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Scientific Career Development
The Hamburg School of Oncology
All opportunities for scientific career development at the UCC Hamburg are brought together under the umbrella of the Hamburg School of Oncology. In addition to various seminars and workshops, these include the Mildred Scheel Cancer Career Center Hamburg and various support programs.
The scientific career development opportunities at UCC Hamburg offer researchers at all stages of their careers targeted support in building and developing their scientific careers. Whether through financial support, individual career counseling, or structured training programs, the Hamburg School of Oncology creates an environment that promotes both scientific excellence and personal development.
To enable optimal orientation, the funding opportunities are divided into three areas: financial support, academic career development, and training programs. This structure facilitates access to the appropriate opportunities—from research funding to mentoring and qualification measures to specialized further training for young scientists.
Training and Continuing Education
The UCC Hamburg offers a wide range of training and continuing education opportunities for various target groups:
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Inga Maria Melzer
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Natascha Kömm
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Maike Täger
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Kai Rothkamm
Financial Support
The UKE offers a wide range of funding opportunities to support scientific research and careers. These range from research grants and awards to special programs for clinician scientists. Please find an overview of important funding opportunities at the UKE and beyond below.
Examples:
- UCC Hamburg Research Fellowship
- Hubertus Wald Research Funding
- MSNZ
- CONNECT Grants
- Further Funding Opportunities
UCC Hamburg Research Fellowships
Every year, the UCC Hamburg offers several positions as UCC Hamburg Research Fellowships (Drittelstipendien). These positions are awarded on application to assistant physicians in their second to fifth year of training who demonstrate a keen interest in experimental clinical research.
The duration of the research stay is maximum one year. During this time, clinicians are fully exempted from their clinical routine in order to focus on translational, laboratory-based research. One third of the position is funded by the Dean's Office (Faculty of Medicine), one third by the budget of the sending clinic, and one third by the budget of the host institution.
The defining element of these fellowships for promoting collaborative research within UCC Hamburg is that fellowship recipients are transferred and released from a clinical UCC Hamburg department to a UCC Hamburg department that primarily conducts scientific experimental activities. Therefore, it is not possible to carry out the research project in a laboratory at one's own department.
The selection is traditionally made by a committee of senior scientists during the UCC Hamburg Research Retreat. Applicants present their proposed project in the form of a short presentation during the event.
The UCC Hamburg Research Fellowships will be open for applications again in 2026.
Contact:
Dr. rer. nat. Natascha Kömm
2026:
- Friederike Dierks
Releasing department: Department of Oncology and Hematology
Hosting department: HCTI
Project: Translational analysis of the STIMULATE trial – Short-term dietary fIber intervention to improve imMUno-chemotherapy efficacy in Lung and esophagogAsTric adenocarcinoma
- Leon Liekfeld
Releasing department: Department of Oncology and Hematology
Hosting department: Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg
Project: Function and relevance of the blood brain barrier and neurovascular unit in medulloblastoma
- Henrike Salié
Releasing department: Department of Gastroenterology
Hosting department: Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery
Project: Spatial and temporal profiling of the local immune response during combinatorial chemo- and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients
2025:
- Mina Langhein
Releasing department: Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, HIT-MED Trial Office
Hosting department: Department of Neurosurgery
Project: Investigating white matter microstructure and pre-operative risk factors in posterior fossa syndrome using advanced neuroimaging techniques
- Leoni Ramke
Releasing department: Department of Otorhinolaryngology
Hosting department: Laboratory for Radiobiology and Experimental Radiation Oncology
Project: Evaluation of the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) signaling as a target for personalized therapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)
- Natasha Schweitzer
Releasing department: Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery
Hosting department: Department of Gastroenterology
Project: Microbes as immune-modulatory stimuli in the emergence of metastasis: Targeting the microbe-trained immune-tissue communication to prevent and treat metastasis
2024:
- Joao Gorgulho
Releasing department: Department of Oncology and Hematology
Hosting department: Department of Gastroenterology
Project: „SIMPLE PETUNIA - Soluble Immune Mediators in the Prognosis of diverse maLignanciEs and the PErsonal anTitumoral immUNe surveIllance Ability“
- Julius Röhrle
Hosting department: Department of Otorhinolaryngology
Hosting department: Laboratory for Radiobiology and Experimental Radiation Oncology
Project: „Double Trouble: Identifying optimal combinations for the IAP-inhibitor Debio 1143 for the radiosensitization of HNSCC cell lines and tissue slices“
- Piet Sonnemann
Releasing department: Department of Oncology and Hematology
Hosting department: Institute for Tumor Biology
