Research Training Programs

Since 2016 the UCT Mainz Clinician and Medical Scientist Program is integrated in the Mainz Research School of Translational Biomedicine (TransMed). TransMed offers a training curriculum with maximum flexibility for both clinician and medical scientists. For all trainees, the TransMed program provides an individual curriculum with training modules for basic scientific skills including lab-based research rotations and transferable skills. All fellowships consist of a 2-3 year program (depending on the training level). The hosting institutions commit themselves to allow the fellows to dedicate at least 12 months protected time solely to research. All trainees at all stages experience dual mentoring by a clinician and a medical scientist. For women in science a specialized mentoring program is available (MeMentUM) additionally. The UCT Mainz clinician scientist program to support motivated physicians dedicated to cancer research was established in close collaboration with TransMed and specialized oncology training sessions (oncology class, oncology lab seminar, interdisciplinary molecular- pathology-oncology seminar) have been set up. Further, the UCT Mainz strongly supports rotations of medical scientists in clinical trials units and oncology departments. Since 2016, 14 clinician scientists were funded by the UCT Mainz and participated in the UCT Mainz training program. In 2019, the UCT Mainz successfully applied for the Else Kröner-Research College focusing on the pathogenesis and progression of liver cancer. The first of the now 16 Else Kröner-Research College fellows started their research in January 2020. Since 2023 the new Else Kröner School for Medical Scientists “RNA-based therapeutic strategies in tumor immunology and immune-mediated diseases, TheRNAtics" builds a bridge between (basic) scientific and clinically active researchers with a view to modern RNA-based immune and cancer therapies. In 2024 the Else Kröner Graduate School for Mecial Students "ImmunYoAge: The Immune System – Young versus Aged" will start.

The UCT Mainz supports Master's Degree Programs aiming at enabling optimal training in translational cancer medicine, such as the Master's degree in Biomedicine, in Epidemiology and in Biomedical Chemistry as well as the international Master's degree in Biomedicine. 

Further training programs in part covering cancer research include the Virchow Fellowship-Program of the Center of Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH), the Integrated Research Training Group (IRTG) of the CRC 1292, and the International PhD Programme (IPP) of the IMB.

The UCT Mainz serves as co-organizer of a seminar series on cancer immunotherapy primarily organized by either FZI or TRON (Google Calendar Mainz Seminars). The annual DKTK Rhein-Main Cancer Retreat is organized together with the UCT Frankfurt to give an update about the DKTK projects the different groups are working on. Here, also the DKTK School of Oncology fellows present their work. To provide education programs for high-school graduates, the UCT Mainz along with the UMM organizes the annual "Summer University Immunology & Biomedicine" allowing students to gain insight into up-to-date research projects. Furthermore the UCT Mainz is present at the Mainz Science Market with hands-on activities on cancer topics.