The Scientific Advisory Board of the Pharma Center, which is also the Scientific Advisory Board of the BIGS-DrugS Graduate School, met in Bonn at the invitation of the speaker Prof. Pfeifer and the vice speaker Prof. Müller of the Pharma Center.
Prof. Pfeifer welcomed all members of the advisory board and the PZB. A brief round of introductions followed.
The PZB is an interdisciplinary center and platform for scientific exchange in pharmaceutical research. It is dedicated to the research of new therapeutic principles and innovative therapeutic approaches. The goal is the optimal networking of all participants. Currently, 31 professors from the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Bonn are members of the Center. In order to carry out projects together with professors from other universities, it is possible to accept associated members for the duration of these projects. The board of the center consists of five members, the speaker and the vice-speaker as well as three other members. They are elected by the members of the Center for a period of three years. The main research areas cover all areas of pharmaceutical research - from basic research to clinical application (bench to bedside).
In recent years, the Center has successfully acquired projects funded by the DFG, BMBF and BMG. As examples, Prof. Pfeifer and Prof. Müller presented the DFG-funded Research Training Groups RTG 1873 and RTG 2873.
The PZB has established the Bonn International Graduate School of Drug Sciences (BIGS Drugs) to provide optimal support and networking for young scientists in pharmaceutical research. The three-year structured program is aimed at all PhD students in the drug sciences. It includes workshops, lectures, meetings, retreats and soft skills training. It also provides financial support for attendance at conferences and research visits. More than 200 successfully supervised PhD students, more than 280 publications, various poster awards, grants from the university and the PhD Thesis prize awards by Bayer AG demonstrate the success of the graduate school. In addition, BIGS-DrugS has been funded by the BMBF for seven years.
The final part of the meeting focused on new ideas for the successful future of the Center. Divided into two groups, the Advisory Board and PZB members discussed proposals for funding, collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry, and future topics in drug discovery.