Research Training Group by the Faculties of Biology and Medicine of the Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz

Biomedical science is of fundamental importance for the development of innovative immunotherapeutic approaches for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases, e.g. autimmune and allergic disorders, certain infections as well as cancer. However, education of medical doctors and biologists in basic and clinical immunology in Germany is insufficient, because  there is a lack of interdisciplinary structured training programs in English. Based on these unmet needs, we - faculty members of the biology department and the university medical department - have initiated a DFG funded PhD program entitled “Graduate School of Immunotherapy” for biologists (MSc) and medical doctors (MD) at the University of Mainz. The Research Training Group is meant to promote excellent science and education in this field at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz by using a multidisciplinary, interdepartmental approach. It operates on the principle that scientists working in modern immunology must have general knowledge in innate and adaptive immunity as well as in structural biology, and clinical medicine to work innovatively. Students take a curriculum consisting of three main core programs (METHCORE, IMMCORE, PROCORE) and receive training in seminars, course work, and laboratory rotations. The program consists of three main sections dealing with (project group A) Identification of target antigens for vaccination and immunotherapy, (project group B) Vaccines, carrier proteins and adjuvants, and (project group C) Immunotherapies and signaling in chronic inflammation and cancer. To optimise teaching outcomes, students will achieve early teaching skills in summer schools with excellent students from local partner high schools. It is our vision that excellent teaching and science in this Research Training Group will lead to a better immunological understanding of immune system based disorders as a rationale for the design of innovative therapies.

Spokesperson of the PhD program:
Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Wölfel
III. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik der
Johannes Gutenberg-Universität
Langenbeckstrasse 1
55131 Mainz
Tel.: 06131-177394
Fax: 06131 17-6406
E-Mail: thomas.woelfel@unimedizin-mainz.de