The association BR50 not only supports the scientific collaboration and cooperation of the institutions, but also acts as voice for the non-university research institutions in Berlin. BR50 therefore represents the interests of its member institutions towards politics, other scientific actors, industry and society. In this function, BR50 is recognised leading to a regular exchange with relevant politicians of the Berlin Senate and also addresses issues at the federal and EU level. 

On behalf of the Senate Department for Science, Health, and Care (SenWGP), BR50 published the BR50-Eckpunktepapier for the Berlin Research and Innovation Area in April 2025,. The key points contained in the paper were incorporated into the long-term research policy strategy for Berlin, which the SenWGP published on June 9, 2026.

These political efforts culminate in the inclusion of BR50 in the current Berlin coalition agreement between the CDU and SPD (2023–2026).

All BR50 institutions have agreed on a 10-point position paper (including a press release), which was updated concerning the re-election in 2023 (German only). Furthermore, BR50 is involved in discussions on joint professorships and published a press release on the WissZeitVG.

The BR50 Unit Life Sciences has also convened a sounding board on animal welfare to promote fair and honest communication.

BR50's non-university research institutions regularly develop science policy demands in the run-up to elections for the Berlin House of Representatives. Those lead to science policy position papers. The latest position paper includes demands to the Berlin Senate to further strengthen Berlin as a science metropolis. In recent years, the Berlin Senate has been supportive to the interests of the science and research community. This commitment should be continued and expanded. Therefore, the non-univeristy research institutions identified nine important key points in three areas:

1. Simplification and promotion of joint professorships between universities and non-university research institutions
2. Strengthen International network and diversity as location factors in a global research economy
3. Grant the same rights to junior research group leaders at universities and non-university institutions
4. Promotion of infrastructure for excellent research
5. Ensuring of adequate spatial arrangements for research
6. Honest and realistic communication on animal experimental research
7. Expansion of support for small and individual projects
8. Develop the Berlin-Brandenburg Metropolitan Region as a healthy place to live
9. Improving the Framework Conditions for Spin-offs from the Academic Sector

The position paper was published (in German language only) on February 9th 2023, including a press release.

The stated goal is to enhance the replacement, reduction and refinement (3Rs) in terms of animal testing. To achieve this, the development of alternative methods for animal testing is already an integral part of research. Nonetheless, it is not possible to completely dispense with animal experiments in research at present. Maintaining research success and international competitiveness requires political acceptance of necessary animal experiments on the one hand and support for projects to reduce animal testing in general in Berlin on the other. The aim should be political support for the pooling of expertise in Berlin so that the city can assert itself as a pioneer in the development of alternative technologies to animal experiments. This includes a transparent and reflected communication by all stakeholders and a higher efficiency during approval procedures for animal experiments.

Therefore, the BR50 Unit Life Sciences has initiated a Sounding Board on the topic of animal welfare and has joined forces with relevant representatives of Berlin universities and the industry and start-up scene. The Sounding Board evaluates the situation in Berlin, analyzes the legal and political framework and develops strategies for an honest communication on animal experiments and the development of alternatives into politics and society.
The Sounding Board addresses politics with their concerns and are heard by politicians and a regular exchange is planned.

If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the Interest Groups, please contact the BR50 office.

Contact:

Dr. Anja Sommerfeld
BR50 Office Berlin Adlershof

Many of the BR50 institutions already work closely with the alliance partners of the Berlin University Alliance (BUA) - be it in joint professorships and junior research groups, in collaborative research projects, PhD programs as well as graduate schools, or within the framework of the five Berlin Clusters of Excellence Center for Chiral Electronics (CCE), ImmunoPreCept, Math+, NeuroCure, and SCRIPTS.

The two major collaborative initiatives of the Brain City Berlin seek a regular dialogue. The goal is to further strengthen the cooperation between Berlin's non-university institutions and the universities in Berlin in strategic fields of action. On the one hand, this includes regular exchanges between the BR50 board and the presidents of Berlin's universities on strategic questions of academia. On the other hand, exchange is also sought at the working level on topics that can be shaped even better together.

