Prof. Martin Hrabě de Angelis (DZD Board and Helmholtz Munich) opened the event on behalf of all Munich DZG site spokespersons. Minister of State Markus Blume (Bavarian State Ministry of Science and Art), Prof. Matthias Tschöp (CEO Helmholtz Munich and Vice-President of the Helmholtz Association for the Research Field Health) and Prof. Thomas Gudermann (Dean of the Medical Faculty of LMU Munich) presented the importance of the DZG in greeting speeches and underlined the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration.
Overview presentations on the DZG
As this year's chair of the DZG board, Prof. Martin Hrabě de Angelis presented the structures created for DZG-wide collaboration, such as the DZG Innovation Fund for the promotion of cross-disciplinary projects, a joint office and the DZG working groups. The working groups on research IT, promotion of early career researchers, patient involvement, public relations, regulatory aspects of clinical trials, global health and biobanking each involve experts from all DZG in order to jointly advance these topics across diseases.
In short overview presentations by the Munich site spokespersons, the excellent research in the individual DZGs as well as the variety of already existing collaborations between the DZGs at the Munich site became apparent.
This was followed by exciting translational highlights ranging from promising fundamental findings in health research to novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Prof. Tobias Feuchtinger (DZIF) also presented the first results of the joint DZG Innovation Fund project "Cell and Gene Therapy", which involves scientists from DKTK, DZD, DZHK, DZIF and DZL.
Bavarian Cloud for Health Data
In his keynote lecture, Prof. Julien Gagneur (TUM) presented the pioneering concept of the "Bavarian Cloud for Health Data" for data processing. The audience showed great interest in an exchange.
Strengthening of DZG collaborations in Munich
In a concluding panel discussion of the Munich DZG site spokespersons, ideas and success factors were collected to further promote the exchange between the different DZG centers. The audience also participated actively in a survey on ideas on how to strengthen collaborations within the DZG in Munich. For example, a platform or lecture series on existing infrastructures could be established. Scientific networking events such as the DZG Munich Day were described as very profitable and for the promotion of early career scientists with regard to translational research, participation in DZG-wide events was considered to be very valuable.
The conclusion of this very successful event was that the DZG scientists consider a regular cross-DZG exchange to be very beneficial and profitable in order to strengthen the many already existing collaborations between the DZGs in Munich, to further develop synergies and to establish new contacts.
The participants of the 1st DZG Munich Day. © DZD / Matthias Balk
The German Centers for Health Research (DZG)
DZHK
German Center for Cardiovascular Research
DZNE
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
DZD
German Center for Diabetes Research
DKTK
German Cancer Consortium
DZIF
German Center for Infection Research
DZL
German Center for Lung Research
DZPG
German Center for Mental Health
DZKJ
German Center for CHild and Adolescent Health