Dr. Christina E. Weinberg (née Lünse)
Research Scientist, Institute of Biochemistry, Leipzig University

"In 2009, I received my diploma in Molecular Biomedicine, stayed at the LIMES Institute for my Ph.D. thesis and then went on to a postdoc at Yale University (New Haven, CT, USA). Now I am at Leipzig University, in the process of starting an independent research career.

The Molecular Biomedicine program was instrumental in shaping this career path. Studying Molecular Biomedicine not only equipped me with a broad theoretical background, but also enabled me early on in my career to gain valuable research experience in lab courses and internships. Moreover, during my studies I was able to be part of actual research in modern labs, supervised by excellent scientists. These experiences helped me to understand what life as a researcher is like. Additionally, the integrated mentoring program created further opportunities for career planning and networking.

Finally, the fact that the program selects 30 highly motivated students per year creates an environment that is not one of impersonal anonymity, but is instead an intimate community in which friendships for life are made."

Nina Langer, 
B. Sc. in Molecular Biomedicine

"I completed my bachelor's degree at the University of Bonn in 2017 and now I am studying "Infection Biology" in Lübeck. I just wanted to thank you for the good education we received in Bonn. I now have an Immunology course in the Master's program, which is (so far) very easy for me, as our Immunology lectures were so good! In addition, I had to give a talk here in a journal club and was praised for it. In Bonn it was normal for us to read and present papers from the first semester on. Therefore, this was not unusual for me and I felt well prepared. I think that does not seem to be the case at other universities. And these are just two examples, but actually there are many more. Sometimes you only realize later how good the training was, especially if you can compare yourself with others. I have definitely realized HOW well my education was! Thank you very much :)"

Prof. Dr. Hanno Wild
Senior Vice President
Bayer AG
Drug Discovery, Pharmaceuticals
42096 Wuppertal, Germany

"The students of the LIMES master and bachelor courses are really excellent. I recognize this during my lectures, but it is also the feedback of many colleagues at Bayer who had students from these programs for internships and master theses."

Bing Zhao, 
Co-founder and vice general manager of GMEP Medical Technology, Radolfzell
 

"Hello guys, I'm Bing. I studied in the LIMES master program from 2012 - 2014. I am now the co-founder and vice general manager of GMEP Medical Technology GmbH; a company specialized in trade, consulting and development of medical products. The LIMES master program has offered me a solid and broad foundation of medical sciences, as well an excellent training program for presenting skills; skills much needed in a business environment. The acquired biomedical knowledge is extremely helpful for me to understand medical products in various fields such as IVD (in vitro diagnostics). You are in good hands and the LIMES programs are good programs for international and national students alike which will surely help you to achieve your goals. I wish you all the best."

Dr. Jan Böttcher, 
Dipl. Molekularbiomediziner
Postdoc in the Immunobiology Laboratory of the Francis Crick Institute, London

"The most inspiring thing of the molecular biomedicine program was that it has given me the opportunity to get a deep insight into a wide range of natural sciences. I have discovered my passion for immunology, which is now as then, driving me in my research of the basic mechanisms of infections and cancer. I have especially appreciated the early promotion of practical work in the laboratories participating in the study program. This has been a decisive support for my further career."

Dr. Heike Blockus
Dipl. Molekularbiomedizinerin
Postdoc at the Columbia University, New York

"In the winter of 2006, I started in the class of the last "Diploma" version of Molecular Biomedicine. I benefitted in particular from the structured practical modules during the advanced study period, covering a versatile array of life sciences topics. The mentoring during these lab rotations was excellent and working on cutting-edge projects gave realistic insight into the everyday life in a basic science research lab. The well-designed project design of my diploma thesis under the supervision of Professor Michael Famulok furthermore led to co-authorship on two scientific publications (Stumpfe et al, 2010; Bill et al, 2011). 
Retrospectively, I am grateful for the thorough practical training I received from organic chemistry to clinical models, which served as a solid base during my PhD at the Sorbonne University in Paris and now during my Postdoc at the Columbia University in New York and offered new perspectives to nourish interdisciplinary research."

David Howard
PhD in cancer research at Swansea University, Wales
 

"I am currently doing a PhD in cancer research at Swansea University, Wales. Before undertaking the Medical Biology masters program at LIMES, I was working outside the field. The program was instrumental in preparing me for a return to molecular biology. The quality of teaching at LIMES was very high and the program structure allowed me to gain experience in laboratories involved in diverse research areas. The mixture of German and international students and staff made for a great atmosphere and Bonn is a beautiful city!"

