Measures to advance research careers

We will promote scientific education of PhD students and Postdocs of this research unit. All PhD students will enter a structured educational program offered by the individual universities where they acquire credit points by visiting lectures and courses (e.g. Heidelberg BiosciencesInternational Graduate School (HBIGS) at the University of Heidelberg; International Giessen Graduate Center for the life sciences (GGL) at the Justus Liebig University of Giessen; Graduate school for Biomedical Sciences (BIOME) University Duisburg-Essen; the Münster Graduate School of Evolution (MGSE) or research training group “Evolutionary Processes in Adaptation and Disease” (EvoPAD) (Münster), the Bonn International Graduate School (BIGS)-Immunoscience and Infection at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn and the IRTG2168 “Myeloid immune cells and the induction of adaptive immunity”, an international graduate school focusing on anti-infectious defense together with Melbourne University, Australia, especially with the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, a leading institution in infection immunology. We will organize lab-rotations between the research unit members to acquire skills in animal models, experimental methods, as well as offering hospitations in the clinical departments. These measures will advance education of PhD students and ensure research progress. PhD students of this research unit are well known to the PIs, increasing their chances to apply successfully for PostDoc positions.

A mentorship program for PhD students and Postdocs will be set in place using a mentors and mentee open match system within the research group to support early career. At present, we consist of a mixture of senior and junior PIs, even allowing a mentoring program on a PI level. Early career support beyond mentoring is provided by workshops and seminars for key addon-qualifications, e.g., teaching/didactic skills, presentation skills, scientific writing, Good Scientific Practice, ethics, regulatory aspects, and leadership training.

The consortium is also committed to support clinician scientists. Research programs, such as IFORES and UMEA in Essen, the BONFOR and Clinician Scientist Program in Bonn, DFG funded JLU CAREER in Giessen, the Clinician-Scientist-Program of the Medical Faculty (WWU Münster), DFG funded Clinician Scientist Program “Interfaces and Interventions in Complex Chronic Conditions” at Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, which all provide funding for 12-24 months research rotations for young doctors.