Prof. Dr. Dr. Fabian Theis from the Institute of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology is already the second scientist from the bayresq.net research network (after Prof. Dr. Cynthia Sharma) to be awarded with the prestigious and highly endowed research grant from the European Research Council (ERC). For his mathematical modeling of molecular networks, he will receive 1.24 € million in funding over the next few years. We warmly congratulate Prof. Dr. Fabian Theis on this success and wish him continued good results in his current and future research.