07.02.2012

Clinical research: "next generation"

DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - Germany's largest research funding organization) provided funding for training course in "clinical trials" for young researchers at UW/H.

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A group of outstanding young physicians met for a DFG funded training course in "clinical trials" at Witten/Herdecke University from January 23 to 27, 2012. The UW/H Institute for Medical Biometrics and Epidemiology (director: Prof. Dr. Frank Krummenauer) hosted this event which was intended as preparation of young physicians from all over Germany for positions in clinical research.

In the period from August to October 2011, the DFG invited applications for the course from dedicated physicians. An independent jury selected the best 20 from a total of 200 applications. Prof. Krummenauer, in charge of the course: "These top 20 represent the entire range of clinical medicine - from dentistry over pediatrics to psychiatry. Participants enjoyed a lively and fruitful exchange in clinical research for the past week; I am sure we shall see a number of excellent patient studies from this highly professional group of young researchers." Dr. Lena Ulm (NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin University Clinic Charité): "Experts in the field gave a series of lectures on various aspects of clinical trials. Subsequently, participants had the opportunity to present and discuss their own projects in personal interviews and profited from the experts' valuable suggestions. Some projects have been thoroughly revised as a consequence." At the end of the week the expert jury gave top marks to her convincing project presentation of a clinical trial in neurology.

In 2008 the DFG started to provide financial and organizational support to the clinical trial courses; earlier events took place in Bad Nauheim, Mannheim and Würzburg. This type of sponsoring is a long-term investment into young researchers at university clinics and covers benefits such as travel allowance, or practical support and advice in project grant application. Dr. Frank Wissing is the DFG representative for life sciences and has monitored the clinical trial training program  for young scientists from its beginnings: "Some of the young physicians who acquire specific qualifications in these courses will themselves direct clinical research units in a few years and be in charge of large patient populations involved in clinical trials. We at the DFG are pleased with the success of this training format. Not only patients will profit from this type of quality control, also the research community at university hospitals nation-wide. These prospective experts in clinical trials will pass on, and thereby multiply, their specific competences within their own clinics."

Prof. Dr. Stefan Zimmer, scientific director at Witten/Herdecke University and in charge of numerous clinical trials at the UW/H School of Dentistry, sums up: "The medical, methodological and legal requirements to be met in clinical trials are tremendous and comprise up-to-date medical expert knowledge as well as expertise in medical law and medical statistics. The clinical trial training course for young researchers conveys this wide range of competences in a concentrated and practice based format. We are proud to have been selected by the DFG as the host for this year's course, and our thanks go to Prof. Krummenauer for his initiative and the excellent organization, in collaboration with the UW/H Centre for Further Education." Patricia Heufers from the Centre for Further Education coordinated the logistics part: "Accommodation and catering for over 30 experts and 20 young researchers from all over Germany - not an easy task, but great fun!"

The 20 participants will again meet in Witten early in March to present the current stage of their projects. A team of mentors (DFG and UWH) will then provide support and advice in subsequent applications for research funds.