Collaborative Research Center (SFB) 854 of the Health Campus Immunology, Infectiology and Inflammation creates a 360,000 € long-term career development programme for Clinician Scientists in the field of immunology and inflammation research. Clinician Scientists, doctors who conduct research in addition to their clinical responsibilities, are important to convert insights from basic research to innovations that directly benefit patients. As they say in English, “From Bench to Bedside”.
The Health Campus Immunology, Infectiology and Inflammation (GC-I³) of the Medical Faculty of the Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg has long had the goal to support researching doctors. Seventeen positions spanning three research groups are open for clinicians to take a hiatus from clinical work and dedicate that time to research. The Else-Kröner Research College (EKFK) Magdeburg, which was renewed for three more years at the start of 2018, is offering eleven positions with the theme: the importance of inflammation processes for carcinogenesis. Four so-called Gerok positions are being offered in SFB 854 “Molecular Organization of Cellular Communication in the Immune System”, which was also successfully renewed for four years (2018-2021). Gerok positions allow young doctors to take a 12-months hiatus from clinical responsibilities to focus on research. Two additional Gerok positions are also open in the newly approved Research Training Group 2408 “Maladaptive processes across physiological barriers in chronic diseases”.
The fundamental idea of Gerok positions is that after an intensive time spent in a research environment, the young doctors will continue to conduct research and try to combine research and health care over the course of their careers. SFB 854 is taking one step further. At the suggestion of the speaker for SFB 854, Prof. Dr. med. Burkhart Schraven, the board of the SFB decided to use SFB resources to establish an “innovation fund for clinician scientists”. The SFB is providing 360,000 € for this purpose. This money is available for Clinician Scientists who wish to stay in Magdeburg for research after their time as part of the EKFK or a Gerok position. “Colleagues can request funds for various purposes including personnel or necessary lab equipment”, explained Prof. Schraven. Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Fischer, director of the Department of Hematology and Oncology and speaker for the EKFK, manages the new innovation fund and said, “By providing these funds, we hope to achieve a structure that makes it easier for doctors to combine research and healthcare even after returning to the clinic.”
Further Information and Applications:
Prof. Dr. Thomas Fischer
University Clinic for Hematology and Oncology