PhD fellows who wish to join one of the following practical courses or soft skill workshops should inform the school management, which will coordinate registration with the course instructor or primary organizer.
Instructor: Dr. Jan Brocher, BioVoxxel, Ludwigshafen
Date: July 11-12, 2024
Time: 9:00-15:00 h
Venue: ONLINE
Detailed workinar content overview:
- Proper editing of scientific images for publications and good scientific image handling practice
- Understanding all aspects of digital images (e.g. file formats, metadata, bit depth, histogram,…)
- Proper merging of fluorescent channels and use of pseudo-colors and calibration bars
- Proper application of 2D projections from 3D data
- Optional: short glance on 3D reconstruction options in Fiji/ImageJ
- Scaling images to units (e.g. µm) via metadata and adding scale bars
- Uneven lighting correction methods for visualization
- Background correction methods
- Proper contrast adjustment respecting good scientific practice limits
- Avoiding data alterations when exporting images for publication figures
- Introduction to the vector graphic software Inkscape for publication figure creation
- Creating example figures (if desired also with own images)
All methods are learned hands-on with plenty of practical exercises to get confidence in applying them in your daily work.
Difficulty level:
The difficulty level is basic to medium and easy to follow in step by step procedures and in-depth explanation of the necessary background to the individual methods. Also scientists with some prior knowledge will still benefit from the methods taught.
Pre-requisites:
- Computer or Laptop (best Windows or Linux)
- IMPORTANT: MacOS version 10.11 or newer (after 2018), older OS X versions do not support the newest Inkscape used in the workshop
- Stable internet connection
- Mouse and Headset/Microphone
- Optimally a webcam
- Best 2 monitors to watch the workinar on one and do the practical part on the other.
- Proficiency in handling your computer in general
- Possibility to install software on your computer (or administrator rights)
Software:
During the course we will use a customized version of Fiji (ImageJ bundle) as well as Inkscape. Both are free, accessible for everybody and open source. Prior software knowledge is not required but might be of advantage.
Instructor: Dr. Marie Follo, Lighthouse Core Facility - Center for Translational Cell Research, University Medical Center Freiburg
NEW Date: July 22-23, 2025
Time: 08:45-17:00 h
Location: Center for Translational Cell Research, Breisacher Str. 115
Description:
This two-day course is designed to familiarize participants with the basic principles of flow cytometry. Participants will learn the technical principles behind flow cytometry, as well as how to apply them at both the theoretical and practical levels. Practical experiments will include immunophenotyping and DNA content/cell cycle analysis. Samples will be compared on both a standard flow cytometer as well as on a spectral flow cytometer. Students will learn basic strategies of multicolor panel design and will also learn about compensation and the basics of flow cytometry analysis. The participants will also be exposed to cell sorting. Which controls are the proper controls to use and the importance of antibody titration will also be discussed.
Instructor: Dr. Florian Battke, Dr. Battke SCIENTIA, Life Science Services
Date: November 12-14, 2025
Time: 9:00-14:30 h
Location: ONLINE
Outline:
Introduction of basic statistical principles
● Basic concepts of statistical data analysis
● General descriptive statistics
Statistical methods
● Background and requirements of statistical methods:
- Distributions and test statistics
- Confidence intervals
- General method of hypothesis testing
● Applying statistical methods:
- Basics of hypothesis testing
- Tests on outliers, Gaussian distribution and homogeneity of variance
- Parametric and non-parametric hypothesis testing
- Critical interpretation of test results
- Analysis of variance (one way ANOVA)
- Kruskal-Wallis / Friedmann test
- Post-hoc tests
- Two/three way ANOVA
- Correlation and regression analysis
- Linear and nonlinear regression
- Curve fitting and weighting
- Calibration curves
- Comparison of regression models
plus exercises
Instructor: Dr. Florian Battke, Dr. Battke SCIENTIA, Life Science Services
Date: January 15-16, 2026
Time: 9:00-14:00 h
Location: ONLINE
Outline:
Refresher of statistical fundamentals (optional, but recommended)
● Distributions and data transformation
● Hypothesis testing and critical interpretation of test results
● Tests on outliers, Gaussian distribution,..
