Philip Tinnefeld from LMU is coordinating a new doctoral training network at the interface of physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering.
The European Union is funding the BioHYBRITE doctoral program to the tune of around 4.2 million euros as part of its Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. Entitled “Decoding and designing biomolecular systems with hybrid DNA:RNA:protein nanotechnology,” the program is dedicated to researching novel biomolecular systems.
No fewer than 13 leading academic institutions are collaborating in the Europe-wide network for doctoral training – including LMU Munich, the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the University of Cambridge, the French research center CNRS, and the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry. The consortium also features several industrial partners, including innovative biotech start-ups. Collectively, they are training 15 doctoral candidates.
“BioHYBRITE is a structured, highly interdisciplinary training program at the interface of molecular design, single-molecule analysis, AI-assisted protein development, and medical applications,” says
Philip Tinnefeld, Chair Professor of Physical Chemistry at LMU and coordinator of BioHYBRITE. “Our goal is to train a new generation of highly qualified scientists at the interface of physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering – in the highly promising field of DNA-RNA-protein nanotechnology.”
Researchers in this area are working on the development of hybrid nanoscale systems of DNA, RNA, and proteins that can recognize and process information and trigger targeted reactions – similar to living cells.
Variety of training formats
As for the details, the doctoral researchers in BioHYBRITE receive, among other things, a solid grounding in molecular self-organization and single-molecule analytics. They learn how to design and simulate functional biomolecular systems and use them for applications such as biosensors and targeted drug delivery. This includes training in how to exploit AI for these purposes.
Their training encompasses international summer schools, workshops, laboratory courses, and residencies and internships at academic and industrial partner organizations. Highlights of the program include:
- Hands-on training in super-resolution microscopy and DNA origami techniques
- Training in nucleic acid and protein nanotechnology and single-molecule techniques
- Internships at innovative start-ups and global industrial partners such as Roche Diagnostics
- Training in entrepreneurship, project management, patent law, and science communication
The program is accompanied by regular networking events, a journal club, seminars at the home universities, and personal mentoring sessions. The organizers place particular emphasis on independent working, creative thinking, and international cooperation.
As Tinnefeld explains: “Through the combination of excellent research, methodological breadth, and targeted training in cross-disciplinary skills, BioHYBRITE opens up outstanding career prospects – both in academic research and in the burgeoning bio-nano industry.” The goal is not only to impart state-of-the-art technical knowledge to doctoral candidates, but to prepare them for important roles in science, technology, and society.