University of Bonn

Transcrição

University of Bonn

University of Bonn
Life Sciences and Culture
in Bonn
June 1 - August 5, 2011
Life Sciences and Culture
Academic Director
International Office
Program Coordination
Prof. Michael Hoch, PhD
Life&Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES)
Development, Genetics & Molecular Physiology Unit
Phone: 0228-73 62736
[email protected]
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
International Office
Poppelsdorfer Allee 102
Katharina Schmitt
Phone: 0228-73 9632
[email protected]
Tobias Hecht
Phone: 0228-73 2062
[email protected]
Administration
Student Assistants
Sharon Williams
Phone: 0228-73 7831
[email protected]
[email protected]
Julia Junghof
Cell Phone: 0177-8775553
Rebecca Kleiner
Cell Phone: 0162-6991473
German Classes
German Language
Teachers
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Wolfgang Gerkhausen
Phone: 0228-73 5945
[email protected]
Ms. Angelika Thiele: [email protected]
Mr. Volker Weininger: [email protected]
www.lifesci.uni-bonn.de
Welcome to Bonn
Dear Life Sciences Students,
The International Office of the University of Bonn welcomes you!
Bonn is a good choice: The University of Bonn is one of Germany’s leading academic
institutions. Founded in 1818, it has a long tradition in teaching and research. 27,000
students are enrolled at the University of Bonn. More than 5,000 of them are
international students, representing more than 130 nations, which contributes to
Bonn’s international atmosphere.
Bonn itself has its special charm as well:
The birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven, a federal city, a university city – Bonn
provides a colorful picture of many different aspects of German life. Bonn is a city in
the heart of Europe, a city with the famous “Rhineland charm” and a nearly Mediterranean atmosphere. But first and foremost, Bonn is a particularly hospitable and
international city, which served as the capital of the Federal Republic of German for
half a century and which, today, is the seat of many United Nations institutions and
other international organizations.
We are convinced that you will soon feel at home both in the city of Bonn and at the
university. Please feel free to contact us at the International Office with any problems
or questions you might have. We are always happy to help you and will do our best to
make your stay in Bonn a pleasant and rewarding experience.
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4
Tuesday, 6/14
Monday, 6/13
Tuesday, 6/21
Tuesday, 6/28
Monday, 6/20
9:00 a.m. German
Class
Monday, 6/27
9:00 a.m. German
Class
Pentecost
Holiday
Tuesday, 6/7
Monday, 6/6
9:00 a.m. German
Class
12:00 p.m. Get to
know your lab
Lab times are not included
in this schedule
Wednesday, 6/29
6:30 p.m. Lab Visit
Wednesday, 6/22
2:00 p.m. Lab Visit
Wednesday, 6/15
6:30 p.m. Lab Visit
Wednesday, 6/8
4:00 p.m.UniLauf
Köln
Wednesday, 6/1
Arrival Day
Thursday, 6/30
Holiday
Thursday, 6/23
Thursday, 6/16
Thursday, 6/9
6:30 p.m. Official
Program Reception
Thursday, 6/2
9:30 a.m. Breakfast
10:00 a.m. Orientation + Campus Tour
6:00 p.m. Buddy
event
“Running Dinner“
Friday, 7/1
9:00 a.m. German
Class
11:00 a.m. German
Culture Class
2:15 p.m. Palace
Brühl
Friday, 6/24
9:00 a.m. German
Class
11:00 a.m. German
Culture Class
1:45 p.m. Guided
Tour Cologne
Friday, 6/17
9:00 a.m. German
Class
11:00 a.m. German
Culture Class
7:20 p.m. Concert
Friday, 6/10
9:00 a.m. German
Class
11:00 p.m. German
Culture Class
Friday, 6/3
9:00 a.m. German
Class
11:00 a.m. German
Culture Class
1:45 p.m. Guided
Tour Bonn
Saturday, 7/2
(Rheinkultur
Festival)
Saturday, 6/25
Saturday, 6/18
Trier
Saturday, 6/11
7:45 a.m. Excursion
to Trier
Saturday, 6/4
9:00 a.m. “Meet the
Germans”
Sunday, 7/3
Sunday, 6/26
Sunday, 6/19
Sunday, 6/12
Sunday, 6/5
2:50 p.m. Rafting
(Sieg River) +
Welcome Dinner
Program Overview
Tuesday, 7/19
Tuesday, 7/26
Monday, 7/18
9:00 a.m. German
Class
Monday, 7/25
9:00 a.m. German
Class
Tuesday, 8/2
9:00 a.m. Visit of
the German Ethics
Council
2:15 p.m. Hohenschönhausen
Tuesday, 7/12
Monday, 7/11
9:00 a.m. German
Class
Monday, 8/1
8:40 a.m. Guided
Tour Berlin
2:45 p.m. Reichstag
Tuesday, 7/5
Monday, 7/4
9:00 a.m. German
Class
3:00 p.m. Soccer
Tournament
6:00 p.m. 4th of
July BBQ
Berlin
Wednesday, 8/3
1:30 p.m. Potsdam
Wednesday, 7/27
6:30 p.m. Visit of
LIMES Institute
Wednesday, 7/20
6:30 p.m. Lab Visit
Wednesday, 7/13
6:30 p.m. Discussion Forum
Wednesday, 7/6
6:30 p.m. Discussion Forum
Thursday, 8/4
9:00 a.m. Visit of
Charité Clinic
7:00 p.m. Farewell
dinner
Thursday, 7/28
Preparation of
Presentations
Thursday, 7/21
Thursday, 7/14
Thursday, 7/7
Friday, 8/5
Individual Departures from Berlin
Friday, 7/29
9:00 a.m. Final Project Presentation
Friday, 7/22
9:00 a.m. German
Class
11:00 a.m. German
Culture Class
2:00 p.m. Art
Museum
Friday, 7/15
9:00 a.m. German
Class
11:00 a.m. German
Culture Class
2.30 p.m. German
History Museum
Friday, 7/8
9:00 a.m. German
Class
11:00 a.m. German
Culture Class
5:40 p.m. Rhine
River Cruise
Saturday, 7/30
Saturday, 7/23
Saturday, 7/16
(Universitätsfest)
Saturday, 7/9
Berlin
Sunday, 7/31
7:45 a.m. Departure
to Berlin
Marienborn memorial
Sunday, 7/24
Rhinetour
Sunday, 7/17
12:00 p.m. Burg
Eltz and Winetasting
Sunday, 7/10
Program Overview
5
The University
On October 18, 1818, the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität was founded by the Prussian King Friedrich-Wilhelm III, who had been ruling the Rhineland
since 1815. Idealism and enlightenment characterized this era, which also led to the
foundation of the universities of Berlin (1810) and Breslau (1811). The University
remains committed to its liberal heritage inspired by Wilhelm von Humboldt. Thanks
to the liberal spirit of those times, the University thrived, attracting famous scholars
like August Wilhelm Schlegel, Ernst Moritz Arndt, Berthold Georg Niebuhr, Friedrich
August Kekulé, Johannes Müller, Friedrich Argelander, and Heinrich Hertz. Besides
these scholars, students like Heinrich Heine, Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche and
Konrad Adenauer later contributed to the University’s reputation.