Project: „Interactome of ASXL family proteins“
2023:
- Sophia Cichutek
Releasing department: Department of Oncology and Hematology
Hosting department: Department of Gastroenterology
Project: „Comparative characterization of exhaustion patterns of dysregulated T cells in acute myeloid leukemia and chronic viral infections“
- Jacob Clausen
Releasing department: Department of Otorhinolaryngology
Hosting department: Laboratory for Radiobiology and Experimental Radiation Oncology
Project: „Monitoring head and neck cancer treatment by immune checkpoint inhibition using functional kinome profiling“
- Alice Ryba
Releasing department: Department of Neurosurgery
Hosting department: Institute for Tumor Biology
Project: „The circulating immunome of glioblastoma patients“
2022:
- Julian Kött
Releasing department: Department of Dermatology and Venereology
Hosting department: Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
Project: „The role of neutrophil extracellular traps for coagulation and metastasis of malignant melanoma patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibition“
- Julian Götze
Releasing department: Department of Oncology and Hematology
Hosting department: Institute for Tumor Biology
Project: „Identification and characterization of circulating cancer-associated fibroblasts (cCAFs) in pancreatic cancer“
- Richard Hauch
Releasing department: Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
Hosting department: Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg
Project: „Engineering of iPSC-derived natural killer cells for adoptive transfer as a treatment strategy for high risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia“
CONNECT Grants
To strengthen collaboration with the University Cancer Center Schleswig Holstein (UCCSH) and promote networking among young scientists, the CONNECT (Cooperative NORD Networking for Early Career Teams) grant is awarded once a year to cross-location research teams in the early and middle stages of their careers. This initiative is supported by the state of Schleswig-Holstein and the Mildred Scheel Cancer Career Center Hamburg (MSNZ), which is funded by German Cancer Aid (DKH).
Young colleagues in particular are encouraged to work together to develop a cross-location project idea that makes optimal use of synergies between the locations and contributes to the further development of joint priorities. Ideally, the project idea should be based on one of the research priorities of the UCC Hamburg (see
Here you can find the 2025
If you need help with your application, are looking for suitable research partners at the other location, or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at
Additional Funding Opportunities by Local Foundations and Sponsors (most websites in German):
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Academic Career Development
The training and promotion of researchers in the early and middle stages of their careers is a priority for the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hamburg. In addition to doctoral degrees, this includes the habilitation process and the awarding of teaching qualifications.
Medical and scientific doctoral theses are generally offered by all clinics and institutes belonging to the UCC Hamburg network. Enquiries should be addressed directly to the relevant institutions. In addition, it is possible to participate in the PhD program for medical professionals or the PhD program for non-medical professionals offered by the Vice Dean's Office for Research/Teaching.
Contact:
Dr. rer. nat. Katrin Klempahn, Vice Dean's Office for Research/Teaching
Training Programs
The UCC Hamburg offers a wide range of training and continuing education programs for young scientists. These programs promote professional skills, research-oriented qualifications, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Below you will find an overview of key training opportunities:
- Hamburg School of Oncology - Curriculum | Clinic Visits | Lab Rotations | Journal Club
- Clinician Scientist Program of the Medical Faculty
- iSTAR
- iPRIME | iPRIME-CS
- iD Fellows
-
Curriculum MSNZ
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Curriculum of the Hamburg School of Oncology
The courses offered by the Hamburg School of Oncology are aimed at students and doctoral candidates in life sciences and medicine, young postdocs, and young physicians who are working on or planning to work on a cancer-related research topic and have a strong interest in translational cancer research. The modules offered by the Hamburg School of Oncology aim to give participating young scientists a better understanding of translational research and to encourage them to focus their current or future research work on the greatest possible practical application in cancer medicine.
The courses also offer a great opportunity to broaden your horizons and network with scientists and physicians in the field of translational cancer medicine. The modules on offer can be attended alongside your own research project. As participant capacity in the individual modules is usually limited, registration is required.
Contact:
Dr. rer. nat. Natascha Kömm
Module 1: Clinic Visits
A special and central element of the curriculum is the “Clinic Visits” module, which provides insight into the clinical perspective of cancer medicine and offers a unique opportunity to go “from the lab to the bedside.” Participants in this module spend one or two days visiting a ward at UCC Hamburg and accompany physicians in their daily work, bringing them into direct contact with cancer patients.
If you would like to participate in the “Clinic Visits” module, please note that a good knowledge of German is advantageous, as this is the language used in the wards, at tumor conferences, etc. For safety reasons, a hepatitis B vaccination is another prerequisite for participation.
