LCI Program

In addition to its own structured doctoral program, new the LIV co-hosts the LCI Graduate School “Infections” in partnership with the other institutes in the Leibniz Center for Infection (LCI): the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) and the Research Center Borstel - Leibniz Lung Center (FZB). 

This interdisciplinary program provides young scientists with comprehensive training in infectious diseases, equipping them to address current and emerging challenges in infection research. Originally launched in May 2009 with three years of funding from the Leibniz Association’s Joint Initiative for Research and Innovation, the Graduate School was formally established in the summer of 2012 through a collaboration among the three LCI institutes. 

LCI graduate school fellows engage in research projects based on interdisciplinary collaborations between two institutes, fostering innovation at the intersection of disciplines. 

All three institutes jointly develop the graduate program’s curriculum, which offers in-depth training in key areas of parasitology, bacteriology, and virology through training days and specialized courses. PhD candidates are integrated into the graduate program of their host institute to ensure strong academic supervision, institutional support, and seamless access to resources and networks.

The program features two major annual events that bring together doctoral candidates from all three institutes to promote collaboration, knowledge exchange, and professional development. The events are:

LCI Summer School

An interdisciplinary training program held annually over two to three days, the LCI Summer School brings together doctoral candidates and researchers from across the LCI network. It offers a dynamic platform for scientific exchange, networking, and the presentation of research in infectious diseases. 

LCI Method Days

In-house training events focused on advanced methodological expertise, hosted by the respective institutes:

• Imaging Day: Microscopy & Image Analysis (LIV)
• Epidemiology Day (BNITM)
• NMR & Mass Spectrometry Day (FZB) 

Through its unique structure and strong network of collaborations, the LCI Graduate School “Infections” supports the next generation of scientists in advancing research on infectious diseases.