Graduate School
The 3RTG aims to provide scientific and educational training for doctoral candidates in infectious disease research, with a focus on host/pathogen models across various animal species. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, advanced analytical methods, and behaviour analysis, the programme seeks to improve disease models and develop new refinement approaches to enhance animal welfare.
Key points:
- Focus on stress responses and behavioural changes in infection models
- Interdisciplinary team of doctoral researchers working collaboratively
- Strong emphasis on 3R principles, animal welfare, and ethical training
- Hosted by Dahlem Research School (FUB) under the Biomedical Sciences section
- Integrated into the Berlin University Alliance, offering extensive support and training
- Prepares a new generation of scientists committed to both research excellence and animal welfare
- Onboarding at the 3RTG Retreat
- Additional Onboarding Events of the Specific
University (e.g., “Kick Off Your Doctorate” Retreat (BUA),
- “getting started” event (FUB), Welcome Day for Newbie Doctoral Researchers (FUB))
- Spring School ‘Biomedical Sciences’ (DRS)
- Good Scientific Practice and Research Integrity
- Statistics
- 3RTG Research Data Management
- The Laboratory Animal Sciences Course at the Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behaviour and Laboratory Animal Sciences (FUB VetMed)
Lab visit: Institute of Pharmacy (FUB BCP)
Topics: Detection of common metabolic stress markers, such as neurotransmitters (e.g., serotine and dopamine) and hormones (e.g., cortisol)
- Lab visit: Institute of Veterinary Virology (FUB VetMed)
Topics: Introduction to Marek’s disease virus (MDV) infection model, assessment of clinical symptoms, virologic methods (e.g., virus propagation, titration and quantification)
- Lab visit: Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology (FUB VetMed)
Topics: Introduction to Theiler’s encephalomyelitis virus mouse model, assessment of neurological symptoms (e.g., behaviour testing, seizure scoring)
- Lab visit: Institute of Veterinary Microbiology (FUB VetMed)
Topics: Introduction to neonatal infections in mice, microbiological methods (e.g., quantification of bacteria)
- Lab visit: Institute for Veterinary Immunology (FUB VetMed
Topics: Introduction to intestinal parasite infections of mice, immunological and parasitological methods (e.g., FACS, cytokine detection, microscopy)
- Lab visits in computer vision at TUB
Topics: Annotation of visual data from animal experiments, evaluation of behavioural change, thermal data evaluation
- Lab visit: RKI - MF 3: “Animal Experimental Research and 3R”
Topics: Introduction to the management of a central laboratory animal facility, methods of animal handling and animal welfare under Biosafety Level-3
- Credible Research Conference: A conference on good research practice and research integrity presents the rules and principles of good scientific practice, clarify issues of ethical responsibility and discuss the importance of reproducibility of research results.
- Writing Week: A workshop to help structure the writing process, combat writer's block and develop publishing skills. Reflection on the writing process and writing in tandems is also part of the week.
- Mental Health Days: A blended learning event on mental health/resilience covers strategies for building mental stamina and resilience in crisis situations.
- 3RTG's own 3R Career Day: A seminar focusing on career paths within infection medicine and animal welfare science.
- Career Day: A career day introduces doctoral candidates to career paths inside and outside of academia and encourages them to start planning their own careers early.
- Writing a Grant Application
- Gender and Diversity training
- Time and Self-Management