The International Max Planck Research School for Living Matter (IMPRS-LM) is a joint PhD Program between the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology in Dortmund, the Technical University Dortmund, the Ruhr University Bochum and the University of Duisburg-Essen. All four institutes are located in the Ruhr Metropolitan Area of Germany, an extremely vibrant and culturally interconnected region.