To formalize the collaboration between BR50 and the BUA and to make concrete research strategical progress for Berlin both netwrorks signed a Memorandum of Understanding on August 18, 2025. The cooperation agreement establishes a shared vision and mission toward an overarching research agenda for Berlin, guided by the five profile areas developed jointly (see the BR50-Eckpunktepapier):

1. Democratic Societies and Coexistence in Times of Global Disruption
2. Cultures: Aesthetics, Knowledge, Materiality
3. Gaining Knowledge in a Digital Society: Big Data, AI, Algorithms
4. Global Change & Well-being: One Health, Environment and Systemic Resilience
5. Technologies for a Sustainable Future (Materials & the Quantum Scale)

If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the cooperation with BUA, please contact the BR50 office.

Contact:

Dr. Anja Sommerfeld
BR50 Office Berlin Adlershof

Universities are eligible to apply, but extensive networking and cooperation with partner institutions is very beneficial for a successful application. Non-university research institutions play a crucial role here, as they are important players in science locations.
In the last Excellence Strategy, the Berlin research area was able to bring five clusters of excellence to the capital, which explore different scientific topics in an interdisciplinary manner. Non-university research institutions are involved in all the clusters of excellence, they are demonstrably an essential component of the Berlin Clusters of Excellence.
A total of 21 BR50 institutes are involved in the five Clusters of Excellence, 15 of them as direct partners and others are involved in the scientific work with research groups.

The Center for Chiral Electronics (CCE) aims to develop new concepts for more efficient ultrafast electronics in order to counteract the rise in energy consumption caused by new technologies such as AI and cloud computing in a long-term and sustainable manner. The project is inspired by the property of chirality, which is found in many natural objects and gives them exceptional stability; however, this property has not yet been utilized in electronics.

The CCE is a cross-state cluster of excellence involving Martin Luther University and the Max Planck Institute for Microstructure Physics in Halle, Freie Universität Berlin, and the University of Regensburg. Researchers from the Max Born Institute for Nonlinear Optics and Short Pulse Spectroscopy (MBI) are also participating.

The ImmunoPreCept Cluster of Excellence stands for modern medicine and brings together research, medicine, and society. The goal is to directly address the causes of disease and fundamentally strengthen health, rather than simply treating symptoms later in the course of the disease. In this way, ImmunoPreCept helps to reduce the long-term burden on health care systems, improve people’s quality of life, and promote health and resilience among the population.

ImmunoPreCept involves the the Max Delbrück Center (MDC), the German Rheumatology Research Center (DRFZ), the Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (MfN), the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics (MPIMG) and the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology (MPIIB).

MATH+ is a cross-institutional and cross-disciplinary Cluster of Excellence at which scientists want to investigate and further develop new approaches in application-oriented mathematics. The focus is on mathematical foundations for the use of ever larger amounts of data in the life and material sciences, energy and network research or the humanities and social sciences.

Six BR50 members (WZB Berlin Social Science Center, Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB), Weierstraß Institute for Analysis and Applied Stochastics (WIAS), Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB)) from all four units (Social Sciences and Humanities, Life Sciences, Natural Sciences and Technology and Engineering) are involved in MATH+.

The Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure investigates neurological and psychiatric diseases. In order to generate synergies, a close connection is maintained between basic science and clinical research. For translation purposes, the NeuroCure Clinical Research Center (NCRC) was established at the Charité.

Four BR50 members (Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology (FMP), Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) and German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)) from the Unit Life Sciences are involved in NeuroCure.

SCRIPTS is a Cluster of Excellence that analyses why the liberal model of order has fallen into crisis despite its political, economic and social achievements. Interdisciplinary research teams are investigating why alternative concepts of social order are on the rise, how these challenges differ from previous ones and what the consequences are for the global challenges of our time.

Four BR50 members (WZB Berlin Social Science Center, Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient (ZMO), Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS) and German Institute for Economic Research (DIW)) from the Unit Social Sciences and Humanities are involved in SCRIPTS.

The “GraFOx” research network brings together activities in crystal growth, epitaxy, theory and fundamental physics investigations with one goal: To create and investigate oxide systems for new generations of electronic devices. With start-up funding as a Leibniz ScienceCampus, researchers from 8 institutions are pooling their enthusiasm and expertise for oxides. GraFOx brings together many unique research facilities, equally in experiment and theory, in more than 33 coordinated projects involving 40 PIs and 25 PhD students.

Four BR50 institutions (Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik (PDI), Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ), Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB) and Fritz Haber Institute (FHI) of the Max Planck Society) from the Natural Sciences Unit are involved in GraFOx.

The Leibniz Research Alliance "Resilient Ageing" explores resilience in old age and ways from therapy to the study of mechanisms to participate in life despite age and the problems associated with it.

Four BR50 institutions (German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), WZB Berlin Social Science Center, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) and Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) of the Life Sciences and Social Sciences and Humanities Units are involved in the research network.

The Leibniz Biodiversity Research Network pools the expertise of Leibniz institutions in the environmental, social, life, spatial and economic sciences to propose sustainable solutions to address the goals of national and international biodiversity agreements with the often competing goals of climate, energy, agricultural and economic policy.

Four BR50 institutions (Museum für Naturkunde (MfN), Leibniz Centre for General Linguistics (ZAS), Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) and Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB)) from the Units Life Sciences and Social Sciences and Humanities are involved in the research network.

The Leibniz Research Alliance "INFECTIONS in an Urbanizing World – Humans, Animals, Environments“ is dedicated to the management of outbreaks of infectious diseases and the containment of the spread of viruses. The aim is to establish interdisciplinary research and communication across disciplinary boundaries and thereby develop new strategies and methods for early warning systems, also with the participation of the public.
Three BR50 institutions (Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) and Robert Koch Institute (RKI)) of the Unit Life Science are part of the Leibniz Research Alliance.

The Leibniz Research Network Educational Potentials (LERN) aims to put the potential of education and for education to a better use and has identified four main goals concerning its research activities and the exchange with other actors in the field of education from science, politics, administration and educational practice: Joint research priorities, exchange of scientific expertise, international networking and knowledge transfer.

Three BR50 institutions (WZB Berlin Social Science Center, German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) and Leibniz Centre for General Linguistics (ZAS)) from the Social Sciences and Humanities Unit are involved in LERN.

The Leibniz Research Network "Mathematical Modelling and Simulation (MMS)" explores modern methods for modelling and simulation in basic research in industry and the natural sciences as well as for carrying out reliable estimation procedures in the humanities, economics and social sciences. Methods from very different areas of mathematics are applied. Problems can be worked on at all space and time scales - from nanoparticles to cosmic structures, from the femtosecond to the age of the universe - and at different levels of complexity: from the company to the world economy, from local environmental events to global climate models.

Eight BR50 institutions (German Rheumatism Research Centre Berlin (DRFZ), Museum für Naturkunde (MfN), Leibniz-Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung (IZW), Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ), Leibniz Centre for General Linguistics (ZAS), Max Born Institute for Nonlinear Optics and Short Pulse Spectroscopy (MBI), Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektroniks (PDI) and Weierstraß Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics (WIAS)) from all four units (Life Sciences, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities as well as Technology and Engineering) are involved in MMS.

The “Berlin-Brandenburg Institute for Biodiversity Research (BBIB)” works on strategies to address the global loss of biodiversity. The aim is to overcome traditional academic boundaries and integrate competences from ecology, evolution, social and political sciences in the Berlin region.

Three BR50 institutions (Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) and Museum für Naturkunde (MfN)) from the Life Sciences Unit are involved in the BBIB.

The Berlin Institute for the Foundations of Learning and Data (BIFOLD) is a national competence centre for fundamental science in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). It explores a broad range of topics and creates a platform for interdisciplinary research and knowledge exchange between natural sciences and humanities, industry, start-ups and society.

Six BR50 institutions (Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB), Weierstraß Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics (WIAS), German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics (MPIMG), Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) and Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG)) from the units Technology and Engineering, Life Sciences, and Social Sciences and Humanities are involved in BIFOLD.

The Berlin Ultrahigh Field Facility (BUFF) is a joint infrastructure on the campus in Berlin-Buch and is equipped with various Tesla MR Scanners for humans and animals. BUFF research focuses on the development of magnetic resonance methodology and technology with an emphasis on new ways to map and probing morphology, function, physiology, and metabolism together with explorations of the benefits and challenges of ultrahigh field MR to advance cardiovascular, neurovascular, molecular, and other MR applications.

Three BR50 institutions (Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) and Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology (FMP)) from the Life Sciences and Natural Sciences Units are involved in the MX-Laboratory.

BESSY II was set up for the the general improvement and development of accelerator-based radiation sources. This includes the generation, acceleration and manipulation of high-brilliance electron beams as well as the generation of high-brilliance photon beams using spontaneous and seeded undulator radiation for user-oriented scientific research.

Three BR50 facilities (Helmholz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB), Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) and Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)) of the Natural Sciences Unit are involved in the project.

The Joint Berlin MX-Laboratory was founded to promote structural biology research in the greater Berlin area and is available to the crystallography community. Since 2009, many joint research projects have been carried out and over 100 articles have been published in the field of identifying complex protein structures using synchrotron radiation. In addition, the Joint Berlin MX-Day was established, which provides a forum and meeting point for all structural biologists from the greater Berlin area.

Three BR50 institutions (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB), Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) and Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology (FMP)) from the Natural Sciences and Life Sciences Units are involved in the MX-Laboratory.

The Einstein Center 3R works on the basis of the 3R principle ("Replace, Reduce, Refine") to improve unavoidable animal experiments and to develop robust alternative methods that can be applied by a wide range of users.

The Einstein Center 3R was initiated by the four Berlin University partners Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Technische Universität Berlin. Four BR50 institutions (Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Robert Koch Institute (RKI)) are involved in the Einstein Center 3R.

The Einstein Center Chronoi deals with the awareness and perception of time, concepts and the organization of time in antiquity. Researchers from the social, natural and life sciences are involved.
Four BR50 institutions (Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW), German Archaeological Institute (DAI), Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG), Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz (SPK)) are along with the Freie Universität Berlin and the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin involved in the Einstein Center Chronoi.

The Einstein Center of Catalysis (EC2) pursues the goal of significantly strengthening catalysis research, for example by bundling expertise in the greater Berlin area and generating new synergy effects.

Participating scientists are located at all Berlin universities as well as at three BR50 institutions (Fritz Haber Institute (FHI), Helmholtz Center Berlin (HZB), Leibniz Institute for Molecular Pharmacology (FMP)) and work closely with the Cluster of Excellence "Unifying Systems in Catalysis" (UniSysCat).

The Einstein Center for Mathematics bundles mathematical competencies in order to conduct application-oriented basic research in innovative fields and to jointly expand established structures in science and research as well as links to external partners.

Two BR50 institutions (Weierstrass Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics (WIAS) and Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB)) are involved in the Einstein Center for Mathematics, which is closely linked to the Cluster of Excellence "Berlin Mathematics Research Center MATH+".

The Einstein Center for Regenerative Therapies aims to improve the care of patients whose body's own healing processes are impaired. These include people with immune deficiencies, diabetics or elderly patients who need treatment for injuries or diseases of the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular or immune systems.

Six BR50 members (Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB), Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics (MPIMG), German Rheumatism Research Center (DRFZ) and Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW)) are involved in the Einstein Center for Regenerative Therapies. The center is backed by the BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT) and the Berlin School for Regenerative Therapies (BSRT).

The Einstein Center Digital Future (ECDF) researches and develops concepts and technologies in the core area digital infrastructures, methods and algorithms as well as in the innovation areas digital health, digital society and digital industry and services.

In addition to the Berlin universities and the Charité, four BR50 institutions (German Aerospace Center (DLR), Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB)) are involved in the Einstein Center Digital Future.

The “Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv)” is a central hub for genomics and bioinformatics researchers in Berlin to study ecological and evolutionary processes. The aim is to advance biodiversity research and exchange knowledge through symposia and seminars, which will serve as a nucleus for collaborative research.

Three BR50 institutions (Museum für Naturkunde (MfN), Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) and Leibniz Institute of Freshwater and Inland Fisheries (IGB)) from the Life Sciences Unit are involved in the collaboration.

The joint project "Machine learning for inverse problems with continuous normalising flow" is concerned with the development of reliable measurements of the optical properties of thin-film systems and nanostructures. The aim is to gain knowledge in the field of inverse modelling and virtual measurement methods. This will provide the basis for the development of novel nanoelectronic devices, high-quality sensors and effective photovoltaic elements.

Two BR50 institutions (Weierstraß Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics (WIAS), Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)) and Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) of the Unit Technology and Engineering as well as the Unit Natural Sciences are involved in the project.

