EXC 2049
NeuroCure
| Spokesperson | Prof. Dr. Dietmar Schmitz |
| Coordinator | Dr. Claudia Mahlke |
| Contact Details | +49 30 450 539 124 neurocure[at]charite.de www.neurocure.de |
| Address | Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin |
Research Programme
NeuroCure is a Cluster of Excellence in the neurosciences that has been funded by the German federal and state governments since 2007 and has received further funding within the Excellence Strategy since 2019. The focus of the Cluster is on investigating neurological and psychiatric disorders. The aim of this interdisciplinary research network is to better understand disease mechanisms and to develop new therapies. Fostering local networks of scientists and their research activities lies at the heart of the Cluster’s efforts. In addition, NeuroCure has established a significant number of new research groups as well as several technological platforms.
By promoting close cooperation between basic science and clinical research, the Cluster aims to more rapidly transfer findings from basic research to clinical application. To facilitate this process, NeuroCure has established its own clinical research center (NCRC). The NCRC supports researchers in conducting clinical trials, and gives patients access to new therapies and diagnostic options through participation in clinical trials.
Equal Opportunity Measures
NeuroCure employs a diverse set of measures to recruit, retain and empower female scientists, with the ultimate goal of sustainably increasing the proportion of female scientists in higher academic positions.
Recruit
Recruitment in the Cluster is currently focused on junior research groups. Our equal opportunity measures for recruitment include:
- actively inviting female scientists to apply
- raising awareness in selection committees about unconscious bias in recruitment processes
- dual career support
Retain
A key factor in retaining women in science is supporting measures to combine family and career. Our measures include:
- financial support for flexible childcare through KidsMobil
- tips for parental leave and return
Empower
Career support for female scientists can encourage women to stay in science and provide valuable skills and networking opportunities. Measures include:
- mentoring program for female scientists
- sponsorship of Soapbox Science Berlin to increase visibility of female scientists
- raising awareness about databases of female scientists to increase visibility to potential employers, or as a resource, e.g. in faculty or speaker searches
- “WAGES” workshop activity using a board game format to educate about the effects of unconscious bias on career development and to stimulate ideas on how to counteract it
