The relevance of sex and gender-sensitive medicine has become more evident during the last decade. It is clear that this is a central field in medical research and patient care and is important for most medical disciplines. Women and men can suffer from the same diseases but these may manifest themselves in different ways. This is mainly due to the different genetic and hormonal constitutions, which affect anatomy and physiology. It can result in different disease risks, patho-physiologies, symptoms and progression. In addition, sociocultural factors influence the disease process differently in men and women, generating a highly complex multifaceted situation. However, sex and gender differences in medical care as well as in research and teaching are still insufficiently considered. To bridge this gap we have initiated a multidisciplinary training programme for next-generation MD, MD/PhD and PhD candidates in basic, translational, and clinical research aspects of sex and gender-sensitive medicine.

Lectures and research topics of the 3-year curriculum: The course introduces participants to and focuses on sex and gender-sensitive aspects in medicine including basic genetics, selected important diseases and the underlying (patho)physiology. It covers all aspects of sex and gender differences on diverse levels, e.g. statistical methods, cell culture, animal models and studies in humans including interdisciplinary and diversity aspects. Lectures and seminars are held on a fortnightly basis. At the lectures, invited experts in the field give scientific presentations. At the seminars, a PhD/MD student presents her/his project and discusses recent results. In the second year of their curriculum, the PhD students are asked to give lectures related to their area of research.

We regard the core as an interdisciplinary platform for knowledge and method transfer, a forum for scientific discussion, and a starting point for a network of early career researchers and alumni who are dedicated to fostering sex and gender-sensitive medicine.

Coordinators: