Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics
(ITMAT)
FIRST cooperates with ITMAT (Philadelphia) which fosters
relationships between investigators focused on translational
biomedical research in all schools at the University
of Pennsylvania and in other institutions in the region. It
provides educational courses in patient-oriented and
translational research, including the newly launched
Masters Program in Translational Research (MTR). These
training opportunities are partly complementary to the
FIRST program. Trainee and exchange programs between
FIRST and ITMAT are forseen. Cooperation between
FIRST and ITMAT is facilitated by Prof. G. Fitzgerald,
Director of ITMAT and member of the Scientific Advisory
Board of FIRST.
The Center for Biomedical Innovation (CBI)
The CBI (Boston) aims to identify, research and enable
the implementation of innovative methodologies and
approaches that transform the discovery, development
and delivery of accessible therapeutics, diagnostics and
devices. The CBI will accomplish its objectives by creating
collaborative teams that bring together key faculties from
relevant schools and divisions across MIT and Harvard, as well as their counterparts in government and industry.
Cooperation between FIRST and the CBI is facilitated by
Dr. F. Douglas who is Executive Director of CBI and
Speaker of the Scientific Advisory Board of ZAFES, thus
fully aware of the specialities in the German and U.S.
graduate school system. As an honorary Professor of the
Medical Faculty of Frankfurt University Dr. Frank Douglas
also belongs to the teaching body of the university.
Karolinska Institute
The Karolinska Institute, especially the Department of
Physiological Chemistry II has a long tradition in
eicosanoid research. Pioneering work has been performed
by members of the group directed by Professor
Bengt Samuelsson, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in
1982 for his discovery and elucidation of essential pathways
and modes of action of eicosanoids in inflammation
and cancer. Over the last few years, Frankfurt University
has brought together an internationally renowned group
of scientists to form an Eicosanoid Research Cluster, with
interests and expertise that complement those of the
Karolinska Institute. The close cooperation between both
institutions is highlighted by the establishment of the joint
European Research Training Group 757.
The European Business School (ebs)
The EUROPEAN BUSINESS SCHOOL (ebs) in Oestrich-
Winkel/Rheingau (30 km from Frankfurt) is the oldest private
university of business administration in Germany
and is also one of the most highly respected business
schools in Europe and has set new standards in the field
of business education and executive training. For over 30
years, the ebs has emphasized innovation in teaching,
research and university management. The ebs is involved
in FIRST Core Curriculum Module 12 dealing with business
plan development, marketing and international
trends in drug markets.
GRK757
Existing networks in lipid metabolism and inflammation
include the European Research Training Group GRK 757, "Eicosanoids in biology and medicine", which was founded
in 2001 together with our partner, the Karolinska Institute
in Stockholm. The group (RTG) provides a structured
education program for PhD students with the focus on
inflammation and pain and covers basic as well as clinical
aspects of lipid mediators. The training group is complemented
by the Endowed Professorship for
Immunopharmacology (Dr. Schleussner Stiftungsprofessur).
Eicosanoids and Nitric Oxide (EICOSANOX)
EICOSANOX is an integrated project funded by the European
Commission´s 6th Framework Program and integrates
11 academic institutes and 2 small-medium
enterprises. The consortium focuses on eicosanoids and
nitric oxide (NO) in physiological and pathological settings.
Research is aimed at characterizing the functional
genomics and proteomics of the eicosanoid and NO cascades,
detailing the molecular mechanisms of signaling
and role in disease processes, identifying new genes and
potential drug targets as well as developing novel strategies
for therapeutic intervention and drug design. The
consortium is jointly carrying out an ambitious research
and development program spanning all the way "from
molecules to patients". The Karolinska Institute and
Frankfurt University are the major contractors within
EICOSANOX. Within the consortium, Frankfurt University
coordinates the EICOSANOX pan-European education
program.
The European Vascular Genomics Network (EVGN)
The EVGN is a network of Excellence founded by the
European Commission´s 6th Framework Programme and
aims to integrate post-genome research into the more
established biomedical and biotechnological approaches
to cardiovascular disease. The priority areas of the EVGN
were chosen because of their importance in pathogenesis
and their promise in terms of understanding basic
pathophysiological mechanisms as well as development
of new diagnostic and treatment modalities. These comprise:
1) early endothelial dysfunction, 2) atherosclerotic
plaque instability, and 3) therapeutic angiogenesis. The EVGN has initiated a highly popular summer school program
for PhD students which will also open to members
of FIRST performing research into cardiovascular diseases.
Diagnostic Center of Acute Leukemia (DCAL)
The DCAL provides connections to European and overseas
laboratories working on diagnostics of high-risk
acute leukemias. Genetic material of each leukemia
patient is being investigated to identify and analyze leukemogenic fusion genes or other genetic changes that
causes cancer and classify different leukemia entities.
For each leukemia patient molecular markers are
established that are used for minimal residual disease
monitoring in different European study centers. The
Frankfurt DCAL collaborates with all major centers and
study groups in UK, France, Czech Republic, Austria,
Poland, Switzerland, Italy and Germany. The diagnostic
work is organized in the framework of the study groups
I-BFM, GMALL and the AMLCG.
|
