The positive developments in research activity and the acquisition
of external funding at the Faculty of Medicine in 2002 can best
be expressed in numbers: €15.9 million of external funding.
This represents an increase from the previous year and a new absolute
record. The increase in the number of people additionally employed
in the faculty's externally funded projects was even more pronounced:
20% over the previous year. The proportion of refereed grant applications
rose to a very positive 55%.
The inception of "Improving the Performance of Clinical
Research in Medical Faculties in Eastern Germany and Berlin (Charité)"
(Grant NBL 3), a Programme sponsored by the Federal Ministry of
Education and Research (BMBF) in January 2002 made possible a
specific and performance-based support of research within the
faculty above and beyond the already established internal programmes.
NBL 3 also helps to create the structural prerequisites for a
successful application for funding of collaborative research networks,
and thus to intensify research at the Faculty of Medicine. BMBF
funding at the Faculty of Medicine of the Universität Leipzig
is used mainly to strengthen its already established research
focus on "Aberrant Control of Cellular Signalling Networks
in Chronic Diseases" (Applied Cell Biology) and "The
Development and Evaluation of Psychosocial Care in Response to
Social Change and the Development of Medical Technology".
The Interdisciplinary Centre for Clinical Research (IZKF) draws
together research on rheumatology/immunology, endocrinology,
neurosciences, and oncology (the last having been integrated
in January 2002) in an effort to consolidate its cell biological
profile. Three preclinical professors were to be hired in accordance
with those research emphases, funded with the help of the NBL
3 grant. Unfortunately, the time-consuming procedure of filling
a chair as well as some open questions concerning capacity led
to delays which could potentially lead to reductions in the NBL
3 grant. The establishment of a teaching facility for molecular
medicine will clarify the above-mentioned issues. By including
rotation elements, the facility will strengthen performance-oriented
aspects. In the future, the Faculty of Medicine will be able to
fill the demand dictated by NBL 3 for a performance-oriented allocation
of 30% of the funds granted by the Free State of Saxony for teaching
and research. Unfortunately, compliance with this demand will
be made easier by further reductions in overall funding.
As part of NBL 3, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research
approved an endowed chair on Health Economy and a junior research
group on "Psychosocial Oncology". The junior research
group is being integrated into NBL 3-structures since 2002, and
the chair will be filled in the course of 2003. The area of "Psychosocial
Care" has recently been strengthened by the establishment
of the university's Centre for Prevention and Rehabilitation,
and it is also connected to the Centre for Women's and Gender
Studies.
The Faculty of Medicine's research is interconnected with several
of the Universität Leipzig's university-specific research
profiles: "Molecular and Functional Cell Biology and Biotechnology",
"From the Molecule to Behaviour: Neuroscience, Cognition
Science, and Behavioural Biology", "Prevention and Rehabilitation",
and "Environmental Studies and Ecology". Those profiles
also provide additional points of contact for long-standing co-operations
with external research institutions (e.g. the Max Planck Institute
for Cognitive Neuroscience or the Centre for Environmental Research
Leipzig-Halle).
Several sub-programmes of NBL 3 at the faculty have been highly
successful and will continue through the next two years. Especially
noteworthy are formel.1 and the Position Rotation Programme. Both
are part of the efforts to promote junior researchers and scholars.
The Faculty of Medicine funds a third of the total formel.1 programme
budget of €750,000 out if its budget for teaching and research.
The other two thirds are funded by the Federal Ministry of Education
and Research through NBL 3. Funding for a formel.1 programme project
can be substantial: applications can be made for up to €50,000
per year. The 15 projects funded in the first round were presented
to the Faculty in November 2002, and formel.1 projects are already
successful in acquiring external funding. Especially noteworthy
are the Feodor Lynen Scholarship of the Alexander von Humboldt
Foundation, the advancement of two National Research Foundation
applications into the second round, acquisition of project funding
by the German Diabetes Society, funding of a project by the German
State Health Insurance ("Gesetzliche Krankenkassen"),
and two research awards.
The Position Rotation Programme strengthens the clinical and
scientific research in hospitals and the collaboration between
clinical and research institutions. Matching funds by NBL 3 and
the hospital employing the candidate give five young doctors the
opportunity to receive a year of extensive training at the research
institution to which they were sent, allowing them to use this
knowledge in their future clinical research. One of the institutions
selected was the Leipzig Coordination Centre for Clinical Trials
(KKSL). The programme thus helps young doctors to undertake scientific-clinical
studies. It also serves to advertise the Coordination Centre as
a partner for the conception and the implementation of innovative
and internationally competitive studies.
After the successful external review in autumn 2001, the Interdisciplinary
Centre for Clinical Research (IZKF) entered its third phase of
funding. Supported by the NBL 3 grant, the IZKF and its faculty
continue to pursue the stated aims of the IZKF: the development
of efficient structures for clinical research on an interdisciplinary
level, the development of a university-specific research profile
with an international appeal, and the support and promotion of
young scientists and researchers. Since 1996, the Federal Government
has contributed €10.4 million to the IZKF. From 2004 on,
the financing will be realised through the allocation by the Free
State of Saxony for teaching and research. Since January 2002,
25 research projects have been established within the four research
fields outlined above. They are being complemented by projects
like two junior research groups ("Neuroimmunological Cell
Biology" and "Molecular Medicine"), Core Units
for different scientific services (DNA, Peptide, und Fluorescence
Technologies) and cross-sectional groups for special tasks (NMR-Spectroscopy).