● Parametric and non-parametric hypothesis testing
Statistical methods I
● 2-and 3-way ANOVA
● Post-hoc tests
● Hierarchical tests
Statistical methods II
● Advanced regression analysis
● Special applications (e.g., calibration, potency tests,…)
● Multiple regression
● Correlation matrix
Statistical methods II
● Principle Component Analysis
● Cluster analysis
Discussion of further topics / Exercises
● Miscellaneous contents
Instructor: Dr. Stefan Tholen, Proteomics Platform – Core Facility (ProtCF)
Timeline:
Initial Meeting - Theoretical Introduction
Date: March 11, 2024
Time: 9:00-13:00 h
Location: Seminar room, Institute of Surgical Pathology
Second Meeting
Date: ~ 2 weeks after initial meeting
Time: will be coordinated within working groups
Location: tba
Number of participants: limited to 6 doctoral students
Content:
Proteins perform essential functions in the body and become deregulated in disease. The entirety of proteins present in a cell, tissue or other biological system is known as its proteome. The analysis of the proteome can help to get a better mechanistic understanding of research questions in health and disease.
Often, proteome analyses aim at one of the following questions:
- Which proteins are present in a biological system (protein identification)?
- How does protein abundance change during a biological process (quantitative proteomics)?
- Which post-translational modifications are present (phosphorylation, glycosylation, proteolytic truncation, etc.)?
- What are the interaction partners of a protein?
In this short course (for up to six students) you will get an overview about all stages of a proteomic experiment including experimental design, sample preparation, mass spectrometric measurement, and data analysis.
In the initial meeting, you will get a general introduction about proteomics and especially about sample preparation. In addition, we will discuss whether your own samples/experiments can be analyzed during this course. If not, we will provide samples. In the end of the first meeting everyone will get a “Sample Prep Kit” for sample preparation using the S-Trap sample processing technology. In the following two weeks every participant can perform the sample preparation in her/his home lab.
In a second meeting we will meet in small groups of 2-3 participants and start the mass spectrometric measurement. Furthermore, you will get an introduction about data analysis using MaxQuant.
Organizers: The Freiburg Galaxy Team
Kindly check the homepage of the Freiburg Galaxy community for further details on the courses offered.
Please register via SGBM!
Organizer: Dr. Sanchez-Brandelik (Uniklinik)
Dates:
- Theoretical part (20 hours): March 10-12, 2025
- Practical part (20 hours): March-July 2025. Participants of the course will be split in groups. The exact dates will be communicated to the participants in due time.
In order to obtain the certificate (certified by GV-SOLAS, recommendations corresponding Cat. B FELASA) full attendance of all 40 hours and passing the theoretical exam is required.
Instructor: Dr. Andreas Eizinger, SGBM
Date: July 29-30, 2025
Time: DAY 1: 9:00-17:00 h / DAY 2: 9:00-16:00 h
Location: Seminar room 2.5.1, Herder-Verlagsgebäude, Hermann-Herder-Str. 4
Description:
The major objective of the course “Good Scientific Practice” is to know and understand the basic rules and values of the responsible conduct of research in all its stages, according to local, national and international regulations and guidelines. The participants explored the differences and grey areas between good scientific practice, questionable research practice and scientific misconduct. They learnt how misconduct can be recognized and prevented, and should be addressed and dealt with in case it occurs, and what damage it can cause if handled improperly. They are encouraged to speak with colleagues about mistakes and problems.
Main contents of the course are:
• Definitions of good scientific practice and scientific misconduct
• Degrees and extent of scientific misconduct
• Issues in data management
• Authorship and the process of publication
• Strengths, limitations and regulations on the use of generative AI tools
• Mentoring, conflicts of interest and scientific cooperation
• Reaction to scientific misconduct and the introduction to the Ombudsman
Title: Project Management throughout the Doctorate: Tools of the trade for challenges
Lecturer: Dr. Simon Golin (GOLIN WISSENSCHAFTSMANAGEMENT, Berlin)
Date: January 27, 2025
Time: 9:00-17:00 h
Location: SGBM seminar room
Content:
New, time limited and complex – such are the tasks generally undertaken as projects. A work environment without project work is almost unimaginable nowadays. And this is not only true for the non-academic sector: Even the doctorate is a project!
