We study the structure and dynamics of populations and explore issues of political relevance, such as aging, fertility, and the redistribution of work over the life course, as well as digitization and the use of new data sources for the estimation of migration flows.
New Faces at MPIDR | December 09, 2025
Welcome Aijie Zhang!
The Laboratory of Fertility and Wellbeing welcomes Aijie Zhang as a PhD student. Her doctoral research will focus on fertility dynamics and patterns in high-income countries. She joins us after completing her Master's degree in Economics at the University of Bonn. Beyond this primary focus, her academic interests also include institutions, gender, inequality and criminology. More
December
15
Scientific Presentations
Talks@BIOSFER
2:00 PM: Talk with Sanna Kailaheimo-Lönnqvist (MPIDR) - ADHD and family formation 2:20 PM: Talk with Huong Thu Nguyen (NIPH) - Can unsuccessful ART cycles be an indication of an increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease among women? A Norwegian registry-linkage study 2:40 PM: Talk with Anne Hjorth Thomsen (Aarhus University) - Parental socioeconomic position and fertility intentions in young adults More
All Events
Call for Application
Population and Social Data Science Summer Incubator Program
Call for Papers
Conference: Kinship Structures, Dynamics, and Inequalities
Introduction to our research groups
Statistical Demography
Gaza | November 25, 2025
Study Reveals Unprecedented Losses of Life and Life Expectancy
A research team from the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) and the Centre for Demographic Studies (CED) investigated the impact of the ongoing conflict in Gaza on mortality. They estimate that 78,318 (70,614-87,504) people were killed in Gaza between October 7, 2023 and December 31, 2024. As a result, life expectancy in Gaza in 2024 fell to nearly half the level expected without the war. An update of their analysis, produced after the publication of the study, revealed that the current violent death toll likely exceeds 100,000. More
Selected Publications
Gueltzow, M.; Lahtinen, H.; Bijlsma, M. J.; Myrskylä, M.; Martikainen, P.:
Genetic propensity to depression and the role of partnership status Social Science and Medicine 351:116992, 1–8. (2024)
Colasurdo, A.; Omenti, R.:
Using online genealogical data for demographic research: an empirical examination of the FamiLinx database Demographic Research 51:41, 1299–1350. (2024)
More Publications
Recommended Readings | November 11, 2025
Rethinking Formal Demography: Birth as an Event Experienced by the Child
Career
Open Positions
Questions and Answers
Being a Researcher at the MPIDR
Working at MPIDR
Life & Research in Rostock
New articles every week
New Issue 3/2025 available | September 25, 2025
The Quarterly German Newsletter
Press Release | July 02, 2025
Rapid Demographic Changes Reshape Family Structures
Open Access
Online Available Books
Workshop | December 08, 2025
New Research Questions for Climate Change
In mid-November, numerous scientists from around the world gathered at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) in Rostock to discuss the topic of “Climate Change, Environmental Hazards and Population Dynamics” at a workshop initiated by Risto Conte Keivabu, Ebru Sanlitürk, Daniela Perrotta, Emilio Zagheni and Raya Muttarak (University of Bologna) and the IUSSP Scientific Panel on Population Dynamics under Global Conflict and Climate Change. More