University Luebeck

What University Luebeck does

The Institut für Physik (Institute of Physics) at the University of Luebeck is a publicly funded academic research unit located in Lübeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It operates as part of the state-owned University of Luebeck under the authority of the State of Schleswig-Holstein. The institute conducts fundamental research in biophysics, organized into three research groups led by the Hübner, Paulsen, and Song groups, respectively. Core research themes include protein folding mechanisms, single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, including classical MD with empirical force fields and hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations.

The institute integrates experimental biophysics techniques (notably single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy) with computational simulation approaches, allowing researchers to compare in silico predictions with in vitro measurements of biomolecular behavior. It has produced 300+ peer-reviewed publications since 1995, constituting a multi-decade research output in the biophysics domain. Educationally, the institute contributes to teaching across four academic programs: biophysics, medical engineering, molecular life sciences, and infection biology.

The institute employs 14 personnel: a Director, a Secretary, a Technician, three Staff Scientists, and six PhD Students. There are no commercial customers, products, or revenue streams. The business model is non-commercial: the institute is funded through the University of Luebeck's state budget allocation and competitive research grants from public funding agencies (e.g., DFG, BMBF, EU framework programs). Pricing, go-to-market, and customer segments are not applicable; the relevant stakeholders are the host university, the State of Schleswig-Holstein, funding bodies, and the academic peer community.

Name

University Luebeck

Legal name

Universität zu Lübeck - Institut für Physik

Website

https://physik.uni-luebeck.de

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Institut für Physik at the University of Luebeck is a publicly funded German academic research group conducting biophysics research across three groups (Hübner, Paulsen, Song), focusing on protein folding, single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations, while teaching biophysics, medical engineering, molecular life sciences, and infection biology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Material Characterization & Spectroscopy (NMR/FTIR/MS) (HLAGADAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Microscopy, Imaging & Flow Cytometry Instruments (HLAGAIAE)

Keywords

• Biophysics research
• Protein folding studies
• Molecular dynamics simulations
• Single molecule spectroscopy
• Academic education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lübeck

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. University Research Funding: Funded through university budget allocation and external research grants from German and European funding agencies. No commercial revenue generation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Institute of Physics at Universitaet zu Luebeck is an academic research and education department specializing in biophysics. It provides degree-level education (Bachelor/Master/PhD) in biophysics, medical engineering, molecular life sciences, and infection biology, and conducts research on protein folding, conformational dynamics, and enzyme function using experimental single molecule fluorescence spectroscopy (FRET, FCS, cryospectroscopy) combined with computational methods such as molecular dynamics simulations and QM/MM approaches.

Product overview

The Institute of Physics at Universität zu Lübeck is an academic research and education institution specializing in biophysics. Its primary offerings include educational programs (Bachelor/Master/PhD theses, lectures in biophysics, medical engineering, molecular life sciences) and research services focused on understanding proteins as molecular machines. The institute conducts research in protein folding, conformational dynamics, and enzyme function using experimental methods (single molecule fluorescence spectroscopy, FRET, FCS, cryospectroscopy) and computational approaches (molecular dynamics simulations, QM/MM methods). Infrastructure includes four custom-built confocal microscopes, optical spectrometers, and automated protein purification systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Biophysics Education Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals since 1995
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Bruker: Large analytical instrumentation company with strong footprint in spectroscopy and structural biology tools. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the laboratory analytical instrument space the institute relies on and contributes method development to.
• Carl Zeiss Microscopy: Major manufacturer of high-end confocal and super-resolution microscopes. Comparable because it supplies the broader microscopy ecosystem in which the institute operates and pursues advanced single-molecule imaging capabilities.
• Leica Microsystems: Established microscopy and imaging solutions provider serving life science and biomedical research. Comparable as a major incumbent in confocal and fluorescence microscopy instrumentation used in similar biophysics workflows.

Direct peers

• European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL): Intergovernmental research organization conducting molecular life sciences research including structural and single-molecule biophysics. Comparable as a non-commercial, publicly funded research body serving European life science with similar publication output and talent development model.
• Research Group for Single Molecule Biophysics (Philipps-Universität Marburg): German university physics group focused on single-molecule fluorescence methods and protein folding. Closely comparable academic peer with overlapping spectroscopy techniques and German academic funding context.
• Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG): Academic research institute combining physics, chemistry, and biology to study molecular cell behavior. Comparable peer with similar mixed experimental/computational biology model and protein/biophysics research focus.
• Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP): Academic research institute conducting molecular and cell biology with strong biophysics and structural biology research programs. Comparable as a basic-research institute with similar publication-driven model and emphasis on understanding molecular mechanisms.
• Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry: Academic research institute performing cutting-edge biophysics and single-molecule research with similar combinations of spectroscopy and structural biology. Directly comparable in mission, methods, and scientific focus on protein folding and dynamics.

Emerging players

• LUMICKS: Commercial provider of single-molecule instrumentation (C-Trap optical tweezers with fluorescence, AFM). Comparable because it commercializes technologies adjacent to the institute's single-molecule methods and serves similar structural biology research users.
• PicoQuant: Specialized vendor of single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy and FCS instrumentation. Comparable as a builder of confocal microscopy and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy tools that overlap with the institute's custom-built optical setups.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-luebeck

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University Luebeck