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Graduate School of Life Sciences

2010 April

2010 April

2010 April newsletter - No 2


Homo homines medicinae 

Editorial

Dear GSLS members and friends,

First of all, we warmly welcome twelve fellows as new members to the GSLS community! They were competing with more than one hundred applicants from all over the world for their GSLS fellowships, and they have been chosen after tedious video interviews. Welcome!

Secondly, the GSLS is proud to be launching a new program, MENTORING life sciences for female doctoral students. This program is promoted by the German Research Foundation (DFG) as it has been recognized that the high number of female doctoral students still contrasts with the extremely limited number of female graduates in top positions of power and influence. Furthermore, the gender pay gap is to overcome: on average women in Germany are paid around 25% less than men -  for the same task. This is why the MENTORING program exclusively targets female doctoral students, and they are explicitly asked to participate! Male doctoral students, however, who wish to have a mentor, are especially invited to be coached in high class GSLS communication workshops, e.g. Work-Life-Balance or Negotiation Skills. In case of positive response we will think about an expansion of this concept.

Thirdly, you may take advantage of the interdisciplinary cooperation between the GSLS and the Chair of Indology.

And last but not least, you may now embark on study trips with the GSLS! Foreign doctoral students or postdocs can already join a one-day-trip to Nördlingen in April. Open to all doctoral students will be regular study trips to European capitals. The first four-day-trip goes to Brussels, Belgium, in October with visits to the European Parliament and the Commission.

Please find details on these matters in this newsletter.

With kind regards,
Rose Liebert

1. Featured Paper

 

More awardees of featured papers will be announced in the summer newsletter. All GSLS doctoral students are invited to email their publications dating from January 2010 onwards and run for the "Featured Papers" by 15 May.

2. Doctoral Students´Affairs

  • Meet the people of the DSC: <link life_sciences doctoral_students_council external link in new><link life_sciences doctoral_students_council external link in new>Doctoral Students´ Council 

For your messages

  • News & notices, dates & facts. Are you looking for new friends to play cards with? Do you want to share your research findings with somebody from another section? You may post any message here.

  • Yes we can… organize an international symposium… but only with YOUR help. Join us in planning the 5th international GSLS student symposium, invite speakers and sponsors, improve your organization skills, and have a lot of fun. On this homepage you can have a look at the previous symposia  If you would like to be a member of the organization team, please contact Angela Schlipp or come along to our next meeting in the Café Journal (Juliuspromenade) on April the 14th at 7:30 p.m.

FAQ of the month

  •   How and when can I join the GSLS as a fellow? <link life_sciences faqs general_questions external-link-new-window external link in new>Read more

 

3. GSLS Newsdesk

People

The GSLS welcomes new PIs!

Careers

  • Heidrun Moll, Molecular Infection Biology, was nominated by the board of the Robert-Koch-Foundation as a new member to the Scientific Advisory Council. Read more
  • Manfred Schartl, Physiological Chemistry I, was elected President of the German Genetics Society for two years. Read more

 

New MENTORING life sciences program

  • This program aims at  research oriented gender equality standards and supports female doctoral students to boost their careers. It is its objective to prevent them from leaving the career path in improving the compatibility of career and family life. Prospective mentees and mentors may register by 11 April. <link life_sciences mentoring_life_sciences external-link-new-window external link in new>Read more

Doctoral Defense Dates now online

  • GSLS doctoral defenses are now made public and put online. You may be anxious to attend one or the other procedure before it´s your turn.   <link life_sciences for_doctoral_students dates_of_current_defenses external-link-new-window external link in new>Read more

Lecture Series Clinical Medicine in SS 2010

  • The lecture series “Clinical Medicine” (LectNo. 1302003) starts on April 20. It is designed for doctoral students of the Life Sciences and of Biomedicine. Please note that participation of eight lectures is mandatory to receive the certificate of attendence. Read more   register here

New German Course for Beginners

  • The UWGS offers a free of cost intensive course starting April 19th funded by the DAAD STIBET Program. Confident usage of the German language in everyday situations is the goal to achieve within 100 teaching-hours. If you are interested yourself please contact Stephan Schröder-Köhne for details. If you know colleagues (also postdocs or visiting professors) who may want to join, please pass on the information.

A footprint to walk in

  • If you are a foreign doctoral student or postdoc, there is a great opportunity for you (and your family) to go on a day-trip to Nördlingen, 150 km south of Würzburg, on April 24. Nördlingen is not only a most romantic medieval city - it is also situated in the middle of a 25 km diameter meteorite impact crater. The meteorite left behind the "Nördlinger Ries", a prime geological site! On the way back you will also visit a famous falconry. A contribution of 10 € per person towards transportation, food and entry fees applies (less for families). If interested, please contact: Doris Weissinger,Tel. 09081- 87377,  and read more on additional similar activities!

Transferable Skills Workshops

 

  • April; planning and calculating: Project Management in the Biotech Industry. The trainer is a biochemist and production manager
  • April/May; the interdisciplinary cooperation between the GSLS and the Chair of Indology: Intercultural Competence with focus on India and Germany
  • May; learn how to teach: Didactics. / Get coached: Negotiation Skills, Team Building Skills, Work-Life-Balance (“most people seem not to know how important the content of his courses is”; workshop participant)
  • <link life_sciences training_activities transferable_skills_workshops workshop_schedule external-link-new-window external link in new>Transferable Skills Workshop Schedule 2010

Exploring ...

