The Max Planck Institutes in Göttingen
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Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Auf dem ‚fast track‘ zur Promotion International MSc/PhD Programs Neurosciences and Molecular Biology in Göttingen Michael Hörner www.uni-goettingen.dex Georg-August-Universität Göttingen - Facts and Figures The Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Key Data 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 Max Planck Institutes in Göttingen The Max Planck Institutes in Göttingen Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine Max Planck Institute for Solar Systems Research (near Göttingen) Source: J. Winkler The Göttingen Natural Sciences Research Community 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: Molecular Biology IMPRS 6 Participating Institutions 7 2 5 1 9 8 4 3 1. Uni-Bio (Biology: Institute of Microbiology and Genetics) 6. MPI-bpc (Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry 2. Uni-Med (Medicine: University Hospital) 7. MPI-ds (Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization 3. Uni-Phy (Physics: New Physics Building) 4. Uni-Che (Chemistry: Organic, Inorganic and Physical Chemistry) 5. European Neuroscience Institute (ENI-G) 8. MPI-em (Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine) 9. DPZ (Leibniz Institute: German Primate Center) The Göttingen Natural Sciences Research Community in 5m 10 mi n The Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences and Molecular Biosciences (GGNB) Concept 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 The Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences and Molecular Biosciences (GGNB) The Doctoral Programs of GGNB 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 currently 141 faculty members - up to 400 PhD students The International MSc/PhD Programs in Molecular Biology & Neurosciences 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/MD-PhD Program Max Planck Research School Neurosciences IMPRS Key Features • All courses newly established • Four year program from the BS to the PhD ¾ lectures (open to all university students) • International ¾ 60-70% students from abroad ¾ tutorials (groups of 10 students) ¾ from admission to graduation in English ¾ methods courses (groups of 5 students) ¾ lab rotations (3 individual projects) • 20 students per year, individually selected by a three-step evaluation procedure ¾ seminars (2 presentations per student) • Intensive course program (1st year) • Research-oriented training ¾ no semester structure • Direct admission to PhD program after 1 year (without MSc thesis = ‚fast track‘) ¾ 90 credits Entry (BSc) Examinations (written/oral) Doctoral Thesis Thesis Defense PhD/MD-PhD/ Dr. rer. nat. Doctoral Program (30 Credits) First segment (90 Credits) 0 MSc Thesis 1 MSc degree 2 Year 3 4 The International MSc/PhD/MD-PhD Program Max Planck Research School Neurosciences IMPRS Applications: 83 159 172 (2000) (2001) (2002) 164 227 213 253 150 176 (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 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) Written Subject Test • 2,5h multiple choice test • 3 sections (biology, chemistry, physics) • offered in home countries / towns ¾ DAAD offices ¾ Goethe Institutes ¾ German embassies ¾ scientific contacts • 108 participants at 54 locations in 31 countries (2008) (since 2000: 1597 applicants, > 750 participants > 120 locations in > 50 countries) 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 Programs Max Planck Research Schools Neuro/MolBio IMPRS Advanced Methods Courses Typically 2-4 days, small groups of students 34 courses offered in 2006 – 52 courses offered in 2007 continuously enlarged and improved • 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 Professional Skills Courses 2007/2008 Course on Scientific Communication Dr. Heather Sylin Roberts (New Zealand) - 3-4 day block seminar (article, poster, oral presentations), offered annually since 2001 Course on Science and Medical Writing for the Public Dr. Janet Yagoda Shagham (USA) – 5-6 day seminar workshop, offered since 2005 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 Industry Excursions 1-2 day excursion, first excursion: Solvay Pharma, Sartorius AG, Qiagen, BASF (twice per year) Career Seminar (organized by doctoral students (MPI-bpc + MPI-em + GZMB) 1-h Wednesday talks by invited speakers 6-8 times per year The International MSc/PhD/MD-PhD Program Max Planck Research School Neurosciences IMPRS Neurizons symposium organized by the Neuroscience students held as a regular bi-annual meeting organized by PhD students The International MSc/PhD Programs Max Planck Research Schools Neuro/MolBio 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 in Molecular Biology & Neurosciences 66 students have graduated so far ... 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 Average number of published articles derived from PhD thesis 2.9 Average Science Citation Index of published articles 8.2* Number of published articles in 2004 – 2007 (June) 170** PhD graduates currently on postdoc positions 87 percent *42 articles with SCI > 10 ** 101 arcticles (59 %) as 1st author The International MSc/PhD Programs Max Planck Research Schools Neuro/MolBio IMPRS 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 School Neuro/MolBio IMPRS Quality Control - Program • Internal Evaluations ¾ mid-term meetings ¾ curricular planning meetings ¾ online evaluations of courses • External Evaluations ¾ DAAD: evaluations 2001, 2003, 2005 ¾ ZEvA Hannover: accreditation 12/03 ¾ MWK: evaluation 2004 ¾ MPG (IMPRS): evaluation 2005 ¾ DAAD/Stifterverb.: TOP 10 2006 ¾ Excellence Award 2007 GGNB doctoral programs: Physics & Advanced Microscopy 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 Methods and Training Highres. Xray lenses Liquid jets 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 Major facilities 3200 processor cores Sub-wavelength light microscopy sub-wavelength light microscopy X-ray / cryo EM supercomputer-cluster nano- / microfabrication The Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences and Molecular Biosciences (GGNB) The Doctoral Programs of GGNB 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 GGNB doctoral programs: Molecular Physiology of the Brain 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 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) Major facilities proteomics electron microscopy confocal imaging STED microscopy mouse/rat behavioral unit
