First DZG Heidelberg-Mannheim Day brings together 150 representatives from six DZGs

150 representatives from six German Centers for Health Research (DZG) from the partner sites in Heidelberg and Mannheim met on February, 28 2024 for the first DZG Heidelberg-Mannheim Day. Overview presentations gave participants an insight into translational highlights of all individual DZGs and poster presentations and a panel discussion provided further opportunities to strengthen their networking and cooperations.

Interdisciplinary exchange and translational research approaches were the focus of the agenda of the first DZG Heidelberg-Mannheim Day, which was attended by representatives from the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), the German Center for Lung Research (DZL) and the German Center for Mental Health (DZPG). The overarching aim of this meeting was to strengthen existing collaborations, identify common interdisciplinary topics and promote cooperation and networking between the DZGs.

Prof Stephan Urban (speaker of the DZIF partner site Heidelberg) opened the meeting on behalf of all DZG speakers in Heidelberg and Mannheim. Prof Michael Boutros (dean of the Medical Faculty at Heidelberg University) emphasized the important role of the DZG for the research landscape in Heidelberg-Mannheim and highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation for high quality research outcomes.

On behalf of the DZG board of directors, Dr Philipp Gebhardt (Scientific Managing Director of the DKTK) presented an overview of the DZG overarching activities and announced the third call of the DZG Innovation Fund, which invites applications for interdisciplinary projects on the topic of “Inter-Organ Metabolomics”.

The speakers of the individual DZGs in Heidelberg and Mannheim gave an overview of their individual DZG and their infrastructure and highlighted the potential of existing DZG research collaborations for creating synergies in translational research. Scientists from all six DZGs presented exemplary their research projects in lectures on both topics of "Public Health" and "Translational Approaches". In addition, poster presentations gave insights into individual research topics, translational highlights and infrastructures of the individual DZGs.

In a final panel discussion moderated by PD Dr Martin Gerchen (DZPG), representatives of the six DZGs and Prof Rohini Kuner, vice dean for research of the Medical Faculty in Heidelberg, discussed established and new approaches to support the career paths of young researchers at different career stages. Therein, strengths of current programes in Heidelberg and Mannheim and ideas for improvement of existing career-related activities were discussed together with the audience.

The successful event was closed by Prof Johannes Backs (speaker of the DZHK partner site Heidelberg-Mannheim), who highlighted again the strengths of the existing DZG partnerships and encouraged all participants to follow up on new collaborative ideas for patients health.

Source: DZIF Heidelberg