On October, 1st Matthias Lehmann moved from the Chemnitz University of Technology to the University of Würzburg, where he finds best conditions for continuing his research on soft, organised materials and liquid crystals. This step forward is supported by a Heissenberg fellowship which allows him to establish a new research group in Würzburg.

Florian Beuerle is inspired by the idea of developing novel chemical systems for potential materials applications and has now chosen the Institute of Organic Chemistry in Würzburg to establish his own junior research group.

By means of molecular and crystal engineering Frank Würthner and co-workers obtained high-performance organic thin-film transistors (TFTs) based on a highly electron-poor octachloroperylene diimide.

A third chair („Physical Organic Chemistry“) has been established at the Institute of Organic Chemistry in order to meet future challenges in material-oriented research.

Prabhat K. Sahu, post-doc at the Institute of Organic Chemistry (research group of Prof. Engels), was awarded the poster prize at the 2nd Indo-German Symposium on "Modeling Chemical and Biological (Re)Activity" held in Wildbad Kreuth.

The “Academic Ranking of World Universities 2009” (“Shanghai Ranking”), a highly regarded research ranking of the 400 best universities worldwide, puts Würzburg’s chemistry department in second place among all German universities and in 37th place worldwide.

The cover of the November issue of "Nature Chemistry" shows water-soluble perylene bisimide vesicles that have been developed in the Institute of Organic Chemistry.

Stefanie Luff, former apprentice in the Institute of Organic Chemistry, received an award for the best exam in 2009 from Claus Bolza-Schünemann, president of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK).

Jürgen Seibel has been appointed Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Würzburg. He succeeds Carsten Schmuck who left the institute in summer 2008.

Thomas Meinhardt from the group of Prof. Anke Krüger has received the BASF junior researcher award for his outstanding diploma thesis at the chemistry department of the Christiania Albertina University of Kiel.

Anke Krüger has been appointed Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Würzburg. She succeeds Prof. Manfred Christl who retired in spring 2007.

Marina Safont, PhD student at the institute of organic chemistry (supervisor Prof. Würthner), was awarded the Royal Chemical Society's 2008 OBC Poster prize at an international symposium held in Geneva.

Prof. Dr. Carsten Schmuck accepted a call for a chair of organic chemistry at the University Duisburg-Essen and will leave the University of Würzburg by the end of this summer term. He declined another call for a chair at the University of Jena.