Strong start for the Integrated Graduate School of the CRC 1607

The Integrated Research Training Group of the Collaborative Research Center 1607 “Towards immunomodulatory and anti(lymph)angiogenic therapies for age-related blinding eye diseases” had its first meeting at the University Clinic Cologne on Oct. 23 and 24. It was a chance for all 30 PhD and MD Candidates of the CRC 1607’s three locations, Cologne, Erlangen and Münster, to get to know one another and the CRC projects as well as to learn about support options provided by the CRC.

The program was led by the speakers of the Integrated Graduate School, Prof. Dr. med. Verena Prokosch and Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Felix Bock, as well as the scientific coordination team of the Department of Ophthalmology. Their presentation focused on the opportunities that the Graduate School offers medical and scientific doctoral students, its curriculum, as well as on the supervision concept for doctorates in the CRC.
Everybody seized the chance to make new connections and to find contact points to their own research work, contributing to an overall very positive atmosphere. The first PhD/MD student initiatives were formed on the topics of social media communication, preparation of the 2026 Summer School, preparation of the 2025 Retreat and the recruiting of doctoral candidates for CRC’s next phase. Professor Claus Cursiefen, spokesperson for the CRC 1607, took the opportunity to join the working groups and to welcome scientific colleagues from all three locations. First results were already being presented which will be followed-up within the working groups.

Congratulations go to Marion Fros for being elected the first PhD Student Representative as well as to Max Meyer for being elected MD Student Representative. Both representatives are members of the Steering Committee of the Graduate School together with Prof. Verena Prokosch and Prof. Felix Bock as Coordinators of the Graduate School and Prof. Hamid Kashkar, Dr. Maria Notara and PD Dr. Simona Schlereth as Primary Investigators.

The Graduate School will meet again at the CRC 1607’s first Retreat in December 2024.