Asignación de puestos por compadrazgo

Fig. 1: Location of partner institutions (red dots) of the IRTG. Background

The International Research Training Group (IRTG) "Enzymes and Multienzyme Complexes acting on Nucleic Acids" (RFBR 08-04-919(70-76) – DFG GRK 1384) is a structured doctoral program network in the field of biology, biochemistry and chemistry, with scientists from the Justus-Liebig University (Giessen), the Philipps- University (Marburg), the Russian Academy of Science and the M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University. In addition, scientists from the Institute of Biotechnology (Vilnius) and the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (Warsaw) are associated partners of the network. Speakers on the German side are Prof. Peter Friedhoff and myself (Vice-Speaker), and Prof. Tatiana Oretskaya and Prof. Elena Kubareva on the Russian side.

Our IRTG 1384, the first German-Russian network of its kind and one of two currently exisiting ones, was launched in fall 2006 for 4.5 years and was prolonged in April 2011 for another 4.5 years. Currently, the network comprises 9 Russian, 11 German as well as two associated research groups in Vilnius and one in Warsaw.

Research topics and common scientific interests

As implicated by the title of the IRTG "Enzymes and Multienzyme Complexes acting on Nucleic Acids", there is a common interest in DNA:protein and RNA:protein interactions. Research groups were recruited based on the strength of their expertise in molecular and cellular biology, bioinformatics and computational biology, enzymology, bioorganic chemistry, biophysical chemistry, and structural biology. Since malfunction of several of the investigated enzymes and enzyme complexes is causally related to human diseases, in particular some forms of cancer, a better understanding of their mechanisms of action is expected to contribute to new therapeutic concepts, such as repair of defective genes.

The profile description of our 2006 application puts in a nutshell what we think is a major benefit for all participating doctoral students and principal investigators: “The diversity of enzyme systems and their investigation within this interdisciplinary network will allow us to perceive and approach individual enzyme systems from a broader and multilayered perspective (intellectually and technically). Individual research projects will thus mutually benefit from knowledge acquired within the network.“

There is complementarity and synergism in expertise and methodology between the Russian and German research groups, being the major scientific benefit arising from the internationality of the IRTG.

Fig. 3: Flow scheme of the doctoral program of the IRTG

Program structure and goals

The program for the doctoral students of our IRTG is sketched in Fig. 3 and detailed in Fig. 4. Each research group contributes one funded and one associated graduate to the network. A thesis (advisory) committee is assigned to each student, consisting of the local supervisor, a local co-supervisor and an international mentor, usually the foreign group leader with whom the supervisor cooperates. The thesis committee accompanies the doctoral student over the entire doctoral period. The structured doctoral program (German side) involves several elements. Doctoral students alternately report (in a 20 to 30-min oral presentation) on the progress of their scientific work within the biweekly regular seminar. This seminar program is interspersed with talks given by the principal investigators (PIs) of the network who provide an overview of the ongoing research in their groups. After seminar contributions given by doctoral students, the supervisor and the co-supervisor meet with the student to discuss, fine-tune or redirect the project. In addition, invited expert lectures are arranged between the regular seminars. Doctoral student are further obliged to spend research periods in the corresponding partner country, with emphasis on a balanced exchange in both directions (Giessen/Marburg to Moscow and vice versa). Tailored practical training courses for doctoral students in partner laboratories (in German, Russian or associate partner groups) permit our students to expand their methodological repertoire. At the beginning, each student has to formulate a career development plan (predicted project status after year 1, 2 and 3), has to write a research proposal (~ 1500 words) after half a year and a mid-term progress report (~ 1500 words) after 1.5 years. All three items are discussed with and assessed by the thesis committee. Scientific workshops and international meetings with oral or poster presentations by the doctoral students are part of the program as well, including a workshop with doctoral students only (in the absence of PIs). Students in Marburg and Giessen are further enrolled at Doctoral Development Programs (MARA and GGL) of the two universities and are offered a Russian language course as well workshops and seminars in the areas of research management, communication skills, writing skills, presentation techniques, fund raising, career development, teaching skills, as well as mentoring programs for female researchers such as ’SciMento‘. It is noteworthy that our IRTG has installed a 2-day career development workshop (“Pathways to a successful career”; in spring 2012 and 2014), for which advanced scientists with a large spectrum of careers ranging from academia, research institutions, small- and medium-sized biotech companies, and large pharmaceutical companies, to science management in international organizations, journalism, and politics have been invited. This helps young researchers to become aware that there are many more than two or three career paths and that individual careers usually include detours. By opening up career perspectives, such career development workshops encourage students to pursue individual careers tailored to their personal skills, affinities and ambitions. Last not least, publications in scientific peer-reviewed international journals,

particularly joint publications of Russian and German partner groups, are an essential goal and indicator for the success of the doctoral work.

