Organ Dysfunction in Old Age: Perspectives for Young Clinician Scientists (OrganAge)

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Otto Wilhelm Witte
• Subject Area: Biogerontology and Geriatric Medicine ; General and Visceral Surgery ; Gastroenterology ; Hematology, Oncology ; Clinical Neurology; Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology ; Clinical Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Term: since 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 413668513

ORGAN DYSFUNTION IN OLD AGE – PERSPECTIVES FOR YOUNG CLINICIAN SCIENTISTS (OrganAge). The number of elderly patients is continuously increasing. The aim of the Clinician Scientist Program OrganAge is to prepare young physicians for a career as researcher in translational ageing medicine. SCIENTIFIC AIMS: 1. Ageing is associated with a progressive loss of function in multiple organs. The present program explores ageing mechanisms as targets for the development of therapeutic interventions. Inherently, this approach requires interdisciplinary interactions of different medical fields. 2. Within OrganAge we specifically want to strengthen translational ageing medicine - an area complementary to geriatrics, yet hitherto underdeveloped in Germany. STRUCTURAL AIMS: 3. With OrganAge we establish an enduring structure enabling career pathways for Clinician Scientists. Ageing is a research focus of the Medical Faculty, the Friedrich Schiller University Jena and the Leibniz Institute on Aging; the program therefore offers research opportunities for clinicians with different medical backgrounds. 4. We integrated OrganAge into a systematic career pathway ranging from first stage researchers to established researchers. This pathway starts with structured programs for obtaining an MD alongside with supportive structures for Advanced Clinician Scientists (longitudinal integration of career pathways). 5. Support for project development, and partnering between experienced researchers and clinicians also enabled scientific careers in departments which have until now been less active in ageing research (horizontal extension of career pathways), allowing a strictly performance-based allocation of positions by an external Scientific Advisory Board. 6. We have implemented the support strategy SEED – SPEED - SERVICE: SEED (e.g. seeding interest in research, education of early researchers, career planning), SPEED (e.g. protected research time, recognition of research time as time for specialist training by the State Chamber of Medicine (Landesärztekammer), mentoring), and SERVICE (e.g. soft skill training, core facilities, integration into a scientific network). 7. The Clinician Scientist Program OrganAge is integrated into other research projects, programs and structures, which advance ageing research. Thus, OrganAge further strengthens the internationally visible and attractive research focus on ageing and ageing medicine in Jena. SUPPORTIVE AIMS: 8. We analyse the efficacy of our program through incorporation of a specific evaluation program. 9. We continuously improve program structures to increase family-friendliness, equal opportunity and diversity. 10. We have implemented coaching programs for established and leading researchers (shaping of role models). OrganAge will be integrated into the Medical Faculty after funding ends.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigators: Professorin Dr. Uta Dahmen; Professorin Dr. Regine Heller; Professor Dr. Andreas Hochhaus; Professor Dr. Andreas Stallmach