THEORETICAL TRAINING
The three-year programme is split into six half-year modules and ends with the submission of a PhD thesis and a final exam. The first semester concentrates on the fundamental principles of immunology, microbiology, virology and cell biology, providing students who come from a range of different backgrounds (medicine, veterinary medicine, biology, biochemistry and biotechnology) with a uniform basis on which to build in subsequent semesters.
In the second to fourth half-year modules, students gain profound knowledge in key areas of infection biology. At the same time, students learn to examine their research findings critically and to present them to an audience. In the last two half-year modules, students concentrate on finishing their PhD thesis and attend lectures and events offered by the institutions taking part in the programme or those provided by infection biology-oriented research consortia funded by the EU, the German Research Council and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. In the course of the three years, students regularly take part in theoretical classes offered by the department to which they belong, such as journal clubs, departmental seminars or lectures held by visiting scientists.
LAB COURSES
During the three-year period, students are required to take part in at least three lab courses. These method-based courses last up to five days and constitute an important element of the study programme, with students receiving intensive training in the latest methods and techniques from internationally renowned researchers. The courses on offer cover a wide spectrum of fields reflecting the variety of institutes involved in the programme. These range from flow-cytometry and two-photon microscopy to genome and proteome analysis.
CONVENTIONS
During the course of study, students take part in one to two conventions in their specialist field and present parts of their research findings to an international audience.
SUPERVISORS
Each student is allocated a supervisory group which is made up of a supervisor as well as two co-supervisors. The co-supervisors' fields of research are different enough from that of the student for them to be able to offer additional advice, but close enough to offer specialist support.
Short-term stays abroad are possible.
No internships are required, but there are many practical courses and excursions to industry locations.