Today the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität of Bonn is one of
Germany‘s leading institutions of higher education. It is among the most popular
universities for scholars who are financed through the German Academic Exchange
Service (DAAD) and the Humboldt Foundation. With an enrollment of approximately
27,000 students, it ranks as the third largest university in the federal state of NorthRhine/Westphalia. The University of Bonn‘s excellent reputation is also due to the
commitment of its 600 professors, 3,000 faculty, and 4,000 non-academic staff members. About 4,000 international students from over 130 countries as well as numerous
visiting professors and scholars contribute to a truly international atmosphere in
research and education. Students can choose from approximately 80 different degree
programs and a wide range of courses.
The Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität of Bonn plays a decisive role in the city,
since its institutes, seminars and clinics can be found in various parts of town. The
main building, which houses the schools of Theology, Philosophy, and the administrative body is situated in the city center, along with the Law school and the University
Library. Most institutes belonging to the school of Natural Sciences and the Agriculture school, however, have their premises in the municipal districts of Endenich and
Poppelsdorf, and the University clinics are situated on top of the Venusberg.
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Bonn
Bonn is a city in which one feels immediately
at home. With its 320,000 inhabitants, it is a city
which offers a great quality of life, a strong local
economy, and a wide range of leisure activities.
The origins of Bonn go back to the foundation of „Castra Bonnensia“, a Roman fort built
between the years 13 and 9 B.C. In the course of
the centuries, Bonn has seen many changes in its
rulers and its fortunes. Ludwig van Beethoven is
probably the city’s most famous son. The house
where he was born in 1770 and where he spent his
childhood can still be visited today.
An important chapter in the city’s history began in 1949 when the Parliamentary Council decided to make Bonn the provisional capital of the newly established
Federal Republic of Germany. During the 40
years that followed the
small city on the Rhine
gained international prestige. In 1991 the German
Bundestag voted to move
its seat and parts of the
government to Berlin –
and Bonn had to redefine
its role again. Today the
city continues to grow as
an international center for science and culture and as a center for Development Policy.
A number of international organizations and some major companies have their headquarters in Bonn, among then, Deutsche Telekom and the Deutsche Post. In addition,
due to its various UN institutions, the former “Castra Bonnensia” has officially been
declared a “UN city.”
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Germany
Germany is located in the heart of Europe – both geographically and politically.
Because of its central location and its role as a member of the European Union (EU),
Germany serves as an important bridge between Eastern and Western Europe.
With over 82 million inhabitants, Germany is Europe’s
most populous country. All in
all, more than one hundred million people in Europe use German as their first language –
in Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein, as well as in parts of
Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, France (Alsace) and Italy
(Südtirol).
This makes German the most
frequently spoken language in
Western Europe!
Bonn
General Information
Official Name
Type of Government
Head of State
Head of Government
Population
Size
Population Density
Capital
Germany’s Largest
Cities
Climate
Average temperatures
National Holiday
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Facts on Germany:
Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
Parliamentary Democracy
Bundespräsident Christian Wulff (since 2010)
Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel, CDU (since 2005)
82 million, 7.3 million of them foreigners
357, 000 square kilometers
231 inhabitants/km²
Population Growth Rate: 0.04 %
Berlin
Berlin (3.5 Mio.), Hamburg (1.7 Mio.), München (1.25 Mio.), Köln (1 Mio.),
Frankfurt/M. (0.65 Mio.)
Temperate oceanic / continental climate zone with frequent changes in weather and
mainly western winds
Between – 6°C to +1,5°C in winter and between 18°C and 20°C in summer
German Unification Day (Tag der deutschen Einheit), 3 October
Student Projects
LIMES Institute
Development, Genetics & Molecular Physiology
http://www.entwicklungsbio.uni-bonn.de/English/research/Behr/behr.html
Principal investigator: Dr. Matthias Behr
[email protected]
Kelly Gruetzmacher
„Airway maturation and growth control in Drosophelia“
University of
Wisconsin-Madison
Carl-Troll-Str. 31
LIMES Institute
Endocytosis plays a central role in the cellular uptake of channels, receptors and
bound ligands that trigger numerous developmental, morphological and physiological
programs in epithelial tissues. Apical-basal polarity is essential to direct secretion,
protein trafficking, endocytosis and barriers in the epithelial cells. Using the Drosophila respiratory organ (reviewed in Behr, 2010) as a successful animal model system
we could identify novel factors required for endocytosis, epithelial barrier formation
and apical extracellular matrix organization (Behr et al., 2003; Behr & Hoch, 2005;
Behr et al., 2007; Wingen, Aschenbrenner et al., 2009; Wingen et al., 2009). One of
those new factors is the Obstructor-A (Obst-A), which is required for epithelial barrier
function, tube size control and larval growth control. The characterization of the ObstA is progressed quite far, important molecular and biochemical tools exist in the lab.
Future aspects of the practical course would be the identification of Obst-A interaction
partners through biochemical approaches and its function in growth control. Main
approaches will be molecular (e.g. PCR, DNA cloning etc.), biochemical (e.g. Western
Blot) and confocal assays.
Buses 601 (dir. Nervenklinik), 602 (dir. Waldau), 603 (dir. Röttgen) to “Am Botanischen Garten”
Development, Genetics & Molecular Physiology
Group of PD Dr. Reinhard Bauer
Principal investigator: Reinhard Bauer
[email protected]
Robert Powers
„Understanding regulation of energy homeostasis by ceramide synthases“
Harvard University
Energy homeostasis and growth require the coordinated regulation of lipid metabolism. The underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. We are interested
in identifying key regulators of lipid homeostasis and their functional mechanism.
Recently, we identified the schlank gene as a major regulator of lipid homeostasis in
Drosophila. Schlank encodes a conserved member of the Lass/CerS family of ceramide synthases , which contain a catalytic Lag1 motif and a homeobox transcription
factor domain. Schlank mutant larvae, show decreased levels of sphingolipids and
9
Student Projects
depleted fat stores due to an upregulation of triacylglycerol lipases and a downregulation of SREBP-dependent fatty acid synthesis. In addition, we have demonstrated
that mammalian members of the conserved Lass/CerS family had also effects on
lipid homeostasis. Therefore, we are currently interested to find how members of
this family e.g., schlank may act as regulators coordinating cellular and organismic
lipid homeostasis in animals mechanistically. We now address these issues by using a
combination of genetics, biochemistry and integrative physiology.
Carl-Troll-Str. 31
LIMES Institute
Cellular Immunology
www.limes-zentrum.uni-bonn.de/Seiten/research/burgdorf.html
Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Sven Burgdorf
[email protected]
Hueylie Lin
„Influence of insulin on antigen presentation“
University of
Wisconsin-Madison
The induction of an adaptive immune response is induced when dendritic cells (DC)
internalize antigens. These antigens are degraded within the DC and the resulting
antigen-derived peptides are subsequently loaded on MHC molecules. These peptideMHC complexes can be recognized by antigen-specific T cells, which can become
activated upon such recognition.
