The section for theoretical physics has for a long time had a focus on particle physics phenomenology at CERN. There are currently research activities in the section that aim at finding signatures of new physics beyond the standard model in particle physics experiments.
More effort in the section has recently been aimed at understanding in a broader sense what the universe is made of (similar to the general research interests of the CERN theory group). In particular, the particle nature of dark matter is a central research topic.