The research project "Mikromobilität auf Geh- und Radwegen" (Micromobility on foot and cycle paths) explores ways and possibilities for a regulated interaction of different means of transport as well as the implementation of new mobility offers such as e-scooters. The aim is to identify direct and indirect conflict potentials between active and electric micromobility as well as to clarify the traffic effects of new offers and, based on this, to derive recommendations on suitable planning, communicative and regulatory policy instruments.

Three BR50 institutions (German Institute for Urban Studies (DIFU), DLR-Institute of Transport Research and DLR-Institute of Transportation Systems) of the Social Sciences and Humanities Unit and the Technology and Engineering Unit are involved in the project.

The "PowerElec" project focuses on the development of novel metrological methods and instruments that enable a leap in productivity in the power electronics industry. Topics include the electrification of transport, smart power distribution and 5G/6G communication.

Three BR50 institutions (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) and Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ)) from the Natural Sciences Unit are involved in the project.

The project "Collecting the Anthropocene Together" aims to make it possible to subjectively experience the planetary impact of humans as a geological factor as well as their entanglement in the Earth system and interaction with other species. New forms of knowledge transfer will be developed in the context of natural history collections.

Three BR50 institutions (Museum für Naturkunde (MfN), Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG) and Leibniz Centre for Literary and Cultural Research (ZfL)) of the Units Social Sciences and Humanities and Life Sciences are involved in the project.

AIDHeal pools expertise in data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence and digital health in the Berlin-Brandenburg region and intensify scientific activities. To support this, AIDHeal provides a platform to train the next generation of Digital Health AI experts and a platform for networking to establish long-term collaborations. By that, the international competitiveness and visibility of "Digital Healtcare, Made in Germany" will be advanced.

Next to the two BR50 members that are involved (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB) and Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC)) from the Units Natural Sciences and Life Sciences, BR50 is an official partner of AIDHeal.

HEIBRiDS is a joint graduate programme in Data Science between the Einstein Center Digital Future (ECDF) and the Helmholtz Association. Launched in 2018, HEIBRiDS is an interdisciplinary programme that trains young scientists in Data Science applications across a broad spectrum of natural science fields, ranging from Earth & Environment, Astronomy, Space & Planetary Science to Earth Sciences, Materials & Energy and Molecular Medicine.

Three BR50 institutions (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB), Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) and the BR50 guest institution Einstein Foundation Berlin) from the Units Natural Sciences and Life Sciences are part of HEIBRiDS.

The "Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FVB)" is one of the largest non-university research institutions in Berlin. It consists of seven institutes in the natural, engineering, life and environmental sciences that conduct cutting-edge research. The FVB offers the institutes a joint administration and a platform for the exchange of researchers.

Both the FVB and its seven member institutes (Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology (FMP), Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ), Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Max Born Institute for Nonlinear Optics and Short Pulse Spectroscopy (MBI), Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik (PDI) and Weierstraß Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics (WIAS)) are BR50 institutions and part of the Units Natural Sciences, Life Sciences as well as Technology and Engineering.

The "Geisteswissenschaftlichen Zentren Berlin e. V. (GWZ)" has been the responsible body for three Berlin research centres in the field of the humanities since 1996.

These are the three BR50 members Leibniz Centre for General Linguistics (ZAS), Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient (ZMO) and Leibniz-Zentrum für Literatur- und Kulturforschung (ZfL), which all belong to the Social Sciences and Humanities are part of GWZ. Furthermore, GWZ itself is a member institution of BR50.

The "Initiativgemeinschaft Außeruniversitärer Forschungseinrichtungen in Adlershof" (IGAFA) is an association of six non-university research institutions in the Technology Park in Adlershof, that aims to promote inter-institutional scientific cooperation and connects German and international scientists from the universitys, the non-university research institutions and companies in Adlershof.

Furthermore, IGAFA is committed to strengthening female careers in a long-term and sustainable manner and to significantly increasing the visibility of women in science and technology. Therefore, the Ladies Network Adlershof (LaNA) was established in 2009. LaNA unites female scientists, women in leadership positions and those at the beginning of their leadership careers as well as female entrepreneurs, founders and equal opportunity officers and facilitates access to the existing network potentials in the science and technology park.

Five BR50 institutions (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Helmholz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB), Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ), Max Born Institute for Nonlinear Optics and Short Pulse Spectroscopy (MBI) and Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)) of the Natural Sciences Unit are members of IGAFA.