Aim of this project is to analyze whether such antigen presentation is influenced
by insulin signaling. To this end, DC will be cultured in the presence of insulin
and the influence of antigen uptake will be analyzed by flow cytometry. Additionally, T cell activation capacities of such treated DC will be analyzed by ELISA,
T cell proliferation by flow cytometry and the effects of antigen processing by
western blot.
Carl-Troll-Str. 31
LIMES Institute
Molecular Brain Physiology and Behavior
Principal investigator: Prof. Michael Pankratz
[email protected]
Cassandra Farnow
„Neural circuit and behavioral analysis of neurons controlling feeding in Drosophila“
Amherst College
10
Student Projects
Our lab is using Drosophila as a model system to study how neural circuits in the
brain control behavior and metabolism. We use a combination of electrophysiological, optogenetic, and advanced imaging approaches to identify neurons that control
feeding behavior in the larva. We currently have a large collection of Gal4 lines
which drive expression of target genes in specific neurons in the larval brain. We are
characterizing these neurons with respect to their connectivity, live calcium imaging,
optogenetics with channelrhodopsin and behavioral analysis. The project will involve
taking part in this screen.
Carl-Troll-Str. 31
LIMES Institute
Molecular Immunology
www.cellbiochem.uni-bonn.de
Principal investigator: Prof. W. Kolanus
[email protected]
Bran Shim
Harvard University
„Mechanisms of immune cell migration: environment-dependent switches“
Supervisor: Dr. Thomas Quast
[email protected]
Precursors of dendritic cells enter tissues through the blood stream. Within the peripheral organs they develop into immature DC which sample antigens. Inflammation
(i.e. the presence of molecular components of pathogens) results in the maturation of
DC which subsequently migrate into the draining lymph nodes via afferent lymphatic
vessels. Mature DC are potent activators of naive T cells, because they strongly
upregulate MHC class molecules ans co-stimulatory receptors such as CD80, CD86
or CD40. We are interested in three major aspects of DC biology, which are a) the molecular mechanism of migration b) the regulation of the cytoskeletal activities during
maturation and c) signal transduction pathways and gene activation in maturation.
Major investigatory tools in these endeavors are the RNAi approach, the dynamic
visualization and quantification of cell motility in vitro and in vivo, and the functional/
biochemical analysis of signaling pathways in maturation.
Carl-Troll-Str. 31
11
Student Projects
LIMES Institute/
Kekulé Institute of
Organic Chemistry
and Biochemistry
Chemical Biology
AK Famulok
http://www.famuloklab.de/
Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. M. Famulok
[email protected]
Jonathan Thielman
Duke University
„The Synthesis and Application of Small Molecule Probes for selective Covalent Modification of Proteins“
Supervisor: Dr. Jeffrey Hannam
[email protected]
The modifications of biomolecules with small molecule probes is a standard
method to study biomolecules in vitro and their native environment. Site-selective labelling of biomolecules is however a more challenging prospect, but has
developed rapidly in recent years. The project will use suitably decorated small
molecules, developed within our research group to selectively label their cognate
protein targets. The labelled proteins can then be exploited in further studies to biochemically characterise the proteins within the cellular environment. The project
will include a range of techniques, primarily organic synthesis, but also standard
molecular biology and biochemical techniques.
Gerhard-Domagk-Str. 1
STR 16 (dir. Niehl Sebastianstr., Köln), STR 63 (dir. Tannenbusch Mitte, Bonn) to
Propsthof Nord, Bonn
LIMES Institute/
Organic Chemistry
and Biochemistry
Chemical Biology
AG Mayer
www.mayerlab.de
Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Günter Mayer
[email protected]
Alison Liou
„Aptamer-templated synthesis“
Harvard University
The project aims at the application of aptamers as reactive chemicals to built-up covalent but photo-reversible complexes. These complexes can be used in light-triggered
drug-release applications.
The project will include the synthesis and the biochemical characterisation of the complexes.
12
Propsthof Nord
Student Projects
LIMES Institute/
Organic Chemistry
and Biochemistry
Zijian Wu
Harvard University
AK Piel
http://www.piel.uni-bonn.de/
Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Jörn Piel
[email protected]
„Analysis of an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of a bioactive natural product“
Supervisor: Dr. Max Helf
[email protected]
Organisms synthesize bioactive natural products by joint action of various enzymes, each of which catalyzes one or more distinct steps in biosynthesis. A precise
understanding of each of these steps will provide insights how pathways can be
genetically manipulated to obtain drug candidates with novel structures. Goal
of this project is to study the function of a biosynthetic enzyme from a bacterial
producer. The student will overexpress the protein in a heterologous bacterial
host, such as E. coli, purify it and perform enzymatic assays using appropriate
substrates.
Patricia Horvath
University of
Wisconsin-Madison
„Metagenome mining for natural product discovery and production“
Supervisor: Dr. Michael Freeman
[email protected]
Marine sponges are one of the most important sources of bioactive natural products.
The limited quantities of available substance, however, represents a critical obstacle in
drug development. Our group has recently provided evidence that the true producers
of most sponge-derived natural products are as-yet unculturable symbiotic bacteria.
Sustainable sources of sponge-derived drug candidates could therefore be created by
isolating the genes encoding biosynthetic pathways from the total sponge genome (the
metagenome) and expressing them in culturable bacteria. In this project, the student
will be involved in the cloning of such a gene cluster as a basis for the generation of a
biotechnological production system.
Life & brain
Propsthof Nord, Bonn
Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology
AG Blaess
http://www.meb.uni-bonn.de/rnb/index.php?page=neurodevelopmental-genetics
Principal investigator: Dr. Sandra Blaess
[email protected]
13
Student Projects
Godwin Abiola
Harvard University
„Determining the role of Sonic Hedgehog signaling in establishing midbrain
dopaminergic neurons“
Supervisor: Anna Kabanova
[email protected]
The midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons of the substantia nigra (SN) and the
ventral tegmental area (VTA) play critical roles in the control of voluntary movement,
and reward behavior, respectively. These subpopulations of mDA differ in gene expression, axonal projections and their aberrant function underlies a wide spectrum of
disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia. All mDA neurons appear to
be derived from a precursor domain at the ventral midline of the developing midbrain.
Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) signaling is necessary for the induction of the mDA precursor
domain, but it remains unclear whether Shh plays additional roles in mDA specification and differentiation at subsequent stages of development.
To investigate later roles of Shh signaling in mDA neurogenesis, we will analyze
mouse mutants in which the Shh receptor Smoothened was conditionally inactivated after mDA progenitor induction. Previous analysis of these conditional mutants
showed that they are missing more than two thirds of all mDA neurons in the vMb.
We will investigate the underlying mechanism of this phenotype by assessing whether
Shh signaling can influence the specification and fate decision of mDA neurons. To
this end, we will characterize mDA neurons during their precursor and differentiation
steps in wild-type and conditional mutants using immunofluorescence and RNA in situ
hybridization. In addition, we will trace the axonal projections of mDA neurons at late
embryonic stages using DiI labeling to address whether the remaining mDA neurons
project to the right targets in the forebrain.
Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25
Life & brain
Bus 601 (dir. Nervenklinik) to “Nervenklinik“
Stem Cell Pathologies
AG Scheffler
http://www.stemcellpatho.uni-bonn.de
Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. med. Björn Scheffler
bscheffl[email protected]
Jeremy Ying
„Study of Cancer Stem Cells from Brain and Skin Tumors“
Harvard University
This is a primer on the basic techniques required to isolate, to validate, and to explore
cancerous stem cells from human malignancies. The candidate student will acquire
knowledge on the culture of primary human cancer cells. Immunocytochemistry,
basics on animal experimentation, and essential molecular methods will be taught
to enable the distinct functional characterization of these cells. During the course of
14
Student Projects
her/his studies, the student will perform a side-by-side comparison of cancer stem
cells isolated from human melanoma and glioblastoma tissue specimens seeking to
demonstrate their potentially common roots.
Life & brain
Department of Epileptology
Cellular neurobiology - neurochemistry
http://epileptologie-bonn.de/cms/front_content.php?idcat=107
Principal investigator: Prof. Wolfram Kunz, PhD
[email protected]
Thejal Srikumar
„Deletions of the human mitochondrial DNA“
Harvard University
Mitochondrial DNA deletions have been shown to be associated with neurological diseases and ageing. The mechanism of deletion generation, propagation and the reasons
for their tissue specific deleterious effects are largely unknown. The project is focused
on screening for mitochondrial DNA deletions in a selection of available human tissues samples (skeletal muscle biopsies and surgical brain samples) by using long-range
PCR, single-molecule PCR, direct DNA sequencing. Analysis of next-generation
sequencing data will be demonstrated.
Life & brain
Cognitive and network research - Cognitive Neurophysiology
AG Cortical Oscillations
http://epileptologie-bonn.de/cms/front_content.php?idcat=110
Principal investigator: PD Dr. Nikolai Axmacher:
[email protected]
Paula Daniliuc
Harvard University
„Identifying memory reactivation during sleep using simultaneous fMRI-EEG“
Supervisors:
Lorena Deuker:
[email protected]
Carina Oehrn:
[email protected]
Animal experiments showed that during sleep, activity patterns representing individual memories are being replayed. It has been suggested that this reactivation is
related to memory consolidation, i.e., to memories becoming resistant to interference.
15
Student Projects
Previous functional neuroimaging studies in humans showed that during sleep after
learning, brain regions such as the hippocampus which are crucial for declarative
memory formation are being reactivated. However, reactivation of individual memory
traces was never investigated. In this project, we address this question by applying
pattern classification algorithms to functional MRI data to extract representations of
individual memories. Afterwards, participants (healthy young students) sleep in the
MRI scanner, while simultaneously EEG is recorded to perform sleep staging. We will
try to identify individual memory traces during sleep, and test whether reactivation
is predictive for subsequent memory. Students will participate in data collection and
perform some analyses of the resulting findings.
Life & brain
Institute of Molecular Psychiatry
http://www.molpsychiatrie.uni-bonn.de/
Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Andreas Zimmer
[email protected]
Shahil Mehta
Harvard University
„Ethanol-related behaviour of Serine racemase transgenic animals“
Supervisor: PD PhD Ildikó Rácz
[email protected]
Chronic alcohol consumption leads to the development of addiction, which is a chronic relapsing disorder. Addiction causes long-lasting neuronal adaptation in the brain,
which conduct to the manifestation of drug dependence. Serine racemase catalyses
the formation of D-Serine from L-Serine. D-Serine acts as co-agonist at glutamatergic
NMDA receptors and thus is a physiological regulator of NMDA receptor function.
NMDA receptors are important excitatory neurotransmitter receptors in the brain and
are involved in many physiological processes, including memory formation, synaptic
plasticity and chronic alcohol induced neuroadaptation.
We hypothesize that serine racemase transgenic mice exhibit altered ethanol-related
behaviour after long-term alcohol consumption compared to wild type animals. Within
the framework of this project the behaviour of transgenic and wild type animals will
be examined during and after chronic alcohol treatment.
Allison Han
Harvard University
„The role of CB2 in Aβ-mediated microglial responses“
Supervisor: Anne Schmöle
[email protected]
The endocannabiniod system has been shown to play a neuroprotective role in the
16
Student Projects
CNS. It encompasses the two receptors CB1 and CB2 and their natural ligands, e.g.
2-AG, AEA or noladin ether. Further studies describe that CB2 is expressed in human
microglial cells and CNS infiltrating macrophages during Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)
suggesting a crucial role for the CB2-receptor in disease pathogenesis. The role of
CB2 will be evaluated in a mouse model for AD. Of special interest is the CB2-mediated modulation of microglia response to the Abeta peptide and microglial-mediated
neurotoxicity. The used methods include: in vivo analysis of mouse models of AD,
isolation and cultivation of primary cells, phagocytosis assay, flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, genotyping or ELISA.
Life & brain Center
Institute of Human Genetics
http://humangenetics.uni-bonn.de
Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Regina C. Betz
[email protected]
Daniel Gorbaty
Loyola University
„Analysing protein-protein-interactions“
Supervisor: Dr. Sandra M. Pasternack
[email protected]
In families with a rare monogenic form of alopecia, called hypotrichosis simplex
(HS), we identified nonsense mutations in the P2RY5 gene which encodes the
orphan G protein-coupled receptor p2y5*. This was the first G protein-coupled
receptor that was shown to be essential for hair growth. After cloning of p2y5
wild type and mutants, we analysed the proteins by Western Blot and immunofluorescence analyses. In order to identify ligands of the orphan receptor p2y5, we
screened a number of substances using the cAMP response element (CRE)-directed luciferase reporter gene assay and identified oleoyl-L-α-lysophosphatidic acid
(LPA) as a p2y5-ligand. Therefore p2y5 is now designated as LPAR6.
There is no information available concerning the signal transduction or binding
partners of p2y5. Therefore we recently performed a special yeast-two-hybrid
screen called split-ubiquitin membrane yeast two hybrid and identified a number
of putative interactors in a hair follicle library. Our goal is now to verify these
interactors in a mammalian cell system by different techniques, e.g. co-IP, pulldown or co-immunofluorescence analyses. The student would contribute to these
analyses.
17
Student Projects
Universital Hospital Building 370
Clinical Neuroscience/Dept. of Neurology
www.henekalab.com
Principal investigator: Prof. Michael T. Heneka
[email protected]
Jennifer Ding
Harvard University
„PPARalpha mediated micorglial neuroprotection“
Supervisors: Dr. Markus Kummer
[email protected]
Microglial activation is a key component of several neurodegenerative disease
(ND). While the chronic nature of this activation presumably results in the destruction of synapses, axons and neurons and, microglia also exerts neuroprotective
functions, e.g. through the release of neurotrophic factors including GDNF or
IGF-1. The proposed project evaluates the possibility to shift microglial cells from
a proinflammatory and detrimental phenotype in an neuroprotective one through
the activation of the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha. This hypothesis will be tested in microglial cell cultures stimulated with immunactivating
agents relevant for ND in the presence and absence of PPARalpha agonists and
antagonists. Readouts parameters will include the transcription and the release of
neurotrophic mediators as well as their influence on neuronal survival. Depending
on the progress, these data will be verified using primary wild type and PPARalpha ko microglia.
