Regulation of Inflammation in Neurological, Autoimmune and Infectious Diseases “RINAI”

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Nina Babel
• Subject Area: Experimental and Theoretical Network Neuroscience ; Immunology ; Clinical Immunology and Allergology ; Clinical Infectiology and Tropical Medicine ; Clinical Neurology; Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology ; Molecular and Cellular Neurology and Neuropathology
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 493936734

The RINAI Clinician Scientist Program is an integral part of the broader career development structures established at Ruhr-University Bochum (RUB) to support early-career physicians. Within this framework, RINAI plays a key role in providing structured career opportunities specifically during the transition from early research involvement towards scientific independence. The program is firmly embedded within Ruhr-University Bochum’s (RUB) neuroscience research landscape and complements existing research strengths in neurology, autoimmunity, infection, and chronic inflammation. RINAI aims to foster a new generation of clinician scientists capable of driving translational research and innovation at the interface of clinical care and biomedical science. Almost all program objectives have been successfully achieved to date. Twelve Clinician Scientist Fellows have been recruited as planned, with clear structures for protected research time and methodological training firmly in place. Fellows have acquired expertise in state-of-the-art technologies, including single-cell sequencing, mass spectrometry, and advanced cell culture models. A key achievement was the formal recognition of one year of research time by the Medical Chamber (Ärztekammer Westfalen-Lippe) as part of the clinical specialization training. Scientific networking has been particularly successful, with collaborations focused on shared thematic clusters in immunometabolism, regulatory effects of short-chain fatty acids, and biomarkers in inflammation. Fellows have actively initiated joint review articles and are organizing a nationwide Clinician Scientist Symposium in cooperation with the Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation. They have also gained first experiences in securing research funding (8 applications, 3 granted), presented at national and international conferences, and published 26 peer-reviewed articles, including 16 as first authors. For two fellows, concrete senior clinical positions have already been secured post-program. In line with the program’s overarching focus, scientific networks are being further consolidated, including collaborations with university hospitals in Essen and Münster. These efforts will further strengthen RUB’s position in neuroscience, inflammation, and infection research and lay a solid foundation for future independent competitive research funding for . Areas for improvement have been identified and are being addressed: (1) Increasing number of female and international applicants by improving visibility and outreach at conferences; (2) Enhancing international exchange through invited speakers and retreats; (3) Broadening eligibility criteria to include more advanced clinical trainees; (4) Establishing clear target positions for fellows post-program through proactive engagement with clinical department heads. The next program phase recruits 8 CS fellows of the third cohort starting in autumn 2025, with these improved measures fully implemented.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigators: Professor Dr. Michael Adamzik; Professor Dr. Ralf Gold; Professorin Dr. Denise Manahan-Vaughan; Professor Dr. Tobias Ruck; Professorin Dr. Konstanze Winklhofer