Kick-off meeting in Leipzig, June 2010
The Kick-off meeting of the establishment of a university partnership between Vanderbilt and Leipzig University took place in Leipzig from June 16th to 20th. During this first joint scientific workshop seven researchers from Vanderbilt University presented their research an audience of Leipzig faculty and students. Topics of the workshop were parts of research of both universities in the natural and life sciences (organic chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, bioinformatics, and biomedicine). Besides the workshop we organized multiple face-to-face meetings with work groups from Leipzig University and introduced the visitors to Leipzig and its research institutions.
Until now exists several cooperations of researchers from both universities, for instance in the areas of G-protein coupled receptors and of COX inhibitors. Further joint research projects are in the planning stage. Other initiatives could be discussed during the workshop. Momentarily, a few joint projects are in the application phase for calls of different funding agencies.
The two-day workshop also provided information about different potential funding sources, opportunities for students and young researchers to learn and work at the partner university. Special emphasis was given to develop ideas about an institutionalized student exchange on all levels of graduation to strenghten this part of the collaboration further.