Since 1969 the Max Planck Society has been supporting gifted, young scientists and researchers through its Max Planck Research Groups, which run for a limited period of time. More than one hundred young scientists chosen in an international selection process have since had the opportunity to lay the stepping stones for a successful career in science by assuming responsibility for research early on in their career. This includes having access to a restricted but secure budget. Following their work in an Independent Max Planck Research Group, almost half of the scientists succeeded in qualifying for a C4 professorship (full professorship) at a university in Germany or abroad. Every fifth scientist received a C3 professorship (assistant professorship), and eight former heads of Max Planck Research Groups have been appointed Scientific Members of the Max Planck Society.

The Max Planck Institute of Biophysics hosts two of these groups: Computational Structural Biology (Dr. Lucy Forrest) and Theoretical Molecular Biophysics (Dr. José Faraldo-Gómez). These groups use theoretical and computational techniques to study the structure, flexibility and function of protein structures and assemblies.