Interview

„Many positive stimulations from different areas contributed to my thesis“

Sabrina Funke was a stipendiary of the GrK 1172 from 15.09.05 to 14.09.08. Born in Cologne on 03.05.1981 she stayed after her biochemistry study at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Frankfurt a. M. in the greater aria of Frankfurt to work on a gene therapy topic. She made her PhD thesis with the title “Targeted cell entry of lentiviral vectors” under supervision of Prof. Dr. Christian Buchholz in the section for viral gene transfer medicinal products at the Paul-Ehrlich-Institute in Langen. Since 01.01.09 she works as a Postdoc within the same group.

How did GrK 1172 called your attention?
I read about the GrK 1172 on the homepage of the Georg-Speyer-Haus as I was searching for open PhD student positions.

What tipped the scales for your application for GrK 1172?
I liked the idea to have seminars and courses during the PhD thesis, which facilitate a broad education on the field of biological drug development. Furthermore, I thought that it might be interesting to have so many research groups of the University of Frankfurt, the Georg-Speyer-Haus, and the Paul-Ehrlich-Institute altogether combined in GrK 1172. Of course, the offer of many interesting projects was also an important factor.

What were your expectations to the program?
I expected to gain a broad insight into the field of biological drug development.
Furthermore, I hoped to get easily in contact to PhD students from many other laboratories to exchange experiences that might be helpful for my own project.

Did the program meet your expectations?
Yes.

Had GrK workshops and interaction between the scholars been stimulating for you?
Yes, especially the contact to other research groups and the fruitful discussions with my co-supervisors and the other PhD students during the “research meetings” or the “summer school” had been very helpful.

Do you think that scientific work profited from the integration of the doctorate in GrK 1172?
Yes, because this way I received many helpful suggestions from different persons, especially my co-supervisors that enriched my PhD project.

Does your participation have any kind of positive influence of your further career planning or even of the job-acceptance?
I work now as Postdoc in the same research group, in which I did my PhD thesis. Hence, my boss knows me and my way of working, for which reason the participation in the GrK was most likely not the main reason for my employment as Postdoc.

Whereby does your current work differ from GrK 1172 research?
I continue the work of my PhD project as postdoc in the same research group. Of course, the contacts that were tied within the GrK still exist. For this reason, my current work does not considerably differ from the work within the GrK.

Which are your advices to interested students?
A PhD thesis within the GrK means more work than without a PhD program, but it is worth it.