Participating departments of the UCC Hamburg:
Department of Gynecology
Department of Neurosurgery
Department of Oncology and Hematology
Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
Department of Radiotherapy and Radio-Oncology
Martini Clinic
Participation in this module is possible at any time by arrangement and subject to staffing capacities in the wards. If you would like to register for the “Clinic Visits” module, please send an email to
Module 2: Lab Rotations
Participants in the “Lab Rotation” module have the opportunity to rotate to another UCC Hamburg laboratory to learn about a specific method or technical device that would ideally be useful for their own research project. The rotation should last approximately one week.
Participating UCC Hamburg labs:
Gorzelanny/Huck Lab (Rheology in tumor metastases)
Huber Lab (Control of CD4+ helper cells)
Kluwe Lab (Tumor genetics)
Kriegs Lab (Signal transduction and molecular target recognition)
Lamszus Lab (Biology of brain tumors)
Mansour Lab (Regulation of DNA double-strand break repair in tumors)
Schlüter Lab (Mass spectrometric proteomics)
Schüller Lab (Developmental neurobiology and pediatric neuro-oncology)
Wikman Lab (Characterization of metastasis-associated genes)
Windhorst Lab (Cytoskeletal dynamics)
Detailed information on the various methods offered by the participating laboratories can be found in the following overview, which is available for download:
Participation in this module is possible at any time by arrangement and subject to staffing capacities in the participating working groups. If you would like to register for the “Lab Rotations” module, please send an email to
Module 3: Journal Club
Participants in the “Journal Club” module individually select publications from the field of translational cancer research and present them. The publications are presented in English using PowerPoint slides and then discussed by all Journal Club participants under the guidance of a lecturer.
If you would like to register for the “Journal Club” module, please note that regular attendance is desirable. The Journal Club meets monthly during the semester on Tuesdays from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. as an in-person event at Campus Forschung or Campus Lehre. You can join the Journal Club at any time.
If you would like to register for the Journal Club, please send an email to
Registration
Please send your registration by email to
- Which module(s) would you like to register for?
- For the “Clinic Visits” and “Lab Rotations” modules: Please select a department/laboratory that you would like to visit
- Your full name and title
- Your affiliation (department) and position (doctoral candidate, postdoctoral researcher, etc.)
- Your contact details (phone number and email address)
- The name of your PI
- For the “Clinic Visits” module: A brief explanation that you are immunized against hepatitis B
Certificates of attendance for the modules offered by the Hamburg School of Oncology will only be issued upon request. If you would like a certificate of attendance for one or more modules, please contact Dr. Natascha Kömm by email (
Clinician Scientist Program of the Medical Faculty
The aim of the program, which is initially planned to run for three years, is to offer young physicians interested in research the opportunity to pursue an independent research project supervised by mentors alongside their clinical training.
Program participants are granted 100% leave from their respective clinics for scientific work in the first year and 50% leave in the following two years. As part of an accompanying, structured training program, researchers also have the opportunity to acquire extensive methodological skills and important key qualifications.
Participants subsequently complete an extended additional professional training program that qualifies them for future demanding tasks in patient-oriented and basic research. There are plans to extend the program in subsequent three-year increments with the aim of guiding participants toward habilitation.
Further information is available on the Vice Dean's Office website:
Contact:
Dr. rer. nat. Katrin Klempahn, Vice Dean's Office for Research
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iSTAR
The iSTAR program, funded by the BMfTR until 2031 as an Advanced CS program, supports outstanding clinical scientists in establishing their own independent research groups in the field of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.
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iPRIME | iPRIME-CS
Else Kröner Research College for Young Physicians
The training programs iPRIME (for doctoral students in medicine), iPRIME-CS (for CS in specialist training), and iPRIME PhD (for doctoral students in life sciences), which are funded by the
iPRIME, iPRIME-CS, and iPRIME PhD are structured clinician and medical scientist programs for highly motivated and talented physicians interested in research and scientists selected on the basis of scientific excellence. In addition to a detailed and tailor-made curriculum for clinical or scientific training, iPRIME fellows receive individual support and guidance in an established process for implementing scientific ideas and developing their own perspectives. The iPRIME program is embedded in the joint structure of the Hamburg Center for Translational Immunology (
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iD Fellows
The Hamburg Clinician Scientist Program for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases iDfellows is a training and research program for young clinically active scientists, initially funded by the
Other Local Providers of Training and Continuing Education for Researchers:
In addition to the above offers, everybody is also free to participate in the numerous other events organized by UCC Hamburg (e.g., NORD Seminar, UCC Hamburg Research Retreat, Harvard meets UKE, MSNZ offers, etc.).
Further Information
Do you have any questions or would you like to make an appointment? Here you will find our contact details for UCC Hamburg.
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