The MDC Graduate School provides a tailored comprehensive training program for doctoral researchers within the MDC Research Program "Systems Medicine and Cardiovascular Diseases".
Doctoral researchers at the MDC conduct their research in the areas of Cancer Research, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, Disorders of the Nervous System, Medical Systems Biology, Clinical Research, Immunology & Inflammation, Single Cell approaches, Translational Vascular Biomedicine and Data Science & Artificial Intelligence.
The Graduate School currently hosts more than 380 PhD researchers with the share of doctoral researchers coming from abroad reaching 65%.
https://www.mdc-berlin.de/special-research-schools
Close day-to-day supervision of doctoral researchers by the group leader is complemented with a Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC). Annual TAC meetings provide advice and formalized guidance of the doctoral project progress, from the research project outline to the preparation of the dissertation.
Training at the MDC Graduate School includes:
The MDC Graduate School curriculum is designed to equip each doctoral researcher with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully complete their dissertation and seamlessly transition to the next stage of their career, whether within or beyond academic research.
Whether you plan to continue in academia or explore opportunities in industry, management, or alternative fields, the activities offered throughout your doctoral studies at the MDC are crafted to inspire and prepare you for your next career step.
The MDC is organizing numerous scientific events, conferences, and symposia throughout the year, including the annual PhD Retreat, Graduation Ceremony, annual PostDoc Day, Career Day and a variety of topic-specific events within the research programs.
Many of those events, such as PhD Retreat or the IPSCC - International PhD Student Cancer Conference, are organized with the support of doctoral researchers who are interested in event planning.
MDC doctoral researchers enroll at a university to obtain their doctoral degree.The MDC Graduate School has established partnerships with several Berlin universities, enabling researchers to earn degrees from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, or Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
While most doctoral researchers choose one of these universities, it is also possible to obtain a degree from another institution, provided joint supervision with the MDC is accepted. The MDC Graduate School provides assistance with the university procedures of its Berlin partner universities.
MDC doctoral researchers receive full funding through an initial 3-year employment contract with the MDC. Salaries are competitive with national standards, based on 65% of TVöD 13 (with a monthly net payment of approximately 1,800 EUR). The contract includes health and social insurance, as well as a pension plan.
In many cases, contracts are extended for an additional year. All doctoral researchers are expected to complete their doctoral research and thesis within 4 years
Read more about the people who make the core of the Graduate School here.
https://www.mdc-berlin.de/system/files/document/PhD%20report%202021-2.pdf
https://www.mdc-berlin.de/system/files/document/People%20in%20focus%20MDC%202020%20FINAL_compressed.pdf
The MDC Graduate School curriculum consists of different modules, encompassing individual supervision, scientific and personal skills training, presentation and outreach activities, and more.
The MDC international PhD Program offers the opportunity for PhD students to attend excellent talks, given by outstanding researchers across diverse research fields, as well as to discuss and network with the invited speakers.
The MDC Graduate Office regularly organizes Orientation Weeks for new students, where they cover university regulations, MDC training activities, the Graduate School structure, curriculum, and credit system, as well as general topics such as good scientific practice, collaboration, and open science. MDC orientation sessions provide a great opportunity to meet new colleagues, learn about the science at the MDC, and much more
Orientation session: Communication workshop
Day-to-day supervision by a group leader is complemented by annual Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings. Over the course of their studies, each doctoral researcher will have at least three meetings with their TAC, which consists of the PhD supervisor and two additional scientists. These meetings are designed to offer researchers advice and provide formal, regular guidance on the progress of their dissertation project.
The MDC offers a variety of lectures, seminars, and courses essential for the development of early-career researchers. Available courses include computational training, biostatistics, data analysis, programming, machine learning, imaging, experimental science and methods, analytical tools, and more. Training in Good Scientific Practice is mandatory for all doctoral researchers.
The Graduate School offers training and travel grants to support participation in international scientific courses and workshops, as well as for extended visits to partner laboratories abroad.
The MDC offers a range of personal skills courses on campus, tailored to the needs of early-career researchers. These include soft skills courses (e.g., scientific writing, communication and presentation, teamwork and networking, intercultural competence), career development training (e.g., career pathway opportunities, grant and fellowship applications, management and leadership), and language courses.
PhD researchers are required to present their work to the scientific community on occasions such as the MDC student seminar presentation, PhD retreat, campus symposium or international conferences. Other opportunities include:
The MDC Graduate School supports participation in international conferences via travel grants.
PhD researchers at the MDC may get involved in the organization of events such as Graduation ceremony, PhD retreat or other campus events (invitation of external speakers, seminars, journal clubs, Career day etc.).
The MDC Graduate School currently supports over 380 doctoral researchers working in one of the research groups at the institute or at one of our partner institutions.
The MDC Graduate School, along with the research schools and exchange programs, is led by one or more Program Speakers and supported by Program Coordinators.
Dr. Hanna Singer
We aim to establish a platform for students on campus to communicate and initiate discussions on the issues that matter to you. Please feel free to share any concerns or ideas you may have. It is important that PhD researchers have a voice and a structured way to communicate their needs to other branches of the institute.
Don’t hesitate to contact us at phd_representatives@mdc-berlin.de
We also participate in Helmholtz Juniors , which consists of doctoral student representatives from all 18 Helmholtz Research Centers across Germany. This allows scientists across the Helmholtz Association to discuss issues relevant to all centers.
An ombudsperson acts as trusted intermediary and supports in case of problems related to the work at the MDC, independently and confidentially. Ombudspersons counsel, give advice or help moderate a discussion. They are a contact point for questions, help to resolve misunderstandings, and identify solutions and strategies for conflict resolution.
The PhD Ombudspersons are elected by the student body and are available to all PhD students.
The position of Research Ombudsperson is responsible for safeguarding standards of good scientific practice. In cases of scientific misconduct, the ombudsman is the first point of contact for all researchers at the MDC and can advise and assist them in conflict situations.
Frequent and radical changes through Berlin's turbulent and noticeably present history have transformed the face of the city many times over. But despite this, the city has succeeded in becoming a thriving metropolis, with a population of 3.7 million people.
Extraordinary wealth of cultural opportunities attracts increasing numbers of visitors, making Berlin one of the most popular destinations in Europe. It boasts a lively scene with lots of pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafés. Densely urban areas coexist with large green spaces, nature reserves, lakes and rivers, all within the city boundaries, offering a truly metropolitan lifestyle.
The MDC is situated at two locations in Berlin: majority of infrastructure is located on Campus Berlin-Buch, a modern science and biotechnology park with a clear focus on biomedicine.
Since April 2019, the laboratories and offices of the MDC-BIMSB are located in our new building on Campus-Mitte.
BIMSB is a part of MDC and located in Berlin-Mitte.