Critical issues of the program

A fairly balanced doctoral student exchange (research periods abroad) between the two partner countries has not been easy to achieve. There have been more research visits from Moscow to Giessen/Marburg than vice versa. One reason is that laboratory infrastructure is often, although not always, better in Germany than Russia. Another reason is that research in the summer months is more difficult to conduct in Moscow, as many Russian laboratory suppliers close down their services during this period of the year. Thirdly, German students are more difficult to adapt to living in Russia as compared with Russian students in Germany, mainly owing to communication (language) problems with people outside of Institute walls. The aforementioned imbalance is reduced the more the cooperating Russian and German research groups interdigitate their common research activities. The principle that the costs for living of an exchange student are paid by the host country has also favored a more balanced bilateral exchange. Exactly this is going to be blocked by a 2012 verdict of the Russian audit court, arguing that supporting foreigners with Russian tax money is incompatible with Russian national law. This is clearly a severe drawback that will make similar exchange programs more difficult in the future. Successful experimental work, fulfillment of the numerous tasks of the program (Fig. 4) and additional teaching duties sum up to a challenging work package for each doctoral student. In our experience, this is a tightrope walk and there is constant danger to overload such a structured program. As a rule of thumb, it is advisable to try to relieve the pressure on the doctoral students whenever possible. Particularly, administrative burdens should be kept as low as possible.

Organization and management

The network is steered by an International Steering Committee consisting of the Russian and German (vice-)speakers and two doctoral students on each side. The International Steering Committee tightly cooperates with the Project Manager of the IRTG, Dr. Anja Drescher (Giessen; paid from the GRK 1384 grant), who takes care of the practical organization of workshops and meetings, of visa applications and communication with travel agencies, and handles the finances on the German side. Her role is essential to keep the administrative and organizational burden at an endurable level for our students.

Starting point of the network, history, difficulties

The focal point that provided the basis for the development of this network was a bilateral cooperation initiated in the 1990’s between Alfred Pingoud’s group at Giessen and Tatiana Oretskaya’s and Elena Kubareva’s groups in Moscow. This cooperation resulted in five common publications between 2000 and 2005.

When the first preparatory activities were ignited in early 2005, the main task was to find a forceful scientific topic for which roughly ten Russian and ten German groups could be identified that match the topic, are internationally visible and contribute to the multidisciplinarity of the network. This critical selection process was finalized after some of us had traveled to Moscow in September 2005 for a two-day scientifc symposium plus consultations. At this stage, we already involved Dr. Christian Schaich (German Research Foundation, DFG), at that time head of the DFG office in Moscow. He and also several other DFG representatives were indispensable in this initial and the following period, by mediating a mutual understanding of the different national scientific and funding cultures. A critical issue was at that point to gather research groups that fulfill the criterion of international visibility and evidence of excellence. This collided in some cases with the ambition to include PIs on the basis of old friendship. In fall 2005, the DFG began to negotiate with the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR), giving us important advice for the application, e.g. that the scientific program (practical courses, participation in research, etc.) for German doctoral students visiting Moscow would be a critical issue. The first constituting international “kick-off“ meeting of the IRTG took then place in October 2006 in Giessen, followed by the workshop in Suzdal, northeast of Moscow, in June 2007. Immediately before the Suzdal workshop, some of us met Prof. Matthias Kleiner, President of the DFG, in Moscow, shortly after he had signed a memorandum with the RFBR, which, among other issues, regulated cooperations at the level of international graduate programs, the so-called International Research Training Groups (IRTGs). For the year 2007, the Russian PIs received individual RFBR grants for cooperation projects with selected German partners. Funding was then extended for three years in 2008 (2008-2010).

Problem of non-synchronized funding systems

After the DFG had approved our application for the second period in fall 2010, continuation of funding by the RFBR faltered, owing to structural rearrangements and priority changes at the RFBR. The RFBR only assured funding for 2011, with uncertain prospect of annual fundings in 2012 and 2013. In addition, the Russian PIs were obliged to deliver annual reports, which essentially correspond to annual re- evaluations. Funding by RFBR for this program will definitely stop after the triennial period, (2011-2013), although funding on the German side will continue until September 2015. Also, the Russian groups get access to their funds not before July of the year of granting, but have to spend the money within the same financial year.

These uncertainties and disparities have had a demotivating effect on the entire network, leaving a feeling of insecurity and impeding long-term planning.

The aforementioned problem is critical as long-term bilateral cooperation depends on an assured and predictable financial framework that is synchronized between the two countries. Likewise, the decision that Russian grants cannot cover the costs for living of German exchange students in Moscow (see above) is counterproductive as well, as it aggravates the process of intensifying the bilateral cooperation. For example, German PIs will increasingly hesitate to send students for exchange to Moscow if the entire costs have to be paid from German grants. Moreover, if the same rules were applied by the German funding agency, then many Russian groups could simply not afford to send their students to Germany often.

Assets of the network

Apart from the disparities in the funding systems, the work of the IRTG has been extremely fruitful. Approx. 150 publications of doctoral students have been published, a substantial fraction in high-ranking international journals. More than 30 doctoral students have successfully defended their theses, and approx. ten prices/stipends have been awarded to our graduates. The number of joint publications of Russian and German groups has increased over the years. Overall, a trustful cooperation atmosphere has developed in the network and durable friendships have grown.

Cultural benefits and political dimension

Bi- or multilateral networks such as our IRTG contribute to international understanding and thus to a peaceful coexistence of peoples on the European continent, and hopefully also back up democratization processes. Moreover, scientific and economic accomplishments in Europe will be the more significant the tighter cooperation between Russia and other European nations will become. Of course, this is a complex process that requires convergence and harmonization of the different systems at the level of scientific funding, decision making/administration, economics and politics, as well as continuous efforts to decrease cultural barriers and to improve mutual understanding. We have experienced through our IRTG that such a process can be brought forward.