Amaury Fernández-Montalván, 
Bayer AG, Lead Discovery Berlin
 

"Last year we had a LIMES student working in our laboratory for her master thesis, and we were extremely pleased with her overall skills and performance. I would not hesitate to host more interns from this program in the future.”

Dr. Sebastian Virreira Winter, 
Dipl. Molekularbiomediziner
Doctorate at the Max-Planck-Institut für Infektionsbiologie, Berlin
Postdoc at the Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, Planegg (bei München)

"For me, the study of molecular biomedicine at the University of Bonn was a success not only because of the excellent organization and extensive training. The close contact with researchers and supervisors as well as the continuing common bond among the students formed a strong basis for my future professional career.
A supervisor of the LIMES program provided fellow students and me with lab rooms for a student project, which we could independently organize and carry out. Ultimately, this project led to one of my first publications. In addition, I was given the opportunity to gain experience abroad and to do my diploma thesis at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Cambridge (Massachusetts, USA) after completing my internship there during my main studies.
Looking back, my education at the LIMES Institute was a valuable experience and a good preparation for a doctorate, and the contacts from my studies are still an important part of my professional network."

Dr. Holger Lehmann, 
Dipl. Molekularbiomediziner, 
now at Roche Diagnostics GmbH

"The Molecular Biomedicine program prepared me very well for my doctoral thesis. The good reputation of the university and the wide range of topics taught allowed me to carry out my doctoral thesis abroad. The deepening courses during the PhD thesis were nothing new to me, thanks to the various elective courses the program had offered. In addition to the good basic training (immunology, protein/biochemistry), the offered internship at Bayer HealthCare was a good preparation for my current job. I have always liked looking back at my years of study at the LIMES Institute. 

During my diploma thesis I was able to publish a review article with Professor Pfeifer. Pharmacological potential of RNAi - focus on miRNA. Pharmacol Ther. 2010 Jun; 126 (3): 217-27. Doi: 10.1016 / j.pharmthera.2010.03.006. Epub 2010 Apr 11."

Dr. Mathias Wawer, 
Dipl. Molekularbiomediziner
Computational biologist in the Clemons Group of the Center for the Science of Therapeutics at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, USA

"As a beginner you have a very vague idea of your dream job and, above all, many questions. Where do I want to go? What interests me? What possibilities are there at all?
If you feel much the same, you will find very good answers by studying at the LIMES Institute of the University of Bonn. The scientists at the LIMES Institute understand that such decisions are only possible through experience - and offer an impressive diversity. Extensive expertise, accessible professors, early integration into scientific working groups, and openness to new ideas are the hallmarks of the LIMES Institute, without, however, losing sight of the important details necessary for excellent training.
In my case, this led, among other things, to first pipetting experiments in a biochemical laboratory, an early own immunology project, an internship in the area of ​​target identification at Bayer HealthCare, and a doctorate in Computational Life Sciences. Finally, I found my place in chemical biology, where the broad experiences I gained during my studies help me day-to-day to understand and bring together scientists from different disciplines."

Maik Hintze, 
Dipl. Molekularbiomediziner
 

"I am Maik, alumnus of the class of 2011 after having studied for 5 years in the Molecular Biomedicine program. I initially thought to study medicine and become a physician, even though my major interest has always been in basic science rather than clinical medicine. When I learned about the Molecular Biomedicine program in Bonn, I saw the opportunity to connect my passion for basic research with a medical background, studying together with medical students and getting in touch with medical investigators and clinicians working with "real patients". This aspect of the Molecular Biomedicine study program gave me a broad perspective beyond basic research in the lab, but at the same time provided me with profound knowledge about diverse research topics and techniques.

After my graduation, I went to Stanford University as a PhD student and now returned back to Germany; I have always benefitted and continue to benefit from the techniques I learned and the people I met as a student of Molecular Biomedicine. If you are a creative and investigative mind, fascinated about basic research and want to stay close with medical science, Molecular Biomedicine is exactly what you should apply for! Best of luck with your application, and see you soon in Bonn."

