Cord-Michael Becker

Molecular Medicine is an innovative study program

The study program Molecular Medicine is part of a "biomedical" range of subjects,which is offered to the scientific and medical faculties in Germany.While on the one hand,for example,the studies of biology,biochemistry,biophysics and chemistry (focus on life sciences) are supported by science faculties,on the other hand in Marburg,and Greifswald,the opportunity to study human biology within the Faculty of Medicine.However,the biomedical study programs in Germany have not only content,but also significant structural differences: In addition to undergraduate courses often are "MD / PhD programs" established to complement the provision of education on the graduate or post-graduate level.The variety of courses offered reflects the academic aspects of the life sciences,and of course the structural conditions at the individual universities.Despite the pleasing variety of courses offered in life science basic research,however,there is a noticeable gap: In the research-based medicine in industry,research institutions and universities is a particular need to be covered by the Bachelor of Science / Master of Science program Molecular Medicine.

The educational landscape of molecular medicine is changing only slowly

The term "molecular revolution" is often used to refer to the transformation of medicine under the influence of molecular and cell biological methods.Indeed,technological advances in molecular biology may direct,fast and lasting effect on medical Cloning and sequencing of DNA form the methodology of the genome project,in turn,led to the establishment of a new subject area,bioinformatics,whose sequence information.By cell biological function analyzes,it is also possible to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms underlying the different genetic defects.High-resolution Ableitverfahren as the patch clamp technique have revolutionized the physiology,biochemistry designated as the high-resolution proteomics methods of protein identification have similar effects. What educational landscape is now on the content changes at the interface of biology and biochemistry,on the one hand and medicine on the other hand over? Already an initial survey makes it clear that the content and methods of molecular medicine will find the educational opportunities of separate faculties,which also follow traditionally different role models of professional training.The science courses (biology / chemistry / biochemistry,etc.) convey Although many of the methods used in molecular medicine,but devoted only in exceptional cases,the presentation of content,systematics and medical issues.Conversely,the teaching of science content-oriented courses of study within human and dental medicine at the medical activities.Consequently,the methodology of biomedicine neither in the preclinical still in the hospital in a manner necessary for the scientific professions can be considered.The interdisciplinary developments in molecular medicine thus found not in all the traditional structure of scientific and medical studies. Does the "molecular revolution" of the legal capacity of thinking of 70's influenced universities behind?