Proven project management tools pave the way for the professional development and planning of projects, for competent guiding of their implementation and for their successful completion. With the help of these tools even difficult steps in the project journey can be safely navigated.
During the workshop the participants familiarise themselves with the most important project management methods and instruments. The following topics are at the core of the workshop:
- Basics of project management: From design to completion of a project
- It is all about direction: Setting objectives for my projects
- How to handle the unforeseen: Strategies for dealing with difficulties
- Projects in the higher education sector: What are the idiosyncrasies of academia?
- Strengthen your strengths! How can I exploit the strengths of my project?
- Stakeholder analysis: Where do I find support for my project?
- Project management: My next steps
Instructor: Dr. Peter Schröder (GOLIN WISSENSCHAFTSMANAGEMENT, Berlin)
Date: August 12-13, 2025
Time: Day 1: 9.00–17.00 h / Day 2: 9.00 – 16.00 h
Location: SGBM seminar room
Content:
Whether small talk, poster presentation or academic subject presentation – the ability to present oneself adequately and to communicate one’s concerns effectively is a deciding factor of career related success in academia.
With a few fundamental strategies for communication and presentation techniques it is possible to illustrate complex data on a poster in a context relevant way, to convince others, to win supporters and thus reach the respectively set goals.
In this workshop the participants engage with their personal posters and their presentation. Through exercises and role-plays they familiarise themselves with established presentation techniques and train their communicative competencies. The workshop contents are:
- Presentation basics: Good presentation presumes set goals
- Awesome impression! What it takes to create a persuasive poster
- Everything under control? Dealing with difficult situations when presenting a poster
- Go public – go scientific! The context makes the difference
- Role-play: Poster presentation in practice
- Poster presentation: My next steps
Facilitators: Justin Mullins and Mark Buchanan (WAS, London, UK)
Date: March 19-20, 2025
Time: 9:00-17:00 h
Location: SGBM seminar room
An intensive programme over four halfdays for advanced PhD graduates. The workshop teaches the skills for producing high quality papers suitable for the world’s top journals and incorporates writing practice with individual feedback.
Overview
This programme will involve each participant in the writing and correcting of his/her own paper, identifying the strengths and weaknesses in another participant’s paper, practising group writing and editing, and proposal writing.
Tasks to be completed:
Prior to the workshop the participants will submit a journal paper to the instructor and SGBM. The sections to be written up are: Title and Running Title, Abstract of no more than 300 words, Keywords, Instruction, Methods, Results, Discussion, List of References. More detailed instructions will be given to the participants as soon as they are registered.
Instructor: Dr. CJ Fitzsimons (Leadership Sculptor GmbH, Meckesheim)
Time: 09:00-17:00 h
Date: May 15, 2024
Location: SGBM seminar room
Content:
Conflict is part of creativity and the daily research routine, but unfortunately, the solution to such conflicts is not part of day-to-day work. People too often hope that a conflict resolves itself. The chances for productive solutions rise dramatically if you understand how to handle conflicts.
In this workshop, you will learn:
• Why conflicts can’t be solved “reasonably”
• Pros and cons of the main solution strategies
• Analysing conflicts to find solution strategies
• The nine possible escalation phases of a conflict – and how and when to intervene
• Practical tools for conflict resolutions
• How to negotiate when the negotiating partner has more power
Instructor: Judith Bergner, Dipl. Psych. (Skillfactors, Munich)
Date: January 19, 2024
Time: 9:00-17:00 h
Location: SGBM seminar room
Outline:
- Causes and indicators for being trapped in a vicious circle of mental exhaustion
- How to preserve a healthy, good (work) life:
- Develop a sense of coherence – self motivation (exercise)
- Cope with time pressure and stress – self calming (exercise)
- Keep in mind the six columns of emotional flexibility
- Tools to take care of the body, mind, soul and spirit (exercise on mindfulness)
- Get access to and activate inner resources
- Creating a constructive team climate and a resourceful relationship with a supervisor
- Recommendations for academics
Lecturer: Dagmar Engfer (Coach and Consultant for Career Development, Engfer Coaching, Zurich, Switzerland)
Location: ONLINE
Dates: in 2025
Workshops: DAY 1: March 28 - 9:00-12:00 h / DAY 2: April 4 - 9:00-12:00 h
Individual sessions: April 9-10
Aims:
The participants
• become aware of the skills profiles for jobs in and outside the academia and their own skills
• know how to «translate» their CV for job applications in different working areas in comparison with applications in academia
• outline their own skills profile
• practice an elevator pitch as preparation for an application
Content:
The end of your PhD is coming closer, and you would like to clarify your career expectations. Relevant questions you may be asking yourself are: Does it make sense for me to concentrate on an academic career? Am I made for a professorship? Where am I good at and what are my main skills?