Universital Hospital Building 324
Institute of Medical Microbiology Immunology and Parasitology
http://www.microbiology-bonn.de/immip/en
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. med. A. Hoerauf
[email protected]
Ina Chen
Harvard University
„Characterization of Lipid II biosynthesis in Wolbachia endosymbionts of
filarial nematodes“
Supervisor: Dr. Kenneth Pfarr
[email protected]
Wolbachia are endosymbionts of filarial nematodoes essential for embryogenesis,
larval development and adult worm survival. For these reasons, they are considered mutualistic endosymbionts. As endobacteria, Wolbachia have a much reduced
genome. However, the genome encodes most of the enzymes necessary to synthesize Lipid II, the precursor of peptidoglycan. This finding is astounding because
18
Student Projects
most obligate intracellular bacteria do not need a cell wall and no evidence for
a cell wall in Wolbachia has been found. Recent results have shown that these
genes are expressed as mRNA and purified Wolbachia membranes can synthesize
Lipid II in vitro, indicating that Lipid II is synthesized in the endobacteria. From
the genome, we also know that several proteins needed to make peptidoglycan
are lacking. Key among these are a racemase to convert L-amino acids to Damino acids and the transglycosylases that link the sugar moities of Lipid II to
form the peptidoglycan chains. Thus, the structure of Wolbachia Lipid II is most
likely different from either E. coli or S. aureus and its exact biological function is
unknown. Therefore we are characterizing the Wolbachia Lipid II by expressing
and purifying the Wolbachia enzymes so that Lipid II can be made in vitro. With
this set up, different substrates will be tested to elucidate the structure of Wolbachia Lipid II and to generate antiserum for high resolution electron microscopy.
The qualified student will be involved in the expression and purification of one
or more protiens of the Lipid II biosynthetic pathway and will perform activity
assays to synthesize Lipid II precursors and Lipid II.
Biomedical Center
(BMZ)
Building 344
Bus 601 (dir. Nervenklinik) to “Hauptpforte Kliniken“
Institute for Experimental Immunology
http://www.immei.uni-bonn.de/
Principal investigator: Prof. Christian Kurts
[email protected]
Theodore Peng
Harvard University
„Characterisation of mast cell populations in the urinary tract and their role in the
clearance of bacterial infections“
Supervisor: Dr. Simon Teteris
[email protected]
Infections of the urinary tract are the most common type of bacterial infection in man.
Colonisation of the bladder or renal epithelium can lead to the presence of a persistent
bacterial infection, in which the associated inflammation may lead to loss of renal function
overtime and even chronic renal failure.
The innate immune system forms the first line of defence against many pathogens, including bacteria. An often-overlooked arm of the innate immune system in infection is the
mast cell of which there are two distinct populations, connective tissue and mucosal mast
cells, each with distinctive granule profile. Mast cells potentially play an important role in
the clearance of bacteria in the urinary tract through the recruitment of neutrophils and by
initiating an adaptive immune response. Mast cells may be the first immune cell type able
to respond to a bacterial infection through the release of preformed granules, particularly
19
Student Projects
histamine and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFa), but also by synthesising various cytokines and chemokines such as interleukin 8 (IL-8) and Leukotriene B4.
This project will characterise the populations of mast cells present in the kidney and
bladder by histological staining, immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Their role in
the clearance of infections of the urinary tract and renal inflammation will be examined utilising mouse models of pyelonephritis and cystitis established within the investigators lab.
Center for Economics and Neuroscience
Emily Teuscher
University of
Wisconsin-Madison
Bus 601 (dir. Nervenklinik) to “Hauptpforte Kliniken“
Center for Economics and Neuroscience
AG Weber
www.cens.uni-bonn.de
Principal investigator: PD Dr. Bernd Weber
[email protected]
„Investigating the neurobiological basis of human preferences“
Supervisors: Klaus Fliessbach
klaus.fl[email protected]
During the project, the student will take part in running experiments on the biological
basis of human decision making. This involves behavioral experiments with human
subjects as well as functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging . The main
focus lies on the investigation of the relationship of structural brain connectivity with
economic preferences. The student will have to learn programming experiments with
Presentation®, interact with the subjects when running the experiments and learn to
analyze functional and structural MR images.
Connie Zhong
Harvard University
„Investigating the neurobiological basis of human preferences“
Supervisors: Bernd Weber/Klaus Fliessbach
During the project, the student will take part in running experiments on the biological
basis of human decision making. This involves behavioral experiments with human
subjects as well as functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging. The main
focus lies on the investigation of the relationship of structural brain connectivity with
economic preferences. The student will have to learn programming experiments with
Presentation®, interact with the subjects when running the experiments and learn to
analyze functional and structural MR images.
Nachtigallenweg 86
20
Bus 601 (dir. Nervenklinik) to “Sertürnerstr.“, Bus 603 (dir. Ippendorfer Allee) to
“Sertürnerstr.“
Program
Wednesday, June 1
Arrival Day
International Office
53115 Bonn
Thursday, June 2
9:30 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
Meeting Point
11:00 a.m.
6:00 p.m.
Breakfast: Join us for breakfast, before we start the Orientation
Orientation
at the International Office
Conference Room, Poppelsdorfer Allee 102
Tour of the Campus and the City Center
Running Dinner with your German Buddies
at the International Club, Poppelsdorfer Allee 53
(basement)
Get to know your German Buddies
Friday, June 3
9:00 a.m.
German Class
Group 1: Ms. Angelika Thiele,
Room 22, Adenauerallee 10
Group 2: Mr. Weininger,
Room, 34 Adenauerallee 10
11:00 a.m.
1:00 p.m.
Meeting Point
1:45 p.m.
Saturday, June 4
9:00 a.m.
Meeting Point
German Culture Class
Lunch in the „Mensa“
In front of the International Office, Poppelsdorfer Allee 102
Guided Tour „Beethoven and Bonn“
„Meet the Germans“
Intercultural Communication Workshop
Katharina Schmitt
Conference Room, Poppelsdorfer Allee 102
21
Program
Sunday, June 5
2:50 p.m.
Meeting Point
Rafting and Dinner at the Sieg River
Subway station “Bonn Hbf“ (on tracks to Siegburg)
Please bring a towel and a second set of (warm) clothes because you will most certainly get wet. Bring
sturdy footwear. Flip-flops are not allowed.
Monday, June 6
9:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
German Class
Individual Lab Visits: Get to know your lab
Your Buddies will arrange a meeting with your lab supervisor and will show you how to get to the lab using public
transportation.
Tuesday, June 7
9:00 a.m.
Lab
(in your respective labs, see project listing)
Wednesday, June 8
9:00 a.m.
Lab
3:45 p.m.
UniLauf Köln
Support our “Bonn Internationals“ Team at the University run in
Cologne by running 5 or 10 km. Everyone else is needed to cheer for
our runners.
Meeting Point
Central station, platform 1
Thursday, June 9
9:00 a.m.
Lab
6:00 p.m.
Official Opening of the Program
Venue
International Office, Poppelsdorfer Allee 102
Friday, June 10
9:00 a.m.
22
German Class
Program
11:00 a.m.
Saturday, June 11
7:45 a.m.
Information
Meeting Point
Germany´s Ancient Heritage:
Excursion to Trier
www.trier.de
Bus stop Hofgartenwiese
German history dates back more than 2,000 years.
