Foundation Program
Program Outline
Annual Meeting 2013 at the WIS
© dkfz.de
The goal of the Foundation Program is to provide doctoral students in each institution with superior training in cancer biology with a particular focus on the international and collaborative aspect of their education at an early stage in their career.
The main components of the Foundation Progam include:
- Joint mentoring of PhD thesis projects by pairs of collaborating scientists from both institutions.
- Long-term exchange visits of doctoral students, lasting approximately 6-12 months, to work and study in the laboratory of their mentor from the partner institution. During these visits, the doctoral students are integrated in the curriculum of the respective Graduate School and attend lectures, method courses, journal clubs, group meetings and institute seminars.
- Bi-annual meetings in which all doctoral students and mentors of the Research School present lectures about their work.
- A comprehensive soft skills program that complements the scientific education the doctoral students receive.
Testimonial: Selina Jansky
Foundation Program and PhD-to-Postdoc fellow, 2017-2022.
Now Medical Science Liaison Manager Oncology at Pierre Fabre.
"Cancer-TRAX is a great opportunity to establish an international network and start a collaboration with one of the excellent research groups at the Weizmann Institute.
I highly appreciate the supervision by an additional PI and the chance to get to know a different culture and research environment. On top of that, the program provides me with valuable training in different professional skills and a language course to prepare for visits to Israel."
Key Benefits for PhD Students of the Research School
The joint Research School between the DKFZ and the WIS offers its doctoral students key benefits including:
- Mentoring by two senior scientists – enjoying the benefits of their combined scientific experience.
- Access to resources and technical abilities of both institutions.
- Residence, work and study in a foreign country – a key experience that is expected to play a major role in shaping the scientific personality of participating doctoral students.
- An attractive training program in cancer biology.
Academic and Organisational Aspects
All PhD students of the Research School have either the DKFZ or Weizmann Institute as their home institute and are a member of the graduate program of their home institute, the DKFZ International PhD Program, or the Feinberg Graduate School, respectively.
However, they are also associate members of the partner institute. During their research stay at the partner institute, the students are integrated into the respective institute, with full access to its facilities and resources.
While the joint Research School offers a common framework for its doctoral students to undergo professional training at both the German Cancer Research Center and the Weizmann Institute, it does not offer a joint degree. Rather, doctoral students are under the academic responsibility of their home institutions and receive degrees according to the regulations of their home graduate schools.
How to apply
For information about how to apply to the Foundation Program click here.