The promotion of young researchers and scientists is being aided
by research positions for young doctors in the practical phase
of their training ("Ärzte im Praktikum"), international
fellowships, and short-term grants for training in new scientific
methods. The IZKF bases its work on medical biotechnology, new
imaging technologies, and methods of cell biology. Noteworthy
in this context is the East German Reference Centre for Microarray
Analysis. Further contact points for co-operation, i.e. in the
analysis of intracellular signalling cascades and networks, exist
with the Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics (IZBI), founded
on June 7, 2002. It is funded by a grant by the National Research
Foundation through its "Bioinformatics Initiative".
Under the direction of Prof. Löffler from the Faculty of
Medicine, the IZBI will establish a teaching programme as well
as efficient structures for research in bioinformatics, including
the development of an independent research profile.
BIOCITY LEIPZIG has seen further development in 2002 and is nearing
completion. Within it, the Universität Leipzig's Biotechnological-Biomedical
Centre (BBZ) will be an important point of connection between
basic research and clinical research including the application
of research findings to new biotechnological procedures and products.
As a participating faculty, the Faculty of Medicine has been awarded
two professorships (one for Cell Techniques and Applied Stem Cell
Biology and the other for Molecular Cell Therapy - not yet filled)
and two junior research groups ("Molecular Diagnostics -
Microarray Technology" and "Solid-Phase NMR Studies
of the Structure of Membrane-Associated Proteins"). Close
collaborations between the Biotechnological-Biomedical Centre
and the Interdisciplinary Centre for Clinical Research will send
new impulses to biomedical research at the Faculty of Medicine.
Many scientists from the Faculty of Medicine participated in the
first "Biotechnology Day Leipzig" on May 22, 2002, which
was received with great interest within the university and the
city of Leipzig and beyond.
The arrival of two renowned scientists to the Universität
Leipzig bringing with them award money of €2 million each,
is an important event. It was celebrated by the Alexander von
Humboldt Foundation (which awards the Wolfgang Paul Award, funded
by the Federal Government) by a ceremony in October 2002. One
of the recipients, Prof. Barry Smith from the United States, used
his award to establish the Institute of Formal Ontology and Medical
Information Science (IFOMIS), associated with the Faculty of Medicine.
The institute employs a number of international scientists working
on the theoretical foundations of computer systems which will
connect medical data coming from different sources under a unified
structure and make them comparable. Ontology provides the framework
for the different terminological systems. Application will focus
on clinical trials, opening up further opportunities for co-operation
with the Coordination Centre for Clinical Trials and other scientists
working in clinical research.
Several interesting developments have taken place in the interdisciplinary
research group "Imaging-Guided Surgical Navigation",
a collaboration of doctors and scientists from different university
clinics and hospitals (Neurosurgery, Otorhinolaryngology and Plastic
Surgery, Diagnostic Radiology, Oral-, Maxillo- and Facial Plastic
Surgery, Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery), the Department of
Cardiac Surgery at the Heart Center Leipzig, and the Institute
of Anatomy. The use of a new navigation system for the planning
and execution of computer-assisted operations of the paranasal
sinuses, the frontal and lateral skull base, and in the spinal
area is an important advancement of clinical research and interdisciplinary
co-operation. In late 2002, the research group was asked by the
federal and the state government to apply to the planned Federal
Ministry of Education and Research project aimed specifically
at Eastern Germany, "Centres of Innovation". The Ministry
will provide a year of funding for the development of a concept
and strategies leading to the founding of a centre for innovation
called "Computer and Robot Assisted Surgery" at the
Faculty of Medicine. The concept will cover everything necessary
for the establishment of top-level research, the recruitment of
young scientists and researchers, and for making the centre attractive
for businesses and industry. The completion of the concept is
expected for 2003.
Among the many international contacts of the Faculty of Medicine,
the co-operation with Ethiopian universities is especially noteworthy.
It was given a fresh impetus with the visit of the Ethiopian Ambassador
to the Universität Leipzig, and with a new agreement with
the Gondar College of Medical Sciences that re-animated long-standing
relations between the two institutions. The efforts of Prof. Reißig
(Institute of Anatomy) and Prof. Schubert, (head of Infectious
Diseases and Tropical Medicine at the Department of Internal Medicine
IV), were especially instrumental. Ultimately, the project aims
to promote co-operation in the training of doctors and collaboration
in research projects. Another international co-operation is planned
with the Tongji University Medical College in Shanghai (projected
signing of the agreement in 2003).
The Faculty of Medicine contributes to the 5th EU Research Framework
Programme, among others through the co-ordination of a EU-project
led by Prof. Arendt from the Paul Flechsig Institute for Brain
Research, several sub-projects, two Euroconferences supporting
young scientists, the Marie Curie Training Centre, and as host
institute for EU-fellowship recipients in a structurally disadvantaged
region. It remains to be seen whether the 6th EU Research Framework
Programme with its new instruments (integrated projects and networks
of excellence) will allow the universities enough flexibility
for a profitable participation. The results of the first application
round in the spring of 2003 are not yet available. However, measures
such as scholarships for individuals and returning scientists,
training networks, the promotion and support of conferences and
training courses, funding for top researchers (so-called "excellence
teams"), awards, etc. are aimed especially at the needs of
junior scientists and researchers.
Numerous collaborative projects funded by the Federal Ministry
of Education and Research (among others, the medical networks
"Rheumatology", "Malign Lymphomas", and "BrainNet",
to which the Faculty of Medicine contributes with several sub-projects)
were carried over into the second phase of funding. The Collaborative
Research Centre "Variations in Protein Conformation: Cell
Biological and Pathological Relevance", situated at the Martin
Luther Universität Halle and the Universität Leipzig
(Faculty of Biosciences, Pharmacy and Psychology and Faculty of
Medicine) began its work on February 1, 2002.
Home 