Many cities in the western part of Germany - like
Bonn and Cologne - trace their origins back to
Ancient Roman settlements. You will be surprised
how many traces of the Roman era you can still see
in Trier.
Sunday, June 12
Days off
Monday, June 13
Tuesday, June 14
9:00 a.m.
Lab
Wednesday, June 15
9:00 a.m.
Lab
6:30 p.m.
Lab Visit
Dr. med. Judith Alferink
Institute for Molecular Psychiatry
Life & Brain / University of Bonn Medical Center
Siegmund-Freud-Str. 25
Meeting Point
Thursday, June 16
9:00 a.m.
Lab
Friday, June 17
9:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
German Class
23
Program
7:15 p.m. Concert at the „Beethovenhalle“
Das andere Tanzlied
Leonard Bernstein
Candide, daraus Ouvertüre und Suite für Orchester (1999)
Graeme Koehne
High Art
Konzert für Trompete und Orchester (2003)
Ludwig van Beethoven
Sinfonie Nr. 7 A-Dur op. 92 (1811-1812)
James Morrison Trompete
Beethoven Orchester Bonn
Kristjan Järvi Dirigent
Meeting Point Beethoven Monument, Münsterplatz
Saturday, June 18 Days off
Sunday, June 19
Monday, June 20
9:00 a.m. German Class
12:00 p.m. Lab
Tuesday, June 21
9:00 a.m. Lab
Wednesday, June 22
9:00 a.m. Lab
2:00 p.m. Lab Visit
Prof. Dr. med. Frank Jessen
Meeting Point Klinisches Behandlungs- und Forschungszentrum
University of Bonn Medical Center
24
Please dress nicely;
no shorts or flip-flops!
Program
Thursday, June 23
Holiday (Fronleichnam)
Friday, June 24
9:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
1:45 p.m.
Meeting Point
Saturday, June 25
German Class
Guided Tour Cologne
Entrance hall of the main train station of Bonn
Days off
Sunday, June 26
Monday, June 27
9:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
German Class
Lab
Tuesday, June 28
9:00 a.m.
Lab
Wednesday, June 29
9:00 a.m.
Lab
6:30 p.m.
Lab Visit
Prof. Dr. Björn Scheffler, M.D.
Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology
Life & Brain / University of Bonn Medical Center
Meeting Point
Thursday, June 30
9:00 a.m.
Lab
Friday, July 1
9:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
German Class
25
Program
2:15 p.m.
Baroque in the Rhineland:
Site Visit: Palace Augustusburg in Brühl
www.schlossbruehl.de
Bonn Central Station (Hbf), departure hall
This palace is one of many residences and
pleasure castles built for Clemens August,
Prince Elector and Archbishop of Cologne in the first half of the 18th century. Two
more are the Poppelsdorfer Schloss and the University’s main building. Castles and
park in Brühl are UNESCO World heritage sites.
Return to Bonn
ca 5 p.m.
Saturday, July 2
Information
Sunday, July 3
Rheinkultur Festival
www.rheinkultur-festival.de
Rheinkultur is Germany´s biggest open air festival free of charge and offers a versatile
program on several stages. (This event is not mandatory.)
Day off
Monday, July 4
9:00 a.m.
German Class
3:00 p.m.
Soccer in Germany
Poppelsdorfer Allee, in front of the International Office
Meeting Point
Soccer is an important part of German culture. If you have
time and can get away from your lab, enjoy an afternoon
of sports and fun with your fellow students. Don´t forget to
bring sportswear!
6:00 p.m.
4th of July BBQ
Having a BBQ is one of the most popular pastime activities in Germany. All you need is sausages, potato salad and
sunshine. We would like to spend a typically German summer
evening withyou. Please bring salad, dessert or snacks.
Poppelsdorfer Allee
Tuesday, July 5
9:00 a.m.
26
Lab
Program
Wednesday July 6
6:30 p.m.
Meeting Point
Discussion Forum
Dr. Michael Fuchs
Institute of Science and Ethics
Bonner Talweg 57
Thursday, July 7
9:00 a.m.
Lab
Friday, July 8
9:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
5:40 p.m.
Meeting Point
Saturday, July 9
German Class
Rhine River Cruise
Landing stage at Alter Zoll
Enjoy the scenery along the Rhine on our evening boat
cruise
Days off
Sunday, July 10
Monday, July 11
9:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
German Class
Lab
Tuesday, July 12
9:00 a.m.
Lab
Wednesday, July 13
9:00 a.m.
Lab
6:30 p.m.
Discussion Forum
Prof. Dr. Sabine Sielke
North American Studies Program, University of Bonn
International Club, Poppelsdorfer Allee 53
Meeting Point
27
Program
Thursday, July 14
9:00 a.m.
Lab
Friday, July 15
9:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
2:30 p.m.
Meeting Point
German Class
Germany in the 20th Century:
Site Visit: Haus der Geschichte (Museum of German
History)
www.hdg.de
Subway stop Uni/Markt, on tracks to Bad Godesberg/Bad
Honnef/Königswinter
The 20th century was, in the words of historian Eric Hobsbawn,
“The Age of Extremes.” Two world wars, the Weimar Republic,
the Holocaust, the division of Germany, the Berlin Wall, the
peaceful revolution of 1989 and the reunification in 1990 were
events that shaped this century, and their impact is still felt today.
Germany in the 21st century cannot be understood without
looking at Germany in the 20th century. Therefore, we would like to explore the events and
developments of the years between 1900 and 2000 with you.
Saturday, July 16
Information
Sunday, July 17
Information
Meeting Point
Universitätsfest
www.uni-bonn.de/www/Universitaetsfest.html
University of Bonn is the first German University that has established a graduation
ceremony. You are welcome to take a look at the ceremony but this event is of course
optional.
The Middle Ages
Rhinetour & Winetasting
Visit of Burg Eltz and Winetasting in Mayschoss
www.burg-eltz.de, www.winzergenossenschaft-mayschoss.de
Castles, knights, tournaments, half-timbered houses – this is what
many people associate with the Middle Ages. Indeed the Rhineland is famous for its many testimonials of medieval culture and
architecture. For instance, there are numerous old castles along the
Rhine river. The Burg Eltz is one of the best conserved castles to be
28
Program
seen today. Afterwards, we will have a winetasting at the Winegrowers‘ Association
Mayschoss in the picturesque valley of the river Ahr.
ca. 10 p.m.
Return to Bonn
Monday, July 18
9:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
German Class
Lab
Tuesday, July 19
9:00 a.m.
Lab
Wednesday, July 20
6:30 p.m.
Meeting Point
Lab Visit
Prof. Dr. Jörn Piel
Kekulé Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry
Thursday, July 21
9:00 a.m.
Lab
Friday, July 22
9:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
2:00 p.m.
Meeting Point
German Class
German Art:
Site Visit: Art Museum Bonn
www.kunstmuseum-bonn.de
Subway stop “Universität/ Markt“
The Kunstmuseum Bonn presents a comprehensive,
multi-faceted collection, assembled in over six decades and
now being shown in around 4,000 square meters of space.
It follows the principle of presenting art in specific artist´s
rooms, something that is unique in all of Germany.