Dr. Kristin Stock
Alumna of the Diploma program Molecular Biomedicine
now research scientist in the Pharmaceuticals division of Bayer AG

"While exploring the study programs available, I realized that the University of Bonn offered exactly the type of program in biomedical research that raised my interest. I joined the Diploma program Molecular Biomedicine due to its interdisciplinary approach and its practical focus. The mix of high-quality mandatory and elective courses accompanied with a mentoring program was ideal to tailor my individual scientific path and led to the publication of my diploma thesis results. The flexible arrangement of courses facilitated my visiting researcher’s stay at Stanford University, California. Studying Molecular Biomedicine has given me a valuable foundation for my PhD training and Postdoc at the Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC). 
My background in Molecular Biomedicine and a PhD in Medical Neurosciences were excellently suited to join Bayer AG in the Pharmaceuticals division as a research scientist. Having always been interested in the full picture of drug development, I broadened my horizons within the research and development organization and transitioned to global regulatory strategy with responsibilities for early and post-marketing products."

Sebastian Griesing
Graduate of the study program Molecular Biomedicine
Currently PhD at the University of Nagoya in Japan
Subject: Molecular mechanisms during lung carcinogenesis

"I especially liked two things in the Molecular Biomedicine program, that prepared me very well for my doctoral thesis: the interdisciplinarity and the many internships. Right from the beginning, great importance was attached to practical experience: from the first semester onwards you have practical courses, i.g. in organic and inorganic chemistry and biochemistry. In the further semesters, you can choose your own internships within the framework of different modules and thus get an insight into many different areas. I completed my elective internship in labs, which worked among others on the embryonic development of the mouse or on the study of the hair cycle. I especially liked that as a "simple" student, I was completely integrated into the laboratories and could work independently on a project. Thus I quickly learned to gather information through literature research and to prepare and plan experiments independently. 
I had the chance to complete one of my elective internships in Japan (in the same laboratory, where I am currently doing my PhD). The recognition of this internship abroad as part of the study program was absolutely no problem as the Molecular Biomedicine students were encouraged to gain international experience and to complete an internship abroad. I liked it so much in Japan during this three month stay and my Japanese professor was so impressed by my good training and routine in the laboratory that I could return to this lab for my PhD after finishing my studies. 
Especially in comparison to other PhD students in my laboratory, I realize time and again how well the study program Molecular Biomedicine has prepared me for my research life, and some protocols of that time I am still using for my experiments."

Dr. Dominic Hildebrand
Head of Laboratory at Bayer AG

"In the last couple of years our department had the pleasure to host longer-term internships for several LIMES students. All of them were highly motivated, eager for knowledge and very skilled for students at their stage, which allowed them to actively participate in and contribute to the success of our research projects . We are looking forward to continue this cross-fertilizing exchange in the future!"

Dr. Karin Pelka
Dipl. Molekularbiomedizinerin
Postdoc am Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, USA

"To be honest, Molecular Biomedicine in Bonn wasn’t on the top of my list when I started to apply for study programs. However, it really got me when I went there for interviews. Why? Because I could sense that it is a place where both PIs and students are truly passionate about science and care for what they are doing. I experienced it as a very personal, active and flexible setting which allows you to follow your own path and supports you in realizing your ideas. To give an example: As a group of students, we got the opportunity to create our own seminar series, the Poppelsdorfer Schlossgespräche, to get inspired by leading scientists and discuss topics outside of the study program. It turned out to be a great success! We were able to attract amazing speakers, among them the Nobel Prize winners Jules Hoffmann and Stefan Hell. Looking back, studying Biomedicine in Bonn was definitively the right choice for me."

Dr. Daniel Freitag, 
Dipl. Molekularbiomediziner, 
now at Bayer AG as Head of Cardiovascular Data Sciences

"The study of molecular biomedicine was an ideal springboard for my career in medical research, and the well thought-out selection of lectures and internships in different disciplines provided an excellent basis for a broad range of specialist knowledge and understanding I had the opportunity to participate in exciting research and to publish articles in scientific journals at an early stage. The good networking of the professors involved and the modular structure of the course also allowed me to gather research experience abroad at an early stage. This ultimately enabled me to get a competitive scholarship for a doctorate at an internationally renowned university (Cambridge, UK), thereby setting the course for an exciting career in the medical/pharmaceutical research, which lead me to my current position as head of the Cardiovascular Data Sciences department at Bayer.