gms | German Medical Science

“Becoming a researcher” is the main goal of students of Molecular Biotechnology at Heidelberg University. This is impossible without direct access to cutting edge Science. Therefore, we restructured our Bachelor program to fit these needs. Our concept “MoBi4all” consist of 3 parts: In the seminar “Frontiers in Molecular Biotechnology” students get the chance to meet scientists from all fields working in the greater Heidelberg area. This approach gives undergraduate students the chance to get insight into lab techniques, everyday problems and how to solve them from the people actually conducting research themselves. Furthermore, these talks give the students the chance to meet future supervisors for their research internships in their 5. semester.

The second part of “MoBi4all” are research internships: Here, the students become members of a lab for 2 weeks and are fully integrated into everyday work. Usually one 1-2 students will be hosted per lab which makes it possible for them to work on their own small projects individually. This is a novel approach as students are usually in groups of 45 and more during their lab rotations and do not get individual projects at all. The practical lab work is combined with special lectures in small groups in the focus field of the students. The students are encouraged to raise questions about their own projects and engage in scientific discussions.

Part three of “MoBi4all” is our intensive mentoring program. Apart from everyday help our undergraduate students receive scientific mentoring from older students or alumni. Informal fireside chats are held twice per semester with members of the academic staff, posing an ideal chance for students to showcase their own research.

“MoBi4all” has been running successfully for 3 years and is a concept which can be easily adapted by other programs both in Natural and Social Sciences.