Our Visit will be focused on August Macke and the Rheinish expressionists.
29
Program
Saturday, July 23
Days off
Sunday, July 24
Monday July 25
9:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
German Class
Lab
Tuesday, July 26
9:00 a.m.
Lab
Wednesday, July 27
6:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 28
Visit of LIMES Institute
Prof. Michael Hoch
Preparation of Presentations
Friday, July 29
9:00 a.m.
Venue
Saturday, July 30
30
Final Project Presentation
Poppelsdorfer Schloss, Stucksaal
Day off
Program Berlin
Sunday, July 31
7:45 a.m.
Meeting Point
Departure to Berlin
On the way to Berlin we will stop at the Marienborn memorial. The border checkpoint Helmstedt–Marienborn was the largest and most important border crossing on
the inner German border during the division of Germany. Due to its geographical
location, allowing for the shortest land route between West Germany and West Berlin,
most transit traffic to and from West Berlin was handled by the Helmstedt-Marienborn
crossing.
Accomodation
in Berlin
PLUS Berlin Hostel & Hotel
http://www.plushostels.com/plusberlin
Warschauer Platz 6-8, 10245 Berlin, Germany
Monday, August 1
8:40 a.m.
Tour of the city
Wear comfortable shoes to tour Berlin by foot!
2:45 p.m.
Visit of the German Bundestag Building, Plenary Hall and Dome
www.bundestag.de
Information
In the German Bundestag Building (“Reichstag”) the first parliament of the German empire and later the parliament of the
Weimar republic were placed. Since 1994, the election of the
German president by the “Bundesversammlung” takes place
in the Reichstag every five years. Since 1999, the plenary hall
of the Bundestag is situated here. The dome of the Reichstag
is made of steel and glass and is a landmark of Berlin. Please,
dont‘t forget to bring your passport!
Tuesday, August 2
9:00 a.m.
Information
2:15 p.m.
Information
Visit of the German Ethics Council
www.ethikrat.org/en_index.php
Tour of the former Stasi-Prison Hohenschönhausen
www.stiftung-hsh.de
From 1951 to 1989 Hohenschönhausen
was a prison for political prisoners of the
GDR. Critics of the regime were imprisowww.lifesci.uni-bonn.de
31
Program Berlin
Wednesday, August 3
1:30 p.m.
Information
Potsdam
Visit of Sanssouci Palace and the Gardens
www.sanssouci-sightseeing.de
The palaces and gardens of Sanssouci were built
in the 18th and 19th century as a royal summer
residence for the Prussian kings and later the German
emperor. The central building is the Schloss Sanssouci, which was built for Friedrich II from 1745 till 1747. In 1990, Sanssouci was made
world heritage site by the UNESCO.
Thursday, August 4
9:00 a.m.
Information
Visit of the Charité Clinic
www.charite.de/en/charite
At the Charité, scientists and physicians engage in state-of-the-art research, patient
care and education. More than half of the German Nobel Prize winners in medicine
and physiology come from the Charité, among them Emil von Behring, Robert Koch
and Paul Ehrlich. The Charité also has an international reputation for excellence in
training.
7 p.m.
Meeting Point
Friday, August 5
Farewell Dinner
Die Turnhalle
Holteistr. 6-9
Individual departures from Berlin
Have a safe trip home and
stay in touch!
32
Program Information
In Bonn
On arrival day, you will find us at our office from 8:30 am.
Please give us a phone call if you realize that you will have problems getting to Bonn
before 7 pm because your plane or train is delayed. Phone: +49 (0)228 73 9632
Housing
All dorm rooms are single and are equipped with basic furniture and bedding and you
can also get bed sheets through your dormitory’s management.
All dorm rooms have internet access, should there be problems connecting, please
talk to your dorm tutor. However, to access the internet in your dorm you will need
to connect your computer with a network cable to the socket in your room. The cable
must meet the standart category 5 and have an RJ-45 plug. It ought not be too long
(1.5 - 2 meters).
Kitchen equipment is usually not provided, but in many dorms it is possible to borrow some
plates, glasses etc. from former or fellow residents. We suggest not bringing these things
along, but instead buying them in Bonn if necessary.
Maybe bring a couple of pictures or posters in order to feel at home in your new room.
It might be helpful to bring a book with pictures from your hometown or general
information on your home country so that you can show new friends where you are
from.
All dorms have communal washing machines and dryers (1.60€ each run), you will need
the „Mensa-Card“ to use them.
•
•
•
•
Food and shopping
•
•
•
Transportation
•
The university has cafeterias (Mensa) all over town. However, you will notice that
German students do not eat there as much. Breakfast at the cafeteria is unheard of, and
most cater their own dinner (Abendbrot=Sandwiches) as well.
If you wish to eat at the cafeteria, getting a prepaid “Mensa-Card” might be a good
idea. You can also use it for the washing machine in your dorm.
Grocery stores and supermarkets in Bonn offer a large variety of food and drinks. Most
German grocery stores and supermarkets are open from 8 am to 9 pm Mon-Sat. Some
even open at 7 am and are open until midnight. All German stores are generally closed
on Sundays and public holidays, so plan ahead! On these days restaurants and bars are
certainly open.
If you have any special nutrition requirements you may want to ask us beforehand to
make sure that you will be able to find these things here.
Public transportation in Germany is very good and quite convenient. In Bonn, we have
trams, subways, buses and trains.
Your University of Bonn Student ID is at the same time a ticket for all regional public
transportation within the whole state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), i.e. you can
get around in Bonn and surroundings, even to cities like Cologne and Düsseldorf for
free. From Monday to Friday after 7 pm as well as all Saturdays, Sundays and on
public holidays, you are allowed to take along one guest for free with your student ID
33
Program Information
•
Travelling
German Cell Phones
We understand that you will want to travel in Germany and Europe over the summer.
There are rather cheap inner-European flights and trains if you book them in advance.
Your Buddies or Julia can give you many ideas on what to see or do at these weekends
and will be able to assist you in planning these activities.
However, please remember that the cultural excursions on Friday afternoon and twice
on the weekend are part of your program and cannot be missed.
There are also a lot of things in and around Bonn (museums, parks...) to be visited, so
don’t go away every weekend but spend time in and around Bonn with your new
friends.
For an easier communication with each other and with your German Buddies, the
LifeSci program participants usually buy cheap German cell phones. These cost less
~20€, and are so-called pre-paid phones, meaning that you have to load money onto
the SIM card which you can subsequently use to make calls or send texts. The costs
are very low, i.e. less than 0.15€ per minute or text message. Receiving messages or
calls is free in Germany.
German Buddies
The Buddy Program is an integral part of LifeSci and will bring you in touch with
German Life Sciences students who will help you get settled in Bonn, show you what
student life is like in Germany, and will make you feel at home in Bonn. In the past
years many friendships between LifeSci participants and Buddies have evolved and
both sides have appreciated each other’s company a lot.
Your
Program
You will find a regularly updated version of the program schedule on www.lifesci.
uni-bonn.de. Here, we provide a description of our fixed events such as German class,
discussion forums, and cultural excursions. Your program consists of two major components: Life Sciences and Culture. Both are important and will earn you a grade.