  • Pop in and explore the two "big issues": 1. Leadership and 2. Europe
    <link life_sciences training_activities exploring external-link-new-window external link in new>The monthly two hour seminar takes place on every last Thursday of the month. No registration required. Scrutinize political texts and reflect the issues. Next dates: 29 April and 27 May.
  • Moreover, Exploring … is now offering funded <link life_sciences training_activities exploring study_trips external-link-new-window external link in new>Study Trips to explore European cities. The first 4 day trip goes to Brussels in October! We will have the opportunity to visit the European Parliament, the Commission, and also a European embassy. There will be time for a city tour on the bus, and of course time to explore the museums and pubs! In case you fancy joining please give a spontaneous response for organizational reasons. Registration time will be between May and August.

4. University News

People

  • New professors. Markus Sauer (Biotechnology and Biophysics), and Heike Walles (Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine)
  • Jörg Hacker, former head of the Research Center of Infectious Diseases and the Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, takes office as President of the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. Read more    

Graduate School of Humanities

  • The  fiftieth doctoral student of the GSH has been admitted. She is writing her dissertation on the "Medieval Music History of the Bamberg Dome". Read more (in German)

Research

  • Probands suffering from Arachnophobia wanted (Uni-Intern No 8 of 2 March 2010; in German).

  • International research team around Jörg Vogel identified an unexpected high number of small RNAs of the human pathogen Helicobacter pylori. They developed a new sequencing technique, dRNA-seq, that has the potential to unravel gene expression in pathogens and perhaps also their hosts during infections. Read more

  • Yes or no? What happens if a patient has lost his ability to communicate with his environment? Is it possible that he might have retained some level of consciousness? Which technique could assist him in expressing his requests or thoughts? A new European-wide research network funded by the EU for three years and coordinated by the psychologist Andrea Kübler will focus on this field of research. (Uni Home Meldungen; 26 Feb 2010, 12:48; in German)

Interaction of Scientific Findings

  • Together with BASF SE researchers, chemists of the University have developed a new molecule. (Uni Home Meldungen; 15 March 2010, 16:46; in German) 
  • To rapidly convert innovative technologies from the university into salable products for a wider market the Service Center Research and Innovation strives for a substantial network of companies in the region. (Uni Würzburg, "Gründungsservice Wissenschaft Mainfranken" in German).

Excellence Grants for the Congo

  • The University expands its relation with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Uni-Intern No 12 of 30 March 2010; in German).

Contest for Ideas for our University

  • The German University system is challenged again by a new round of the "Excellence Initiative". In the context of this competition the University of Würzburg wants to get everybody involved by starting a contest for ideas. IPads and many more prizes are out there to be won in three lines: "Uni-Vision" (our University in the year 2020), "Uni-Plus" (practical ideas how to make our University a better place to study, work and live), and "Uni-Slogan" (to appear in Applications for the Exzellence Initiative). The contest will be officially announced in the beginning of April, check the University Homepage or the GSLS Homepage!

Topple out Ceremony at the Hubland

  • New buildings for the university will be finished just in time for the so-called double Abitur graduates. (Uni  Home Meldungen; 25 March 2010, 15:23 Uhr; in German)

5. Off Campus

 

Scientific Findings

  • Researchers obviously found a new human species. Molecular studies make a contribution in palaeontology. Watch videoRead more

  • Stem cells of humans and mice differ more strongly than suspected. Read more

  • The typical patient with chronic pain is a 55-year-old woman — the typical chronic-pain study subject is an 8-week-old male mouse. Read more

  • Genome of black Périgord truffle decoded. Read more

  • The "Big Bang Machine" (LHC) breaks energy records. Read more  

German Research Foundation (DFG)

  • Rules to counter the flood of publications in research will be set up. Read more   

  • "MenschMikrobe - Das Erbe Robert Kochs und die moderne Infektionsforschung" is the title of an interactive exhibition initiated by the DFG and the Robert Koch Institute, Berlin. It gives general insights into the fascinating research on microbes and the historical and social impact of infectious diseases. The exhibition will start in Berlin on June 2 and will come to Würzburg on Nov 11. Read more  (in German)

Würzburg

  • Africa Festival 21st till 24th May. International Afro Music Festival on the Mainwiesen. Read more      
  • The State Garden Expo (Landesgartenschau) comes to Würzburg in 2018.

Schweinfurt

  • The founding town of the Leopoldina Academy awards the Carus Prize for excellent scientists. Read more (in German)   

Germany

  • Studying in Germany. Read more 
  • Quota for women executives at Europe's biggest telecommunications group, Deutsche Telekom. Read more 
  • German arms exports double in five years. Read more 

Europe

  • The European Parliament
    • Action plan on organ donation and transplantation. Read more 
    • Food labelling rules for better information on energy content and nutritional value. Read more    
  • Moscow. Attack on metro trains. Read more   
  • France attacks hefty German trade surplus. Read more 
  • Greece and the Euro. Read more    
  • Ankara seeks influence through Turks living abroad. Read more    

The World

  • Health Care in America Read more 
  • University Reform Debate in China  Read more 
  • Mozambique's former science minister Lidia Brito now heads the science-policy division at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris. Interview   


Orientation Meeting of
MENTORING life sciences for female doctoral students;
photo Stephan Schröder-Köhne, UWGS

contact: liebert@gsls.uni-wuerzburg.de

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