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Press Release No. 12
/ May 03, 2012 /
Berlin

Max Delbrück Center Wins EUR 1.8 Million Grant by the Helmholtz Association for a German-Israeli Research School

The Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch has long standing collaborative relations with two top Israeli universities: Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI). Now the MDC and its Israeli partners have succeeded in acquiring a grant of EUR 1.8 million over 6 years for the joint German-Israeli Helmholtz Research School ​“Frontiers in Cell Signaling & Gene Regulation” (SignGene).

The grant is endowed by the Initiative and Networking Fund of the Helmholtz Association. Further partners are Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The Research School is an international PhD training program for young scientists, who will be working on joint German-Israeli projects. These enable closer collaboration between research groups from Berlin, Haifa and Jerusalem on current topics of modern molecular medicine. Helmholtz Research Schools provide doctoral training to 25 outstanding young doctoral students to conduct research on a specific topic.

SignGene brings together 17 research teams from Berlin and 15 from Israel, including the groups led by the biochemist Aaron Ciechanover (Technion, 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry), as well as those led by the two internationally renowned researchers Klaus Rajewsky, immunologist at the MDC, and Howard Cedar, molecular biologist and geneticist at the HUJI. The research groups focus on the latest developments in cellular communication processes, gene regulation and quantitative biology. The MDC, Technion, The Hebrew University, Humboldt-Universität and the Charité aim to train a new generation of scientists in this research school, providing them with the necessary knowledge and tools to be at the forefront of the fast-paced technological developments of modern biomedicine that are used in elucidating disease processes. The training of the young scientists will include an extensive exchange program and thus shall make an important contribution to promoting relations between young Germans and Israelis.

SignGene is the newest addition to already existing successful international PhD programs at the MDC, such as the joint program with New York University (MDC-NYU PhD Exchange Program in Medical Systems Biology) and with the Université Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris (International Research Training Group for
Myology, MyoGrad). Furthermore, there are two other Helmholtz Research Schools at the MDC: ​“Molecular Neurobiology” (MolNeuro) and ​“Translational Cardiovascular & Metabolic Medicine” (TransCard). All operate under the umbrella of the MDC Graduate School – Helmholtz Graduate School ​“Molecular Cell Biology” – which provides the framework for structured doctoral training and a supportive environment for more than 350 PhD students from 37 countries at the MDC.

Contact:
Barbara Bachtler
Press Department
Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch in the Helmholtz Association
Robert-Rössle-Straße 10; 13125 Berlin; Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 30 94 06 — 38 96
Fax: +49 (0) 30 94 06 — 38 33
e‑mail: presse@​mdc-​berlin.​de
http://​www​.mdc​-berlin​.de/
 

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