This fall, Professor Hiromitsu Nakauchi, an internationally renowned researcher in the field of stem cells from the University of Tokyo, will assume a visiting professorship at the International Graduate School in Molecular Medicine Ulm.

Scientists at Ulm University believe that Nakauchi’s commitment will support their reapplication for the second round of the German Universities Excellence Initiative next year. Dr. Dieter Brockmann, managing director of the Graduate School, stresses that Baden-Württemberg’s program for visiting professors has been established in order to endorse such applications. “The program pays for half of Nakauchi’s stay and the Graduate School bears the rest of the expenses”, adds the spokesman, Professor Michael Kühl. Both researchers are convinced that the successful PhD-program of the Graduate School will profit from the visiting professor.
The expert for stem-cells is not only going to establish a new research-group, he will also offer additional seminars for the approximately 100 PhD-candidates in Molecular Medicine. “What is more, Nakauchi’s stay will enable young scientist to conduct research in Japan.” The PhD-students in the professor’s research-group will become members of the International Graduate School and further revive the institution. The funding of the visiting professorship by the federal state is, according to Brockmann, assured for the next three years. In case of success, it might be prolonged in the course of the second round of the German Universities Excellence Initiative.
The Director of the Institute of Molecular Medicine, Professor Karl Lenhard Rudolph, is delighted as well because Nakauchi’s research-group will be annexed to his team. Rudolph, who received the prestigious Leibniz price last year, suggested offering the visiting professorship to Nakauchi. “He is one of the leading scientists in the field of stem-cell research and will enrich Ulm University in the fields of stem-cells research, ageing and the origin of cancer”, emphasizes Rudolph who is also expecting strong impulses for other research-groups: “Nakauchi’s visit means a further concentration of expertise in Ulm”, even more because the visiting professor is going to bring experts for the purification of stem-cells to Germany “which is necessary to conduct research on adult stem-cells.”
For Kühl and Brockmann, the commitment of Professor Nakauchi will be an important factor in the next round of the German Excellence Initiative, primarily because of internationalisation. “We have come a long way. In addition, the visiting professorship fits our activities in the United States and China- geographically and with regard to contents”, say representatives of the Graduate School- not without pride. The school has profited from fundings of the German Excellence Initiative for three years now.
What is more, several factors account for the high scientific level of the formation, especially the good career opportunities for graduates. Alumni are now working as researchers in Stanford, Harvard or Toronto. Because of the excellent mentoring by three scientists, two of them from Ulm, students have published three to four scientific research articles when they graduate. ”A standard we have helped to set”, stresses the staff of the Graduate School in unison. There is also a high level of basic conditions ranging from the support of pregnant women in laboratories to childcare.
Besides the obvious advantages for the international Graduate School, the university’s President is hoping for positive impulses for the whole university and its research profile for example for a requested “Sonderforschungsbereich” (collaborative research center). “I am convinced that Nakauchi’s visit will increase our chances.”