If you want to pursue a research career in life science research or biomedicine, then this course is the right one for you! Learn about the generation, use, application and limitation of experimental model systems in the context of life science research and molecular biomedicine.

This BIP will provide you with knowledge on different experimental models commonly used in current biomedical research, as well as on the principles of scientific methods and experimental approaches. Under the supervision of scientists and teachers from seven CIVIS universities, you will practice by designing and discussing experiments and projects to address real research questions.

Teaching within this BIP is based on team-, active- and peer-learning activities. You will be able to choose between 3 or 6 ECTS by selecting the number of virtual workshops you like to attend. Each workshop is scheduled for two weeks with virtual face-to-face sessions (1 or 3h/ week), pre-recorded lectures and peer-group tasks. The BIP concludes in one final week of physical face-to face sessions in Tübingen/Germany.

BIP structure:

• Presentation & introductory lectures: 1 week (compulsory: 3h; 1h/lecture)
• Research workshops: 4 or 7 models of your choice, 2 weeks/workshop (compulsory: 1h 1st week + 3h 2nd week)
• Physical mobility: 1 week, 5 days

Every workshop will have the same structure:

• 2 weeks of face-to face work: Monday/Wednesday/Friday 3-4pm (CET); compulsory attendance: week 1, only Friday, week 2, all three sessions for team work & presentations and peer evaluation;
• pre-recorded 1h-lecture (most important concepts behind the scientific project) plus 1 h-seminar on the teacher's research, available from week before. Teachers will be on-line Monday and Wednesday for optional Q&A sessions (non compulsory);
• 2 sessions (1h each) of team work (3-4 students) aimed at proposing and designing experiments to address the assigned specific research questions raised at the end of the seminar. These sessions will be tutorized by the teacher (teams will be split in different virtual rooms). Teams will also prepare a simple 3-4 slides-presentation;
• 2 final sessions (1 h each) in which the teams will present their proposals. These will be evaluated by both the teacher and the peer teams. Both teacher and students will be provided with evaluation rubrics.

The physical component of this BIP will be hosted by the University of Tübingen (Germany) from 29 June - 3 July 2026.

Monday, 29 June:

• welcome & introduction
• wrap-up seminars by workshop teachers
• individual evaluation (written and presentation preparation)

Tuesday, 30 June – Thursday, 2 Jul:

• morning: debates on all models, individual presentations; individual feedback tutorial
• afternoon: visits to institutions, research facilities, cultural visit of the city & social programme.

Friday, 3 July:

• course wrap up
• inspiring talks by one young and one senior relevant local researchers
• certificate/ diploma ceremony
• farewell party

During the virtual phase - 9 February - 19 till June 2026 - students will participate in the introductory workshop (compulsory) and up to seven workshops (2 weeks per workshop, 3h/ week).

9-13 February: Introductory workshop (compulsory):

• Monday, 15:00 - 16:00 CET: Introductory session on Experimental Models
• Wednesday, 15:00 - 16:00 CET: training on project design
• Friday, 15:00 - 16:00 CET: training on presentation skills

In the following weeks, the individual workshops will take place. During that time, students will be confronted with actual research question and will address these questions in an interactive learning environment. Within peer groups, they will discuss with fellow participants how to address these questions and design within their group a detailed experimental study plan:

• 16 - 27 February 2026: Yeast as a biotechnological tool with multiple applications: a model for dietary toxicology
• 2 - 13 March 2026: Non-coding RNAs and RNA modifications in cell differentiation and disease
• 16 - 27 March 2026: Behavioral phenotyping of Mouse Models
• Easter break
• 13 - 24 April 2026: Riboseq to understand proteostasis in disease
• 27 April - 8 May 2026: Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells differentiation for tissue engineering applications
• 11 - 22 May 2026: Models to study Angiogenesis
• Pentecost break
• 1 - 12 June 2026: Novel approaches to study Human Diseases
• Easter and Pentecost holidays will be free of course sessions (to respect local holidays)

All workshops (2 weeks per workshop) will follow the same structure:

prior workshop: preparation phase - watch the two pre-recorded lectures prepared by trainer

1st workshop week:

• Monday 15:00 - 16:00 CET: Q&A session I with trainer (optional)
• Wednesday 15:00 - 16:00 CET: Q&A session II with trainer (optional)
• Friday 15:00 - 16:00 CET: team work I (compulsory)

2nd workshop week:

• Monday 15:00 - 16:00 CET: team work II (compulsory)
• Wednesday 15:00 - 16:00 CET: team presentations & peer evaluation I (compulsory)
• Friday 15:00 - 16:00 CET: team presentations & peer evaluation II (compulsory)