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www.uni-goettingen.dex
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Auf dem ‚fast track‘ zur Promotion
International MSc/PhD Programs Neurosciences and Molecular Biology in Göttingen
Michael Hörner
Auf dem ‚fast track‘ zur Promotion
International MSc/PhD Programs Neurosciences and Molecular Biology in Göttingen
Michael Hörner
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen - Facts and Figures
� founded in 1737
� 13 faculties, 180 institutes
� 25,000 students (compared to
130,000 citizens of Göttingen)
� 12 % students from abroad (37 % in
the natural sciences at graduate level)
� 1,300 research cooperations in 80
countries
� one of 9 German universities awarded
by the Excellence Competition
Key Data
The Georg-August-Universität GöttingenThe Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Max Planck Institutes in Göttingen
The Max Planck Institutes in GöttingenThe Max Planck Institutes in Göttingen
Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry
Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine
Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization
Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity
Max Planck Institute for Solar Systems Research (near Göttingen)
Source: J. Winkler
The North Campus
University and Max Planck Institutes -Collaboration in Research and Training in the Natural Sciences
The Göttingen Natural Sciences Research Community
Neuroscience Program IMPRS: Participating InstitutionsMolecular Biology IMPRS
52
34
1
1. Uni-Bio (Biology: Institute of Microbiology and Genetics)
2. Uni-Med (Medicine: University Hospital)
3. Uni-Phy (Physics: New Physics Building)
4. Uni-Che (Chemistry: Organic, Inorganic and Physical Chemistry)
5. European Neuroscience Institute (ENI-G)
6. MPI-bpc (Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry
7. MPI-ds (Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization
8. MPI-em (Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine)
9. DPZ (Leibniz Institute: German Primate Center)
6 7
89
The Göttingen Natural Sciences Research Community
The Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences and Molecular Biosciences (GGNB)
Concept of GGNBConcept of GGNB
GGNB forms a common roof for thematically focused doctoral programs in the molecular life sciences and the neurosciences regarding ...
� Training
� Measures for quality assurance
� International recruitment
� Examinations and degrees
� Service and organization
The Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences and Molecular Biosciences (GGNB)
Key Features� MSc degree as entry level� interview-based student selection� 3 (+ 1) year PhD projects� thesis committees� methods courses� professional skills & language courses� industry excursions� student-organized conferences� gender equality measures� cultural events
GGNB doctoral programs as the student‘s “home base“
individually tailored curriculum in English
� Molecular Biology (MSc/PhD)
� Neurosciences (MSc/PhD/MD-PhD)
� Biomolecules: Structure – Function – Dynamics
� Biology of Microbial, Animal and Plant Cells
� Molecular Biology of Development and Interaction between Organisms
� Physics and Advanced Microscopy of Biological Systems
� Molecular Physiology of the Brain
� Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience
� Sensory and Motor Neuroscience
� Systems Neuroscience
The Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences and Molecular Biosciences (GGNB)
currently 141 faculty members - up to 400 PhD students
The Doctoral Programs of GGNBThe Doctoral Programs of GGNB
� created in 2000
� integrated MSc/PhD programs
- BSc degree as entry level
- one year of MSc-level courses
- performance-based, direct transfer to PhD project
The International MSc/PhD Programs in Molecular Biology & Neurosciences
A success story!� heavily oversubscribed
10-20 applicants / place
� concepts adopted by many programs in Germany
DAAD & Stifterverband Award 2006
... and the students ...
The International MSc/PhD Programs in Molecular Biology & Neurosciences
Key Features• Four year program from the BS to the PhD
• International
� 60-70% students from abroad
� from admission to graduation in English
• 20 students per year, individually selected bya three-step evaluation procedure
• Intensive course program (1st year)
� no semester structure
� 90 credits
• All courses newly established
� lectures (open to all university students)
� tutorials (groups of 10 students)
� methods courses (groups of 5 students)
� lab rotations (3 individual projects)
� seminars (2 presentations per student)
• Research-oriented training
• Direct admission to PhD program after 1 year (without MSc thesis = ‚fast track‘)
PhD/MD-PhD/Dr. rer. nat.
