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
Welcome to our 3RTG Qualification Programme and the following attempt to provide you with an overview as well as giving some instructions and advice.
Here you find a spreadsheet to download and to personalise as well as a table which should provide you with an overview of obtainable credit points
Please personalise your spreadsheet.
You are expected to submit it upon request, at least once per year, in order to update our Masterplan and ensure that the information is available for the DFG upon request.
Please note that all courses listed (in green) as Optional Courses and Additional courses are only exemplary, and may be selected alternatively at your choice from a range of courses at DRS and BUA. Please update the spreadsheet accordingly.
Regarding the “Status” column: the provided values are only examples intended to illustrate available options. Please update them to reflect your actual status (e.g., note that obviously webinar attendance cannot be completed for 2029 in advance).
Webinar attendance is mandatory. You must attend at least six webinars per year to receive accreditation. In addition, you are expected to present at least once during a webinar within the course of your doctorate.
The Doctoral Researchers Club and the alternating 3RTG Colloquium must each be attended at least five times per year (10 combined) to receive accreditation. As both of these seminar series start in October 2026, the attendance requirements are as follows:
- October 2026 – May 2027: at least 3 attendances in each series (3 + 3 out of 8 sessions)
- Until March 2028: at least 4 attendances in each series (4 + 4 out of 10 sessions)
- From March 2028 onward: at least 5 attendances in each series (5 + 5 out of 12 sessions per year)
Thesis Mentoring Sessions: Please send in your mentoring notes after completion of each session.