Objective
The PhD Program Regenerative Sciences was implemented as graduate training program within the Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH – From Regenerative Biology to Reconstructive Therapy. REBIRTH and the PhD Program Regenerative Sciences jointly follow the objective to integrate excellent training with innovative science and experimental as well as clinical medicine.

The search for regenerative therapies includes three complementary fields: novel regenerative agents and biomaterials, cellular transplants, and engineered tissues or cell-refined bioimplants. The PhD Program Regenerative Sciences aims at recruiting students from these three fields thereby bringing together tomorrow’s regenerative scientists.

Training within the PhD program is three-fold: students carry out their own research project, they jointly follow seminars and tutorials on regenerative sciences, and they follow individualized curricula tailored to their chosen field of research including transferrable skills.

PhD Project
The PhD project is the main focus of the program. Students accepted into the program chose a project offered by a faculty member who becomes their PhD supervisor. Additionally, each student has two co-supervisors whose own research foci are closely related to the PhD project but who come from outside the PhD supervisor's department. Progress of the project is monitored through annual meetings between the student and his or her PhD supervisor and two co-supervisors. Furthermore, students have the opportunity to present their project’s current status to a larger audience at the program’s annual retreat.

Seminars and tutorials on regenerative sciences
During the first two years of the program seminars and tutorials on all aspects of regenerative sciences are taught on Thursdays between mid-October and mid-February (winter-term) and between mid-April and mid-July (summer-term). Seminars give an overview on a particular topic whereas during tutorials a paper is presented and discussed.

Topics covered during 1st term
Introduction into regenerative sciences
Principles of developmental biology and organogenesis
Principles of Epigenetics
Principles of Stem Cell Biology
Cellular Senescence, tumor suppression and organismal ageing
Basic mechanisms of inflammation
Principles of cell engineering
Principles of growth factor signalling

Topics covered during 2nd term
Principles of growth factor engineering
Principles of materials sciences for regenerative sciences
Laser technology in medicine
Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering: Principles
Tissue processing and conservation
Principles of organ transplantation
Animal models of human disease

Topics covered during 3rd term
Regenerative Approaches: Blood and Immunity
Regenerative Approaches: Liver and Pancreas

Topics covered during 4th term
Regenerative Approaches: Heart and Vessels
Regenerative Approaches: Lung
Regenerative Approaches: Nerve
Regenerative Approaches: Skin
Regenerative Approaches: Cartilage, Bone, and Tendon
Design of Clinical Trials & Regulation
Upscaling and Manufacturing
Marketing and Industrial Partnerships, Post-Marketing Issues

For more detailed information on the Curriculum please find here that of 2009/10.

Individualized Curricula and transferrable skills
In addition to the seminars and tutorials on regenerative sciences, students follow an individualized curriculum. This includes

• Attendance of department meetings including an annual presentation of research results
• Attendance of (department’s) journal club including an annual paper presentation
• A talk or presentation at an international conference
• 80h within 3 years for project-oriented seminars and courses including practicals and summer schools
• 40h within 3 years of courses on transferable skills

REBIRTH and Hannover Medical School – MHH form a diverse and lively scientific community offering ample opportunity to attend seminars and lectures from which PhD students can choose according to their research interest.

Hannover Biomedical Research School – HBRS, hosts a large number of different graduate training programs. HBRS offers courses on transferable skills to all students belonging to one of the three PhD programs (Regenerative Sciences, Infection Biology, and Molecular Medicine). Further information can be found on this web-page.

Exams
The program includes two exams: a mid-term exam 18 months after the beginning of the program and the final exam upon finishing the research project.

Degree
Students graduate from the program either with a PhD or a Dr. rer. nat. (natural or life scientists only) jointly awarded by HBRS and Hannover Medical School.