The International MSc/PhD/MD-PhD Program Max Planck Research School Neurosciences IMPRS
1 2 3 40Year
Entry(BSc)
Examinations(written/oral)
Doctoral ThesisThesis Defense
MSc degreeFirst segment (90 Credits)
MScThesis
Doctoral Program (30 Credits)
Applications: 83 159 172 164 227 213 253 150 176 (2000) (2001) (2002) (2003) (2004) (2005) (2006) (2007) (2008)
Selection / Admission
• STEP1: written application documents
• STEP2: written subject test
• STEP3: personal interviews (in Göttingen or by video conference)
The International MSc/PhD/MD-PhD Program Max Planck Research School Neurosciences IMPRS
Written Subject Test• 2,5h multiple choice test
• 3 sections (biology, chemistry, physics)
• offered in home countries / towns� DAAD offices
� Goethe Institutes
� German embassies
� scientific contacts
• 108 participants at 54 locations in 31 countries (2008)(since 2000: 1597 applicants, > 750 participants > 120 locations in > 50 countries)
Ranking of Application Documents• First screening (esp. India and China)
• Circulation of selected applications (among 6 faculty members)
• Shortlist for written subject test (approx. 50% of all applications)
The International MSc/PhD/MD-PhD Program Max Planck Research School Neurosciences IMPRS
Doctoral Program: Overview
• Emphasis on doctoral research project
• Supervision by doctoral advisory
committee (Thesis Committee)
• Curricular Requirements (credits)
• Scientific colloquia and seminars
• International research conferences
• Serving as teaching assistants / tutors
• Special courses
• Electives
The International MSc/PhD/MD-PhD Program Max Planck Research School Neurosciences IMPRS
Typically 2-4 days, small groups of students
34 courses offered in 2006 – 52 courses offered in 2007 continuously enlarged and improved
Advanced Methods Courses
• Working with protein structures – computer-based data analysis
• Analysis of gene expression (whole mount in situ hybridization, RT-PCR)
• Methods for stuyding secretion: Patch clamp, amperometry, TIRFM
• Introduction to animal experiments
• Microbial imaging – Confocal laserscan microscopy and other techniques
• Analysis of gene function (mRNA injection, animal cap assay)
• Biochemical analysis of SNARE-mediated membrane fusion
• Cell migration and development of zebrafish
• Application of FRET microscopy techniques to measure protein interactions and activity
• Molecular Biology of yeast: Applications of the „Tandem Affinity Purification“ tag in yeast with wild type and mutant background
• Generation of transgenic embryos
• Parental RNAi in Tribolium
• Sequence analysis of proteins and their post-translational modifications by MALDI-TOoF and electrospray ionization (ESI) mass sprectrometry
• Introduction to micorarray analysis (1 week, full day, lecture and exercises)
The International MSc/PhD Programs Max Planck Research Schools Neuro/MolBio IMPRS
Course on Scientific Communication
Dr. Heather Sylin Roberts (New Zealand) - 3-4 day block seminar (article, poster, oral presentations), offered annually since 2001
Seminar on Bioethics and Research Ethics
Dr. Roberto Andorno (Argentina) - Weekend seminar, offered annually since 2001
Intercultural Communication Workshop
A. & S. Petersen (Aachen) - Weekend workshop / retreat in collaboration with PhD programs in Ulm & Hannover, offered annually since 2004
Schering AG Berlin: The Drug Discovery Process
Dr. B. Seilheimer (Berlin) - Kickoff meeting & 2-day workshop in GÖ & Berlin excursion, offered annually since 2004
Career Seminar (organized by doctoral students (MPI-bpc + MPI-em + GZMB)
1-h Wednesday talks by invited speakers 6-8 times per year
Professional Skills Courses 2007/2008
Course on Science and Medical Writing for the Public
Dr. Janet Yagoda Shagham (USA) – 5-6 day seminar workshop, offered since 2005
Industry Excursions
1-2 day excursion, first excursion: Solvay Pharma, Sartorius AG, Qiagen, BASF (twice per year)
The International MSc/PhD Programs Max Planck Research Schools Neuro/MolBio IMPRS
Neurizons symposium organized by the Neuroscience students
held as a regular bi-annual meetingorganized by PhD students
The International MSc/PhD/MD-PhD Program Max Planck Research School Neurosciences IMPRS
Extracurricular Activities
• Culture Nights (7-8 per year)
• Poetry Nights
• Chinese New Year
• Indian Nights
• Balkan-Anatolian Night
• Carnival
• Latin-American Night
• Christmas Parties
• Irish Night
• Movie Nights
• Drama Group
• German-Swiss Night
• Culture Quiz Night
• Casino Night …
The International MSc/PhD Programs Max Planck Research Schools Neuro/MolBio IMPRS
New Industry Co-operation since 2006: Sartorius stedim AG Göttingen
Industry LabRotations co-operation since 2006
Sartorius Biotechnicum Labs
Projects for LR2 + LR3 2007/08
The International MSc/PhD Programs Max Planck Research Schools Neuro/MolBio IMPRS
*42 articles with SCI > 10** 101 arcticles (59 %) as 1st author
PhD graduates currently on postdoc positions 87 percent
Average number of published articles derived from PhD thesis 2.9
Number of published articles in 2004 – 2007 (June) 170**
Average Science Citation Index of published articles 8.2*
Average duration of PhD thesis 3.3 years
Average age at PhD graduation 27.4 years
Dropout rate (early termination of PhD project) 3 percent
66 students have graduated so far ...