This workshop gives you the opportunity to reflect on different career types and outline your own skills profile as basis for future job applications.
- Input to career types
- Reflect on the skills profile and draw conclusions for the next career steps
- Differences between a CV in and outside academia and how skills profiles can appear in a CV
- Practice an elevator pitch for different purposes
The first part of the workshop offers you the possibility to learn about different career types and to think about your own skills profile as preparation for a job application.
In the second part of the workshop, you will get the opportunity to perform an elevator pitch as preparation for forthcoming situations, e.g. career events with companies, job interviews, meetings with potential employers, networking at conferences.
Methods:
Inputs, individual work, exchange in groups, short presentations.
Expectations:
The participants are motivated to reflect on their own career options in exchange with the group.
Instructor: Prof. Dr. Axel Kroeger, Freiburg University, Centre for Medicine & Society (Global Health), Germany
Special Programme for Tropical Diseases Research and Training (TDR/WHO), World Health Organization, Switzerland
Date: tba
Time: tba
Location: SGBM seminar room
Learning objectives
At the end of the seminar participants
• are able to list the main health problems in high and low income countries
• understand the achievements and challenges of Global Health in the past and today
• aware of the specific health challenges in urban areas
Outline
• Global Health: Challenges and achievements (presentation with discussion)
• Determinants of urban health (practical, group work)
• Environmental and social stressors in urban health
• Key messages
Title: From Inventions to Innovations - Legal Basics for Life Scientist Researchers
Lecturer: Gerd L. Koepe LL. M., Dipl.-Chem., German and European Patent Attorney
Date: September 22-23, 2025
Time: 9:00-17:00 h
Location: SGBM seminar room
Objectives:
Students will receive a condensed introduction into practicing Intellectual Property (IP) rights (i.a. patents, designs, copyright). The compact course provides practical guidance for protecting, licensing and defending IP rights. An efficient and powerful protection of the creative inventors‘ research property requires an early, well drafted, carefully structured and cleverly defended establishment of such IP rights. Researchers in the science fields of (bio-/physiological) chemistry, pharmacy and medicine will be guided to handle the relevant tools. The course is designed to convey the requirements.
Comments of former participants:
“Overall, a useful course, helps to clarify and guide through the complicated subject of intellectual property and the particularities necessary to lawfully claim it.”
“I feel that I have now basic knowledge on patents, the application process and patent-related legal procedures as well as more general knowledge on intellectual property rights.”
“I have found the course on intellectual property rights very much informative where I gained basic knowledge on what my rights are when it comes to protecting my work.”
Instructor: Steffen Biernath (GMP Academy), Thomas Beer und Tobias Halfpap (GbR)
Date: tba
Time: tba
Location: tba
Outline:
In this intensive weekend seminar you will get an overview in 12 teaching units about
- Methodical basics
- Ethical foundations
- Performance of clinical trials, tasks and duties according to ICH-GCP, AMG, MPG, GCP-V
- Collateral in the clinical trial
- Quality assurance in clinical trials
Instructor: GMP, Academy
Date: tba
Location: tba
Outline: GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) offers guidelines for quality assurance in the production of pharmaceuticals. Knowledge of GMP is often a crucial requirement when applying for industry jobs, especially in the pharmaceutical sector. This GMP basic course focuses on topics that will be applicable to their industry position. We cooperate directly with well-known companies of the Life Science sector. Additionally, you get the chance to come into contact with prospective employers.
Instructor: Dr. Christian Grote-Westrick (GROTE-WESTRICK.COM)
Date: tba
Time: tba
Location: tba
Outline:
The workshop will present all relevant departments of a pharmaceutical company and illustrate potential job opportunities and everyday situations for academics. The participants actively develop a concept for a GMP-compliant drug which is audited by the participants in a simulation.
