GRK 520:  Immunomodulation

• Subject Area: Basic Research in Biology and Medicine
• Term: from 2000 to 2008
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 272745

The research training group "Immunomodulation" offers an interdisciplinary training programme and high quality research projects to graduate students of the faculties of medicine and biology working towards an MD or PhD degree. The group was initiated in January 2000 and, after a successful review in May 2002, will start a second funding period with 13 graduate students and 1 postdoc in 2003. Most of the graduate students who have participated in the first cycle, about half of whom had been recruited from abroad, have successfully completed their thesis work with a Dr. med. or a Dr. rer. nat.The graduates can choose between projects grouped into three themes: regulation and dysregulation of the immune response, modulation of the immune response by microorganisms and parasites, and experimental approaches for the development of immunomodulatory therapies. Projects offered include basic research in cellular and molecular immunology as well as clinical studies. Accordingly, theoretical institutes of the faculties of biology and medicine, as well as groups of the university hospital cooperate within the research training group.A broad and solid education in immunology is of key importance for the work of the college. Weekly gatherings, called the Jour Fixe, are held for project reports, special lectures and journal clubs. The programme encompasses a three year course, in which the contents of the Jour Fixe are adapted to the progress of the graduates' thesis work. In addition, the graduates participate in the regular seminars, lab courses and lectures of the contributing institutes and clinics. Every year, a joint retreat is held together with another research training group ("Lymphozytenaktivierung", University of Erlangen).

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Thomas Hünig
• Participating Researchers: Privatdozent Dr. Ingolf Berberich; Professorin Dr. Friederike Berberich-Siebelt; Privatdozentin Dr. Heike Claus; Dr. Hannes Drexler; Dr. Kristina Dörries; Dr. Fernando Elias; Dr. Joachim Fensterle; Dr. Ivaylo Gentschev; Professor Dr. Thomas Herrmann; Dr. Andreas Kerstan; Professor Dr. Manfred Lutz; Professor Dr. Rudolf Martini; Professorin Dr. Heidrun Moll; Professor Dr. Thomas Müller; Professor Dr. Christoph Otto; Professor Dr. Walter Sebald; Professor Dr. Edgar Serfling; Professor Dr. Hans-Peter Tony; Professor Dr. Axel Trautmann; Professorin Dr. Karin Ulrichs; Professor Dr. Ulrich Vogel; Andrea Welcker