LifeSciences:
34
ticket. Your student ID is not valid for fast trains (such as IC and ICE) and outside of
NRW.
If you are looking for any train connections within Germany, you can visit this website: www.deutschebahn.com/site/bahn/en/start.html. Often, it is cheaper to book tickets
online rather than buying them at the station. However, these tickets might be fixed
and will only be valid on the train you booked.
Monday through Friday you will spend most of your day in lab unless there are any
program events scheduled. You are expected to spend around 210 hours on your lab
project. You will discuss your actual lab times with your advisors upon arrival and fit
your actual work time into the time frame below. (Don’t forget to include breaks!)
Mondays:
12-6 pm => 6 hours
Tuesdays:
1-6 pm => 5 hours
Wednesdays: 9 am-6 pm => 9 hours
Thursdays: 9 am-6 pm => 9 hours
Fridays:
9 am-noon => 3 hours
Program Information
• Lab visits will give you the opportunity to get to know other participating labs. You
will get insight into different areas of research that is performed in Bonn and see
different labs and their technical equipment.
• In discussion forums we will work interdisciplinary, getting the Life Sciences into contact with other areas such as Ethics, Philosophy and Literature. For some of these you
will get some readings beforehand. Please take preparation of the discussions seriously,
as a stimulating discussion can only emerge when you actively participate. Individual
responsibilities for lab visits and discussion forums will be discussed and assigned in
Bonn. The discussion forums will also prepare you for our meetings with the German
National Ethics Council and the Head of Charité Hospitals in Berlin.
• Everyone will present their research at the final presentation of your lab project
on July 29. All lab members and the German Buddies will be invited to attend this
session. Your presentation should be about 10 minutes long and there will be 5 more
minutes for discussions. As we have projects from very different fields, please remember to introduce to the subject of your project. Your talk may include what you were
doing, why you were doing it, what kinds of experiments you performed, what results
you got and how these can be interpreted. You may also discuss your results in terms
of potential future experiments. The talk is to be prepared as a Powerpoint presentation. We will provide a Windows laptop, so please bring your presentation on a USB
device. If you use a Mac, you will have to bring your computer as well as necessary
adapters to connect it with the projector. In this case please contact us beforehand.
• A final paper using a journal submission type format is required as a final report of your
summer research. The paper should summarize the results of your experimental work
and discuss the significance of your research with the most relevant supporting background. A lengthy, review-type introduction is not necessary. The closing discussion of
the work should focus on the interpretation of the results obtained as well as the future
directions for the work. The length of the paper should be at least 5 but no more than
10 pages of single-spaced text. The bibliography along with all data figures should be
included as a separate appendix and does not count towards the required paper length.
• It is understood that each of you will have a different experience in the lab and that, as
this is a summer program, your time in the lab will be brief. Therefore, we do not expect
that you will have obtained significant results, although some of you may do so, or that
the project will be complete. What we are interested in is what you have learned about
the project, your understanding of the goal of the research, the techniques that you have
learned and results, if any, that you have obtained. If you have worked on small aspects
of multiple projects, a brief description of your role in each is appropriate.
The deadline for the final paper is August 5, the last day of the program.
Harvard students send their paper to Ann Georgi, UWM students directly to their lab
supervisor.
35
Program Information
German language
and culture
•
•
•
•
Departure
36
Language and culture class as well as the excursions are an important part of your
program. Attendance is mandatory, even early on a Monday morning. Take advantage
of learning as much as possible about your host country, its culture and language!
You will have your German language class every Monday and Friday morning. We
will place you in two classes according to the results of the online language test.
However, if you feel you are in the wrong class, please talk to your teacher and he/she
will see whether you should/can switch to the other group. Try to use your German
outside the classroom, it’s worth the effort!
German culture class will be on Friday at 11 am, before your excursions. It will cover
various aspects of German culture and should give you ideas of what to look for on
the excursions.
The cultural excursions will mainly take place on Friday afternoons, taking you
to places in and around Bonn. Others are day trips on the weekend. On the longer
excursions and day trips, meals are included, either as restaurant visits or in the form
of vouchers. The Buddies will come along on some of the day trips, others will be just
for the participants.
The program is going to end with a 5-day excursion to Berlin as a highlight to look
forward to. We have put together a very interesting and versatile program for you in
Berlin, but you will also have some free time to explore Germany’s exciting capital
city by yourself.
Every program has to end, and in your case August 5 is departure day. The official
program ends in Berlin on August 4 after the farewell dinner. You are free to leave
right after dinner, or stay in Berlin for a couple of days. We can help you to book
additional nights in the hostel.
Important Phone Numbers
Police
Fire Department
Ambulance
110
112
112
LifeSciences
emergency phone
Physician on-duty
Dentist on-duty
Pharmacies on-duty
Hospital St. Elisabeth
Hospital St. Petrus
Hospital St. Johannes
University Clinics
Dental Clinic MEDECO
Taxi Service
Calling (within)
0177-9566 110
Doctors on-duty (Wednesday afternoons, at night and during the weekend)
0180-50 44 100
0180-59 86 700
01805-1 23 56 45
Hospitals and Clinics
0228-5 08-0; Prinz-Albert-Str.40
0228-5 06-0; Bonner Talweg 4-6
0228-7 01-0; Kölnstr. 54
0228-2 87-0; Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25
0228-9 85 90-0; Welschnonnenstr. 1-5
0228-555 555
To call a number in Germany, please dial as follows:
Germany
Abroad > Auslandsamt Bonn: +49-228-73-9632
Outside of Bonn >Auslandsamt Bonn: 0228-73-9632
Mobile Phone > Auslandsamt Bonn: 0228-73-9632
Within Bonn > Auslandsamt Bonn: 73-9632
Calling the
United States
001 + area code + phone number
37
Important Phone Numbers and
Information
American Embassy
and Consulates
Embassy of the United States Berlin
Neustädtische Kirchstr. 4-5
10117 Berlin
Telephone: (030) 8305-0
www.usembassy.de
U.S. Consulate General Düsseldorf
Willi-Becker-Allee 10
40227 Düsseldorf
Telephone: (0211) 788-8927
After-hours emergencies only: (0172) 970-2456
Fax: (0211) 788-8938
U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt
Siesmayerstraße 21
60323 Frankfurt
Telephone: (069) 7535-0
Fax: (069) 7535-2277
Portal to Germany
Foreign Ministry
Weather Forecast
The City of Bonn
General Info, Webcam
Public Transport Info
Bahn/German Railways
Airport Cologne/Bonn
Germanwings
Hapag-Lloyd-Express
University Homepage
University Library
Student Union
38
General Information on Germany
www.deutschland.de
www.auswaertiges-amt.de
www.wetter-online.de
Bonn:
www.bonn.de
www.general-anzeiger-bonn.de
Traveling:
www.vrsinfo.de
www.bahn.de
www.airport-cgn.de
www.germanwings.com (cheap flights within Europe)
www.hlx.de (cheap flights)
University and Student Life:
www.uni-bonn.de
www.ulb.uni-bonn.de
www.asta-bonn.de
Notes
39
Bonn City
Bonner Talweg 57
Unterrichtsräume
40

University of Bonn

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