The School of Oncology – Training in Translational Oncology for Scientists and Clinicians

Cross-disciplinary scientific and clinical interaction © Tobias Schwerdt/DKFZ

To compete internationally, scientists need systematic and structural support as well as continued education. This and the integration into an attractive and innovative science community are the central concerns of the DKTK School of Oncology. With our training of medical scientists and clinician scientists we promote the mutual understanding of needs in basic research and clinical application which will facilitate the bidirectional communication and interaction between research and clinic.

Clinicians as well as basic scientists receive the opportunity of continuous insight into translational cancer research and multicenter clinical oncology straight from the beginning of their professional career.

Within DKTK School of Oncology junior researchers can take part in a cross-disciplinary training program in translational cancer research. Clinicians and basic scientists learn to link scientific and clinical tasks through close collaboration and extensive exchange. At the same time they learn to efficiently transfer research results into the clinic. The program of the School of Oncology is closely tied to the training offers at the local Graduate Schools of the partner sites. Additionally to these offers, clinician scientists and medical scientists in postgraduate training have the opportunity to participate in various courses, e.g. the Annual International Cancer Core Europe Summer School in Translational Cancer Research, further training seminars and workshops as well as lecture series and exchange programs which all focus on translational oncology.

Objectives

  • Promoting cross-disciplinary training and exchange of medical and clinician scientists in patient-side disciplines
  • Establishment of structured training modules in translational cancer research for basic researchers and clinicians scientists.
  • Establishment of an interactive nationwide network of talented medical scientists and clinician scientists in DKTK.

Strategy

The DKTK School of Oncology offers complementary activities to curricula of the DKTK partner site programs in training and education covering all relevant aspects of translational cancer research. The School trains in cross-disciplinary communication and collaboration, aiming at faster transfer of results from basic research into clinical application as well as addressing reverse translation of clinically relevant questions back to laboratory research: