Biozentrum University of Basel
The Biozentrum is a department of the University of Basel. It is an interdisciplinary institute of molecular and biomedical research and teaching, and the departments of Cell & Developmental Biology includes, Infection Biology, Neurobiology, Structural Biology & Biophysics and Computational & Systems Biology. Current director of the Biozentrum is Erich Nigg.
Mission and history
The Biozentrum was founded in 1971 with a then innovative idea: the union of diverse biological and scientific areas under one roof. The interdisciplinary institute can come up with a long list of scientific awards, the first peak represents the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1978 was awarded to Werner Arber.
The cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Country planning a new building, a 73 meter high life sciences building on a design by the Zurich architects Andreas Ilg and Marcel Santer on the Schällemätteli - area for 2017. The new building will provide jobs for about 600 people.
Employee
Currently working at the Biozentrum 546 people. More than half of them remain for various reasons only a few years in the house: including about 132 postdoctoral researchers, independent scholars or fellows ( 1-5 years), some 133 doctoral students ( 3-4 years) and every year about 40 new students in the Bachelor - and Master's degree. About 128 people work in the building services and in scientific and technical fields, another 48 in administration. About 33 professors conduct research groups with up to 20 employees. Regularly are also a visiting scientist in Biozentrumtätig that remain between 2 weeks and 1 year at the Institute. The proportion of women is 44% - 32% of them are active in research.
Teaching and training - Study at the Biozentrum
The special peculiarity of the Biozentrum is that you graduated from here a biology student at the University of Basel on the spot in a research institute. This has the advantage that it is involved from the beginning in an active, ' real ' research environment and first hand experience from the first study day on how the everyday life of a research biologist looks. The students learn in addition to the theoretical knowledge and the elaboration of experimental methods and gain experience in active research. The training for research biologists in three stages:
1 Study: The study concept Bachelor / Master ( ' Bologna model ') the period of study is to graduate approximately 4.5 years. The conclusion is in the last year a practical thesis in a research group.
2 PhD: The further education requires the processing of a separate project in a period of about 3 years. Every year close about 25 graduate students at the Biocenter as Dr. phil. nat. from. There are also about the same number that - looked at the Biocenter - in making their thesis at the Friedrich Miescher Institute, at the University Hospital or in a research laboratory industry. Since 2007, special scholarships are available for international PhD program Opportunities for Excellence at the Biozentrum .. It is a program for gifted students in the context of the promotion of excellence.
3 post-doctorate: To expand the knowledge and the horizon young researchers usually spend several years in research groups abroad. Accordingly, many postdoctoral researchers from other European countries and overseas in the Biozentrum.
Maurice E. Müller Institute for Structural Biology
The Maurice E. Müller Institute for Structural Biology was founded in 1986 on the initiative of Eduard Kellenberger and using the Fondation Maurice E. Müller, Ueli Aebi and of Andreas Engel. In 1996 it took integration into the Biozentrum, University of Basel. Ueli Aebi was until his retirement in 2012 its director.
Biozentrum in numbers
Employees in 2012
Financial statements
Other donors ( EU programs SystemsX, CTI, etc.): 13.4%
Former Head of Department
From 1973 - 2009 the Biozentrum was headed by a chairman. Since 2009 it is run by a director. The following persons held the position.