Five Research Priority Areas (RPAs) characterize the current research profile of TUD:

• Health Sciences, Biomedicine and Bioengineering
• Information Technologies and Microelectronics
• Smart Materials and Structures
• Culture and Knowledge
• Energy and Environment

The five RPAs reflect the existing major strengths, established excellence, the international visibility, and the potential of TUD for innovative long-term development. The RPAs cut across all 14 Faculties of TUD (Fig. 1) and complement their respective resources, research topics and agenda. They are designed as open and flexible strategic topic platforms; they are also interconnected, permeable, and most collaborate strongly with each other, thus compiling top-level resources, infrastructure and scientific excellence of the TUD and its collaborative environment. 85% of TUD´s overall third-party income is generated in the five RPAs. The definition of these strategic RPAs dates back to the year 2004 and the respective agreements with the State of Saxony. The five areas were not established top-down and in isolation but reflect an ongoing, highly dynamic process. In this process the 14 Faculties with their discipline-specific profile of culture and competencies have been strengthened without ignoring the importance of diversity and the right of individual professors to freely select their research activities.

Fig. 1: Contribution of Faculties to Research Priority Areas (RPAs)

Health Sciences, Biomedicine and Bioengineering comprises three interconnected fields at the interface of basic and translational research:
(1) Stem Cells and Tissue Formation, which directly leads to Regenerative Therapies (CRTD, Excellence Cluster);
(2) research uncovering the causes of, and developing therapeutic approaches for, major diseases of modern societies, i.e. Cancer (OncoRay), Diabetes (DZD), and Neurodegeneration (DZNE) as well as other disorders of the brain, notably those tackled by the Psychological and Behavioral Sciences; and
(3) Molecular Bioengineering, which provides an interface between biology and engineering (B CUBE, BIOTEC, Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials). In addition to these three established fields, an additional, emerging research area is Systems Biology, where experimental and theoretical science meet. A particular strength of this RPA is the transdisciplinary networking of basic and translational researchers within TUD and its local non-university partners such as the MPI of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics. These research foci constitute a fertile ground for the advancement of young researchers, as exemplified by the Dres-den International Graduate School for Biomedicine and Bioengineering (DIGS-BB), awarded in the 1st program phase of the Excellence Initiative.
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Information Technologies and Microelectronics is an area of utmost importance as the largest microelectronics hub in Europe is centered in Dresden, with over 1,500 companies growing at an average rate of well over 1,000 jobs/year, expecting to reach approx. 50,000 in 2011. As a result of strategic appointments over the past decade, TUD´s scientific competence now covers the full spectrum from basic and applied research on information processing and communication, to developing and testing innovative materials (Nanotechnology, Bionics). There are strong ties with several regional Fraunhofer Institutes as well as multiple joint ventures with industry’s global leaders, e.g. reflected by acquiring and steering the German Leading-Edge Cluster “CoolSilicon”. Based on research excellence, TUD has been invited to submit a full proposal for an Excellence Cluster Advancing Electronics Dresden.
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Smart Materials and Structures play a decisive role in providing solutions to global mega-challenges such as energy, resources and mobility. Fundamental scientific research activities at TUD focus on understanding the principles of structure-property relations and interactions of materials in various environments, on nanotechnology concepts, new functional and smart materials and corresponding technologies, advanced surface engineering, high performance multifunctional lightweight materials, materials for energy, and new design concepts with adapted sensors and actuators. TUD competences are complemented by intense collaboration with local Leibniz-, Fraunhofer- and Max Planck Institutes and a network of strategic cooperations with prestigious industry partners.
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Culture and Knowledge focuses on the transformation of culture and knowledge with regard to social and political systems, urban and regional developments, as well as cultural institutions, museums and libraries: In this old capital of culture, where the cultural sector also accounts for a well-above average importance in the regional economy and job market, a range of interdisciplinary research programs and intense networks has been established, in particular with
(1) the Deutsches Hygiene Museum Dresden, a unique museum of science, culture, and society,
(2) the prestigious Saxon State and University Library with its internationally renowned collections of manuscripts, documents, maps, and photographs,
(3) the Dresden State Art Collections, one of the oldest and most important museum networks in Europe (consisting of 13 thematically different museums) that enjoys a worldwide reputation, and
(4) the Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development.
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Energy and Environment is an emerging RPA, which is already clearly visible across the full spectrum of TUD Faculties and Institutes. A recent survey showed that 25% of the approximately 500 TUD professors are involved in this area and that 16% regard it as a focus of their research. Existing competences cover topics such as adaptation to climate change, bio-geo-chemistry, biomass, combustion engines, electrochemistry, energy economy, energy efficiency, energy law, energy systems analysis, electricity generation, environmental monitoring and geo-information techniques, forestry, hydrology, limnophysics, mobility, regenerative energy systems, risk management and water resources management. Hence, TUD is in an excellent position to tackle not only core research topics, but also inter- and transdisciplinary research themes, which increasingly are moving into the focus of large environment- and energy-related projects. In June 2011, the 30 Mio Euro research building for the new Center for Energy Technology was opened.

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