evolution of the sexes at the Department of Algal Devolopment and Evolution, directed by Susana Coelho.