Using Data and AI to Make New Scientific Breakthroughs

Helmholtz is home to a broad range of research disciplines. In the course of digitalization, the Association has accumulated a massive amount of know-how when it comes to information and data science. To systematically combine that expertise, we created the Helmholtz Information & Data Science Framework, which offers experts support with data-driven research – through networking, exchanges, and access to AI, data management and IT resources.  

One of the framework’s most central instruments: the Incubator Workshops, in which experts from our Centers identify current trends and develop new initiatives. In 2018, one of these workshops was the point of departure for creating five platforms, which cover the core topics of Data Science:

• HIFIS provides secure IT services and central login systems for the Association, while also supporting the development of scientific software.
• HMC develops and implements new concepts and technologies for the sustainable use of research data through high-quality metadata.
• Helmholtz Imaging taps the potential of scientific imaging data, covering the entire imaging chain, and enhances the international visibility of imaging research.
• Helmholtz AI promotes the development and application of AI solutions, facilitates access to tools, data and computing resources, and bolsters Helmholtz’s international presence in the field of applied AI. 
• HIDA embeds AI expertise in the Association by organizing courses, offering national and international exchange formats and, as the umbrella organization for six graduate schools, providing data science training for the researchers of tomorrow

The platforms, which were successfully reviewed in 2022/2023 and are continuously refined, are an excellent example of the Framework’s impacts. And today, the Incubator Workshops continue to be central sources of inspiration and innovation. One recent example: the Helmholtz Foundation Model Initiative, launched in 2024 and a product of the Workshops.

The Helmholtz Information & Data Science Framework offers a robust, interdisciplinary infrastructure that networks and supports experts across Germany, while also fostering the sustainable use of data and AI in research.

Bild: Danilo Ferrera