One of the fundamental principles of the Max Planck Society, Germany's main scientific research organization, is that its institutes are evenly distributed throughout the country. After reunification, institutes and departments were closed in the west to pay for 20 planned institutes in the east. But progress has not been straightforward. An institute needs a strong local scientific environment. Sadly, standards of research in east German universities are in general lower than in the west.

The fact that the new institute is in historic Dresden rather then in its rundown industrial neighbour Halle will help recruitment, according to Huttner. In Dresden there are relatively few research institutes, mainly concerned with physical sciences. But the small biology faculty at the local Technical University is expanding and will collaborate with the new institute.

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