The International MSc/PhD Programs in Molecular Biology & Neurosciences
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION !
The International MSc/PhD Programs Max Planck Research Schools Neuro/MolBio IMPRS
Extracurricular Activities
• Industry Excursions (1-2 per year)
The International MSc/PhD Programs Max Planck Research Schools Neuro/MolBio IMPRS
Extracurricular Activities
• Cultural Excursions (1-2 per year)
• Goslar / Rammelsberg
• Harz Mountains / Brocken Summit
• Grenzlandmuseum Teistungen
• Weimar / Buchenwald (07/2006)
The International MSc/PhD Programs Max Planck Research Schools Neuro/MolBio IMPRS
Quality Control - Program
• Internal Evaluations
� mid-term meetings
� curricular planning meetings
� online evaluations of courses
• External Evaluations
� DAAD: evaluations 2001, 2003, 2005
� ZEvA Hannover: accreditation 12/03
� MWK: evaluation 2004
� MPG (IMPRS): evaluation 2005
� DAAD/Stifterverb.: TOP 10 2006
� Excellence Award 2007
The International MSc/PhD Programs Max Planck Research School Neuro/MolBio IMPRS
Major Research Topics� biomolecular dynamics
� supramolecular machineries
� membrane fusion
� cell dynamics and biochemical networks
� nonlinear dynamics, soft matter, complex fluids
� sub-wavelength light microscopy
� X-ray microscopy
� ultrafast laser spectroscopy
� AFM, single molecules
GGNB doctoral programs: Physics & Advanced Microscopy
Major facilities� sub-wavelength light microscopy� X-ray / cryo EM� supercomputer-cluster� nano- / microfabrication
Methods and Training� nanoscale optics and imaging� single molecules, AFM, EM� optical trapping� X-ray imaging� Xray, NMR, ssNMR, high field EPR� ultrafast spectroscopy� theoretical biophysics & atomistic
simulations � Linux course & computational physics� (non-equilibrium) statistical mechanics
3200 processor cores
Highres. Xray lenses Liquid jets
Sub-wavelengthlight microscopy
GGNB doctoral programs: Physics & Advanced Microscopy
� Molecular Biology (MSc/PhD)� Neurosciences (MSc/PhD)
� Biomolecules: Structure – Function – Dynamics
� Biology of Microbial, Animal and Plant Cells
� Molecular Biology of Development and Interaction between Organisms
� Physics and Advanced Microscopy of Biological Systems
� Molecular Physiology of the Brain� Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience
� Sensory and Motor Neuroscience
� Systems Neuroscience
The Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences and Molecular Biosciences (GGNB)
The Doctoral Programs of GGNBThe Doctoral Programs of GGNB
Major Research Topics� neurogenesis
� synaptogenesis
� molecular biology of the presynapse
� Neuronal network
� neurodevelopmental disorders
� neurological and psychiatric diseases:
- Parkinson’s disease
- other aggregopathies
- schizophrenia
- autism
GGNB doctoral programs: Molecular Physiology of the Brain
Major facilities� proteomics� electron microscopy� confocal imaging� STED microscopy� mouse/rat behavioral unit
Methods and Training� electrophysiology� protein expression and purification� neuron cell culture� immunocytochemistry & immuno EM� live cell imaging� mouse embryonic stem cell
manipulations and transgenesis� genetic manipulations (Drosophila,
C. elegans)
GGNB doctoral programs: Molecular Physiology of the Brain